How to Explain a Termination to Future Employers?

[RN_Erin]

So I need advice and have tried to research this but have been struggling to find anything that is helping me.

I landed my dream job of being an ED nurse straight out of nursing school. I did my 3-month Capstone in an ED and was immediately hired on for the ED New Grad RN program.

I was recently let go from my position after 4 months of working in this ED because I failed a drug test. I'd been injured after being kicked by a patient. On my day off the day after I was in so much pain that I was unable to get out of bed. I had been so desperate that I'd taken one pain pill from my parents that I didn't have a prescription for. I know that was unacceptable but like I said, I was desperate. When I officially reported it three days later, they said it was mandatory for me to do a drug screen.

I tested positive for that medication on the drug test and came clean and explained it to the lady from the drug screening company who then contacted HR the next Thursday with the results and my explanation. I didn't receive a call from HR so I worked my shifts through the weekend. HR called me the next Monday, and I explained once again what had happened. On Tuesday, they called and told me they didn't have a choice but to terminate me. I do realize that I had agreed to that when I took the job. The HR director told me that they wouldn't report me to DOPL. He also said that I would be considered re-hirable and that I should look for another RN job to work for a year or two and then could consider reapplying for a job at that hospital. He said that they would only tell potential employers that contacted them these things: my position that I worked there, my start and stop dates, and that I was considered re-hirable.

My question is, how do I explain the short amount of time I worked at that hospital and the circumstances under which I left? Also, do I have to list this as a termination since my former employer didn't state that telling them I was terminated was a part of something they could tell my potential employers?

I would really appreciate nonjudgmental responses since it truly was an honest mistake and I am already beating myself up about this. It truly was the first time I'd taken a pain medication that wasn't my own and have never gone to work under the influence of any medication, my own or otherwise.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Perhaps I'm missing something. Why would you be required to report to your employer that you took a pain pill on your day off?

It seems unreasonable that you would be terminated. Do you have a union?

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

Perhaps I'm missing something. Why would you be required to report to your employer that you took a pain pill on your day off?

It seems unreasonable that you would be terminated. Do you have a union?

If you have an accident or incident at work, HR have the right to mandate that you do a drug screen. If anything comes back positive you are required to produce a prescription to validate the positive test, much like you would at pre-employment screening. The OP did not have a prescription and so they are mandated to report to the BON. It's bad luck, although avoidable. Don't beat yourself up. You could always explain the truth if you had to explain if you were ever terminated.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I can understand if she took illegal substances, but based on the rationale provided, "I took a pain pill because I was injured at work and in pain," a termination seems very unfair.

[RN_Erin]

I'm not saying they were in the wrong in terminating me, I did technically violate the code and had signed upon hire that I agreed that it could be automatic termination. Even though my violation was completely unintentional. I don't know if there is a union. But I just don't know how to explain it in the future. They stated they aren't going to report it to the BON, so it's not going to affect my license.

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I can understand if she took illegal substances, but based on the rationale provided, "I took a pain pill because I was injured at work and in pain," a termination seems very unfair.

If it was prescription medication that wasn't prescribed and created a positive drug test, then it was not legal. I'm assuming the OP didn't test positive for Advil...

[RobotNurse]

tell them you were laid off? budget cuts or something like that.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

They stated they aren't going to report it to the BON, so it's not going to affect my license.

You got really lucky with this. Like, unbelievably lucky. Obviously, don't ever overshare like that again. Most narcotics are going to be out of your system in 3 to 5 days anyway.

Just tell the next hospital that you weren't a good fit. Shoot - you can make yourself look like an incompetent fool who couldn't cut it as a new grad in the ER and that story will be light years more acceptable to an employer than the real reason you got fired.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

I am.confused about why you reported it? I would have called my doctor and asked to be seen ASAP or gone to urgent care.If I was desperate and took a Norco that was not prescribed to me I would never report myself! Now that it is done you must not tell any future employers...just tell them the unit was not a good fit.Then give a reason such as you believed the unit lacked good teamwork and you do not want to practice in that kind of environment.Anything along those lines.

[VANurse2010]

The fact that you self-reported for that ... Really?

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

When you say you officially reported it 3 days later, do you mean the incident where the patient injured you? Or the fact that you took a pain pill without an Rx?

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

When you are injured at work you need to file a workers comp report right away and expect a drug test right then and there. It is pretty much automatic and standard procedure. I know it's too late for you but to warn others out there to not make your mistake. If they are really not going to file a complaint with the Board you are very lucky and that they are considering you rehireable. In most circumstances, a nurse will find herself reported to the board and then forced to go into an expensive monitoring program and even not be able to work as a nurse for a long time and then when allowed have stipulations such as no access to narcotics.

Please if you are in pain or injured speak up and see your Dr so you can have a legitimate narcotic prescription if necessary. When you are injured workers comp pays your medical bills 100% and you can go wherever you want for care, any hospital, physical therapy and even your own Dr. It is just too risky not to have a legitimate pain prescription if you need pain meds. You could be drug tested at any time such as worker injury, discrepancy in the ADU, or even if a coworker told someone they thought you were impaired. Guaranteed if you apply for a new job you will be drug tested and some places do hair analysis because it can give them your history for months not days!

Taking a pain pill without a legitimate prescription is just too dangerous to your job, nursing license and your livelihood, not to mention it's illegal! So to anyone in pain go to the ER, urgent care or Dr and get a legal prescription!