Hired For Underqualified Position

Published

Specializes in LPN.

I was hired for Infection Preventionist/Quality Insurance at the beginning of March, in which I have no prior experience. I did my certifications and basic employment orientation for approximately weeks.I've requested information needed to perform my job, as policy and procedures, infection control forms, state surveys, QA forms. I have not been given formal training in the postion. Nor had I been given the forms requested.  

I was told by my administrator to make up policies and procedures and QA forms myself.  I requested information from the DON on infection control,  but was told by her that it's her "baby". I've been given other tasks to do besides my job description.  

A week ago I was told by my administrator that they were going to hire an RN to do Infection Preventionist role because I would have too much to do as QAI. Later that night I found out both my positions were posted on indeed job site. 

I requested from the corporate nurse QA information last week and was emailed back to worry about infection control at this time. I informed her that the administrator decided to hire an RN for that role, in which she was unaware of. Later that week my postion was pulled from indeed.

I went back on indeed tonight and the job was posted again 3 days ago.

I have prior experience, not been given formal training, do not have access to information needed to perform my duties, and I have not been written up.

In the mean time, the Administrator and DON told me they had bigger fish to fry, such as missing documentation that agency nurses weren't doing. I was instructed to fill in such documents for compliance. They told me which ones to do and how to go in and complete them. They had me even go in and complete documents that were prior my hire date.  After 2 weeks of doing as I was instructed by my superiors,  I felt an impending dome.  I started researching what I was doing and how illegal it is. 

State was in the building today and I confessed all before they had knowledge of it. I probably lost my license, my job(which at this point they can have) and I've been having massive panic attacks all day. It never crossed my mind how bad of a situation I got myself into, all I was concerned about the past few weeks was losing my job that I was never qualified or trained to do.  

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Appears the powers that be knew the State was after them and developed your position to blow a smoke screen. " I was instructed to fill in such documents for compliance. " Biggest red flag of all...you cannot chart what you did not see or do.

You only held the position for one month, you were honest with the state.

Can't lose your license over honesty. Deep breaths, quit that scapegoat job and move on. Leave it off your resume.

Best wishes.

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1 hour ago, ALMB said:

....State was in the building today and I confessed all before they had knowledge of it. I probably lost my license, my job(which at this point they can have) and I've been having massive panic attacks all day. It never crossed my mind how bad of a situation I got myself into, all I was concerned about the past few weeks was losing my job that I was never qualified or trained to do.  

What a nightmare scenario. I applaud you having the guts to stand in front of those inspectors and tell them what was going on.  ((virtual hugs sent)) 

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Good for you for telling them what was happening. Wishing you a much better future job.

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Specializes in Dialysis.

This is why many, myself included, leave LTC 

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
6 hours ago, Hoosier_RN said:

This is why many, myself included, leave LTC 

Yep I did.

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On 4/7/2021 at 4:39 PM, SmilingBluEyes said:

Yep I did.

Me three.

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Yikes! I had no idea this went on in LTC!

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

It looks as though they didn't really have a job for you, they just created a role by the seat of their pants and hired someone to fill it.  You were supposed to be the warm body parked in a chair and do whatever make-work projects they gave you, as well as falsifying any documentation they needed.

They never hired anyone else to do infection control or QI.  No one is doing those things; they just had to explain to you why you didn't have any actual pertinent work to do and why there were no training materials.

Of course you had to be honest with the State.  What if they asked to see what sorts of infection control projects you were currently involved in?  The jig would have been up one way or the other.  It is really in your favour that you came clean right away.

I wouldn't worry about the Board.  The State won't report you since you came clean when you realized what you were doing.  The facility can't report you without front-streeting themselves.

I agree with BeenThere.  Find a reputable employer and leave the bogus job off your resume.  Hugs.

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Specializes in Dialysis.
On 4/9/2021 at 8:41 PM, 2BS Nurse said:

Yikes! I had no idea this went on in LTC!

More often than not

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