This is a strange situation and I found nothing on this site that was similar.
My hospital's HR / Nurse Recruitment are preventing me from getting the job I want, and who want to hire me. I want to go to Employee Relations and fight this. They want me to take an RN job I don't want.
HELP!
Now the details:
I am a new grad RN who has worked as a tech in an ICU for the last 2 years, (4 years in the hospital). I took this job while still in nursing school with the intention of obtaining a position in the ICU as a new grad RN. Well just before my last semester of school I officially met with my nurse manager and told her I would like to apply for a new grad RN position in the ICU. They hire new grads and had just hired several in the last year. She said great talk to me in a couple months.
I had my performance review a month later and got a glowing review and again expressed my desire to have a position once I graduated and passed the NCLEX in about 4 months. She said that she would have a position for me and that I will need to apply, etc. once I was about to graduate.
Well, I did as I was told and then everything changed. I submitted my paper work and was contacted by nurse recruitment and said they would like to work with me to help me get an RN job in the hospital. I was told that they "like to promote from within" and "take care of their own". GREAT I said.
She then explained to me that the department I work in as a tech does not have any RN openings at this time. She said that she had other positions that she would like to have me interview for.
Well, needless to say I was very disappointed as the ICU is what I always wanted and was told that they were hiring by my manager. I explained this to HR and was very clear in expressing my goals and that this was a big part of why I went into nursing.
So I did what they suggested and interviewed for the other position. The interview went great and I liked the nurse manager. I had heard that this floor was insane and a crazy place. A day later I get the call that they want to hire me. I was excited and sad to see that what I really wanted wasn't meant to be. I figured I would work in this new job for a year and then transfer to the ICU. I thought about it for a 5 days and then accepted the position.
A few days later I went back to work at my tech job on the ICU and was told from nurses that a position was going to be available and that I should talk to our manager ASAP. So I did and expressed my sincere desire again that this was where I saw myself and where I wanted to be. She went to her boss and they agreed to hire me.
My manger then contacted HR to explain the situation and that they would now like to offer me a position that just became available in the ICU. Well HR said NO, that I accepted the position on the other floor and that they could not overturn this and that it was unprofessional, BLAH BLAH!!! It was only 4 days before that I accepted the position.
I was so furious, angry, sad and just confused how HR/ Nurse Recruitment could stop the ICU nurse management from hiring me. HR knew that this is the job I have wanted from the beginning. I only accepted the other job as they told be that they had no other options for me. Well now I do have an option and I want to work on my ICU! My manager said she was so sorry and that there was nothing she could do.
I am planning on contacting Employee Relations and letting them know what is going on and that I want everyone to know how I am being treated. Granted I should be thrilled to have a job period and I am, but, I made so many sacrifices, both pay and time wise to obtain the job I want.
So, what can I do. I want to ask Employee Relations for help or guidance. I have such a bad taste in my mouth I am not sure I even want to take the other job they offered me as I feel like I am going to be starting my nursing career with a negative attitude and be bitter and angry that all my hard work wasn't good enough for me to have the job I should have. To think that some guy sitting behind a desk, Who I Don't Even Know is making decisions over my career makes me CRAZY. It's all political and bull ****.
I just can't take this lying down. I am so determined to fight this. I want to do this the smart way without causing more problems for myself. I don't think they can take back the job offer that I accepted due to me complaining about this situation or not. I can't imagine they can, or I could sue.
If you made it this far in my LONG WINDED story Thanks!
Now please please give me some insight, feed back, advice, psych readings. LOL
Seriously, I would love to hear from anyone who can give me words of wisdom.
Worse comes to worse, I'd would ask the ICU manager for a reference on your behalf for your work as an extern, etc. I 'd get any other sound references too. Then I would respectfully decline the position with HR, and write a positive and carefully worded note to the floor manager. If they don't accept your re-application to the ICU, at the very least you have made a very clear statement--stood up for yourself as a nurse profession, and you have positive references, which you can use to apply for other ICU positions. If they aren't available in your area, then of course your strategy will have to be different--such as working on the floor for a while--doing the very best job you can--and after a good 4 or 6 month, begin looking for another position that you may like--or re-apply to the ICU.
No matter what, always be looking for another job. And here's something that served me well for a long time, but I dropped it some years back due to complications in my family life. Always, always, always try to have a pool position. Stay as current as you can and keep up on all your certs, etc. Keep going to school if you can.
Most of all, work to process through any sense of bitterness. One way or another it will just work against you personally and professionally.
what do you gain by getting mad and leaving? You might learn things on the other unit that will benefit you. Maybe they did not want to put a new grad in that slot. My thought is, if the Director of critical care really wanted you there they would go to bat for you. Which makes me think you ought to take the offered position, then transfer whenever policy allows. But don't bad mouth everybody in the process as that will follow you from job to job. If you think this won't work, quit and go elsewhere.
First, let me apologize for not writing back and updating you on the status of my situation. A lot has been happening. I have traveled to Spain for vacation after graduating from nursing school and passing my boards.
Well, here is what happened with my situation. I will try to keep this as brief as possible.
I decided to go to my nurse manager and let her know my serious desire again to work as an RN in this ICU.
She listened to me and agreed to talk to the director of nursing for the ICU and let them know of the situation. I was luck that my timing was great as a new grad position suddenly became available because someone else left due to personal reasons.
The Nurse Dir agreed to allow me to interview for the position but the head of HR said no and that I had to take the job I already accepted. My manager said she was sorry but there was nothing more she could do. After chatting with other senior nurses I decided to take their advice and fight it. I went to Employee Relations in HR and explained my situation and asked if there was anything more I could do. They told me that they would speak to the HR manager and see what the situation was.
A few days later I was told that HR agreed to let me interview for the ICU job. I then interviewed with the ICU Dir of Nursing and then 2 days later was notified that they were offering me the ICU job. Needless to say I was thrilled and accepted it immediately. I did feel bad how this was handled so I called the nurse manager for the floor I was supposed to work on. I apologized for changing my mind but explained that the ICU position was were I truly desired to be, but due to the unusual circumstances a position was not available at the time I accepted her offer. I also followed up with a personal letter to her again apologizing and thanking her for the opportunity.
I started my new RN position about two weeks ago and so far loving it. I soon begin my orientation with my preceptor on the icu unit and am so excited and SCARED. The good thing is I know the ICU and all of the nurses. I am friends with my preceptors and know I will get great training for the new 5-6 months of orientation.
I am very lucky and I truly know it. I can't believe that everything has worked out perfectly. I just kept believing that this was meant to be and wouldn't give up until it happened. I am so glad I didn't give up or else none of this would ever have happened. And the cherry on the top is even better. I close friend of mine from nursing school told me he wanted to work at my hospital. So, I took his resume in to my nurse recruiter and told her he was a good friend of mine and will make a great nurse. She interviewed him and he mentioned his interest in the floor I originally got offered, well days later he interviewed with the nurse manager and she loved him and offered him the job. My friend called and said "thank you for your sloppy seconds, I got the job". So not only did I get my dream job but I helped my friend get the job I later declined. So it all worked out and everyone is happy.
Sometimes the Universe works so well you just have to smile.
Thanks everyone for your words of wisdom and help throughout this very emotional and difficult experience. It was all worth it.
Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.
If you want that position and the nurse manager really wants you then SHE is going to have to step up and help you fight for this position. You cannot force HR to give you a particular position and they cannot force you to take a position that you do not want. Are you sure this manager really wants you or is she blowing smoke up your a$$? There is something going on here under the table. I recommend that you get back with the ICU nurse manager and ask her for help and do go to employee relations and see if they can help you.
Guest343211
880 Posts
Worse comes to worse, I'd would ask the ICU manager for a reference on your behalf for your work as an extern, etc. I 'd get any other sound references too. Then I would respectfully decline the position with HR, and write a positive and carefully worded note to the floor manager. If they don't accept your re-application to the ICU, at the very least you have made a very clear statement--stood up for yourself as a nurse profession, and you have positive references, which you can use to apply for other ICU positions. If they aren't available in your area, then of course your strategy will have to be different--such as working on the floor for a while--doing the very best job you can--and after a good 4 or 6 month, begin looking for another position that you may like--or re-apply to the ICU.
No matter what, always be looking for another job. And here's something that served me well for a long time, but I dropped it some years back due to complications in my family life. Always, always, always try to have a pool position. Stay as current as you can and keep up on all your certs, etc. Keep going to school if you can.
Most of all, work to process through any sense of bitterness. One way or another it will just work against you personally and professionally.