How do I get a new job after being fired?

[Bkre8iv2]

I need some advice. I worked on a busy and very stressful med-surg unit for about 2 years. It was my first nursing job out of school and last week I was fired. I believe I am a very good nurse, as evidenced by frequent compliments from patients and family members. My nursing care has never come into question. I graduated with honors from an accelerated program and have a BSN. The problem is that the unit I worked on was very volatile. More than 30 people quit within the span of about a year. I was becoming burned out and no longer enjoyed my job. We had a ratio of 6 patients to 1 nurse with 1 to 2 techs for a 36 bed floor. There were many times we had no tech or secretary at all. The resource nurse almost always had a full patient load. The acuity was very high; many of the patients on that floor should have been stepdown or even ICU. I took care of a variety of patients as it was a community hospital. I have experience taking care of surgical (mostly urological and abdominal, some orthopedic), complicated medical, oncology, remote telemetry, stroke, and hospice pts. The problem is that the stress wore me down and there was little teamwork.

A few weeks ago I received final warnings about frequent tardiness (I was generally a few minutes late) and speaking negatively about a very challenging patient where others could hear. This was the second time I had been spoken to about being late and I had never been spoken to about the other issue. I took these warnings seriously. Unfortunately I had a conflict with a coworker a few days later. I had a very difficult and unsafe assignment and I was frustrated. She made a snide remark and I got upset. I then heard her making fun of me to a colleague and it went downhill from there. We yelled at one another in the hallway and long story short, nothing happened to her and I lost my job. I had also just found out earlier that day that my grandfather was going home from the hospital with hospice and his prognosis was extremely poor. I don't think I should have been fired under those circumstances, especially the way it happened. I showed up for my shift a few weeks later after I got back from the funeral and was told I no longer had a job.

My question is what do I do now? What do I need to tell prospective employers? What can my former employer say about me? How do I handle this? I am very nervous that I will not be able to find another job. Fortunately I had over 200 hours of PTO, so I have a little time before things get dire.

I would appreciate any help or advice anyone has! What is the best way to proceed now so that I can get another job and move on from this?

[Ginger80]

Would there possibly be any colleagues from the hospital that would be willing to give you a reference? Any of your former professors or preceptors? If you can get good letters of reference from them, that would speak well of your experience and character.

Don't let this experience discourage you. You will find another job.

Good luck.

[fanfan8787RN]

Recommend that you sign up with an agency. It would give you a breather and a chance to earn some icome. You should also ask some of your nursing friends who are familiar with your work to serve as references. Good luck to you.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I have been fired twice from nursing jobs. Once I totally deserved it (invited a rude and condecending resident out to the parking lot for a butt kicking). Once when my hospital wanted to get rid of all the Baylor schedual people and found any reason at all to fire them, or made their life so misserable they quit.

I suggest you get out there and start looking for a new job right away. You must be honest about being fired. Some nurse recruiters will allow you the chance to explain yourself. When you do make yourself look at good as possible but don't lie. I second the suggestions ot get letters of reference from coworkers if possible. Letters from physicians are good to if you knew any well enough that they could comment on your work and are willing to do so.

Your hospital can say anything they want about you if called by a prospective employer but it is very unlikely they will. They will confirm the dates you worked there and will maybe answer "no" when asked if you are elligable for rehire.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

When you interview do not complain overmuch about being fired. Just state the facts and do not mention names. Also, learn to be on time. It is possible.

I have been fired and ended up with a much better position. It is a change that you did not choose. But it is not your new identity.

[smily nurse, BSN, RN]

A word of advice, do not belittle the tardiness. I am one of those colleagues that has no use for chronic tardiness. Whether it be a few minutes or longer, we are meant to be on time.

[Music in My Heart]

A word of advice, do not belittle the tardiness. I am one of those colleagues that has no use for chronic tardiness. Whether it be a few minutes or longer, we are meant to be on time.

Ditto.

Chronic tardiness in nursing is unacceptable and, IMO, reasonable grounds for termination.

[Mrs. SnowStormRN, RN]

I dont think you were fired over the argument, but fired over the argument in addition to your tardiness and speaking rude about a patient within ear distance - which is grounds for termination. Being an honor student in nursing school is fine and dandy, but it doesnt mean youre a great nurse. You have to prove yourself in the field. You now have to convince the next employer you have grown and changed. Do not make it look like its the facilitys fault you lost your job, accepting responsibility is a positive quality that can only work for you, when in your job search. Someone suggested an agency for now, I think thats a good idea. Good Luck to you!

[rkitty198, BSN, RN]

I got out late on mothers day and missed 30 minutes with my son before he went to bed because the oncoming shift nurse was late.

It isn't fair to your co-workers to pay for your tardiness.

This might haunt you, especially in today's job market.

Some human resource departments are only allowed to give the dates of employment and if the person would be eligible for rehire. You can call the HR where you were fired and ask them what they plan to say upon your new interview. I would call and be anonymous. That way you can plan on what you wish to share with the new facility about the issue.

[smily nurse, BSN, RN]

I got out late on mothers day and missed 30 minutes with my son before he went to bed because the oncoming shift nurse was late.

It isn't fair to your co-workers to pay for your tardiness.

I feel the same.......:heartbeat

[halkogirl]

I used to manage a business, and part of my job was hiring new staff. Believe me, I hired more than one person who had been fired from a previous job. If someone came to the interview and stated that the problem was all about the previous employer- boss, coworkers, customers, etc., I would not hire them. If someone told me that they had been fired for making a mistake or two and that they stated that they had learned from those mistakes, then I would hire them.

My advice to you- do not blame any of this on your previous employer. It may not have been a good match for you, and that is fine to admit that to a potential new employer. Also, realize that a responsible adult will leave the rants and the gossip out of the workplace. If you are frustrated with a job, the worst thing that you can do is complain to random people or coworkers. Only talk with your superiors about concerns that you have regarding a certain patient or your workload. Rant here where it is anonymous.

And as far as frequently being late is concerned- there is absolutely no excuse. It happens to people on occasion, I know, but obviously you need to organize your time better. You may find that putting a little structure and organization into your life will help you get to work on time, and may help you in the job that you do.

[Seas]

You need to be honest with the next interviewer and stop blaming the facility that fired you, because they are reasonable for doing this. You showed some unprofessional behavior that set you for a termination. You need to prove your interviewer that you learned from this, instead of insisting on how successful you were at school or how great nurse you were.