I was fired from my first CNA job after four months, I feel cheated...

Nursing Students CNA/MA

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It was four months I was working as a cna in a facility on 3rd shift, on the Aug 26th,'14. One of my resident pull up her call light and asked to see the nurse, not knowing she wanted to report me on what i did not do, The next day i received a call from DON asking if i could come down immediately that she need to talk to me with administrator, I went down as soon as could,. The administrator was asking me some questions about what happen yesterday, I replied everything went perfect, she asked me how many of my residents were awake when I was taking care of them, i couldn't remember immediately i have to pulse for a while because i had almost 25 residents that I took care of, i mentioned a few, she continue and ask who was the resident I asked her personal information like social security no, I said myself no i never ask such question and I will never ask. She continue and said one of the resident ( not to mention name) said I asked her her SSN at 11.30pm I replied that was capital no. To cut the whole story short I was suspended for that night for pending verification, DON said she going to call me the next day. I received her call the next day asking me to come down and see the administrator that she will not be there due some reasons, I believe she doesn't want to see me going because am one of her best cna she said earlier, I went in there the administrator said " if such thing like this happen its termination" I said so you believe what the resident said was true, She said she do believe her resident even if they lied" she said employee must be terminated if she (the complainant) is not comfortable or any other resident for any employee to work, so I was been terminated because she is not comfortable for me to work in that facility. I said " i have heard and see people who suffered for what they did not do, it now my turn to suffer for what I did not do" she said I mean the administrator "sighed and said I am sorry if you feel like that. Can you just imagine they don't believe their employees but they do believe their residents. My question now is that will I be able to get another CNA job with that bad record? Am sorry for my long story it because I feel so bad and I need to explain everything, thanks everyone for your suggestion may be I will happy if I hear some advice, crying...

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So If I understand this right, you were fired because a resident claimed you asked for her social security number, with no other witnesses or evidence? Then the administrator says even if you didn't ask it, we're still firing you because the resident wont feel comfortable having you take care of her after having lied about you?

Think about how idiotic this logic is. So what happens when another employee gets accused by this same person, are they going to fire them too? How can you be expected to do your job if any claim made by any confused elderly resident results in termination, and merely having a single resident possibly feel uncomfortable having you take care of them results in termination. What if a resident doesn't feel comfortable with management, are they all getting fired too?

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Specializes in hospice.

Man, I am so sorry. That really stinks. I guess it's time to start a job search. See if you can get some PRN work anywhere while looking for full time. Anyone have advice about what to say when asked why this person got fired? Cuz I'm stumped as to how to spin that.

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Does this resident have a history of confusion, dementia, Alzheimer's, etc? Is the resident A&O x3? Seems like there must be more to the story on the resident's end.

Unfortunately, this is a live and learn situation. You'll just have to move on. It's a he said she said accusation. Take your work experience and find a better job. It seems unfair, but that's life... Sigh

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Will this type of event be attached to your license? Or will this be just on the company you worked for?

Anyways, it's better that you leave that place now that you see their true colors.

You can always find an employee advocate/lawyer to defend yourself against the allegations.

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Specializes in hospice.
Will this type of event be attached to your license? Or will this be just on the company you worked for?

Certification, not license.

If they report this to the BON as attempted identity theft, it could end up causing OP a lot of damage, including loss of certification. I think with no proof that's unlikely, but who knows with a vindictive place like this?

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Specializes in None yet..

Wow. I guess this is a good time to use the internet acronym, "***!"

I am so very sorry this happened to you. In my short time as a CNA, I've seen residents with dementia tell family members they've been abused. Fortunately, the family members kept listening as the story progressed to include more details like the CNA put them "in jail."

It's not an easy task to protect vulnerable residents but your managers approach of believing ANYTHING a person with dementia says is WAY on the chicken... er, scratch shall we say, side. You're blessed to be out of there before something more dangerous happened. Bruises on one of your residents from a fall that happened when you were in another room. Face it, we're in a line of work where we're in the rifle scope sometimes.

Check out free or low-cost legal advice options in your area. You might be surprised at your options.

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I still think that you were terminated with no tangible reason based on your story.

I think the BON should have some sort of employee advocate that can help you. I'm not sure though.

This looks like they won't report you to the BON anyways, but if you are in a job interview, they will ask you if you have been fired from a job before. Regardless of your innocence, this will not look good for you. I don't mean to scare you or anything like that, but it's infuriating on how they can do these to employees, especially with your reputation.

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I thank you all for your comments and advises, God bless you. I asked the administrator what will be their comment when my unknown employer call them to verify my last employment with them, she told me that they can only verify the date of employment that's all, they won't say anything about why they terminated me. They just discouraged me for going further in Nursing line cause I was thinking am going to start my Lpn course when I did my cna for a year but now am not going further am stopping at cna, its a great discouragement. I will further my career on Human Resource since I had a certificate related to that. I wish they don't report to BON because they don't have any evidence or witness because if they do, that will be great problem because I wont let them sploit my career and my good record. In my own opinion there should be some ways employees fight for their rights in a situation like this, Cnas' or nurses should not just suffer for what they don't do.Cause I know so many situations like this would have happened and will still happen, Man,I really suffer for what I don't do or say big time. Thanks all, have started filling out some applications.

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Specializes in Long term care.

Most (and I dare say all) employers have a grievence policy/procedure in place. I would seriously considered finding out what that procedure is and start it in motion.

Also, when someone is fired, it is reported to the dept. of labor in your state/town so that you can/cannot file for unemployement. You may be able to file a grievance that way too...worth a look into. through dept of labor.

I would also find out for certain if this was reported to your certification. Ask them (where you were let go from) if it was reported. You will have to defend that to if they did.

What a mess! I'm so sorry you have to go through all this.

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The logic in your story is ridiculous to me! I'm very sorry this happened to you. However, as someone said earlier, it's better it happened fairly early on (4 months) then if you were there longer. It's a shame your supervisors would not even give you the courtesy or respect to do an investigation instead of listening to hear say. I wish you the best moving forward!

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My story is so similar to the OP!

I am a CNA. I have been with the same company for 3 years. I was awarded the employee of the month award. I had a perfect attendance receord and I was working 11-7 shift.

3 days ago I received a phone call from the DON at 5pm on Friday not to come to work as scheduled for my 11-7 shift. Because it was the weekend, there was really nothing for me to do that to just wait and follow up on Monday (yesterday). I called the company yesterday and left a couple of messages (one with HR, and the other one with the VP of the Health Center). Finally I received a call back from the VP, who informed me that I am being let go because I have been rough with one of the resident. He also added that the family just wants me to go. After I got over the initial shock I told him that I don't abuse anyone and that this is not true. He said that he believed the resident (he did not mentioned the name of that resident) and that my services are no longer needed at this company. and then he added: "But the good news is that this will not be reported to the state." and I thought to myself, you mean you are accusing me of being abusive and you won't report an abuse? hmm.. something just doesn't add up here. And what bothers me is the fact that NO ONE called me and asked me anything. No verbal warning, no written warning, I have never been suspended. Just out of the blue I hear the words: "You're fired."

I got off the phone, saying that it was nice working for them and being professional to the very end.

I have been listening to pastor Joel Osteen for the past year and his messages have made me realize that this is another test God is putting me through in my life. I am not nervous, I am very calm about the whole thing. Yesterday I did cry a little over the phone when I was talking to my charge nurse to tell her the outcome. She was upset and told me she knows who lied about me, and I told her I have a feeling we're talking about the same resident, who got another CNA fired just last month and accused one of the new nurses of not giving her her 5am medications (which was all a lie).

I am studying to be a RN. I just passed my HESI exam to to the nursing school. I have to type up the personal entrance letter today why I want to be a nurse, et. and the decision will be made within a week if I get accepted into a nursing school.

I became a CNA to:

- learn more

- gain experience working in the facility

- show my nursing school that I truly want to be a nurse.

I am not sure how will I get hired as a CNA by anyone now. My whole family said not to go into nursing, that this is not a good profession. I can't help it but I strongly feel that this my calling; that this is the reason why I was put on this planet.

The company believes the resident, because after all, the resident is the one who brings money to their account, and I am just a CNA, however, I know that I have been professional, and I was going to use this job as a proof that I am a great candidate to be a nurse. It doesn't make any sense why I would want to ruin all my hard work and go from an employee of the month to an elderly abuser.

Okay, enough about it. I cannot change the past. I am going to focus on school now. I am going to think positive. I know I am a hardworking person with a great heart, and that's a lot. I am sorry that 3 years at the same company and I can't even use them as my CNA reference. I learned one valuable lesson. Money talks, and CNAs are treated like they are nobody. It is a shame that I had no one to talk to discuss it with over there. Okay, that door is forever closed now. God is going to open another door soon.

Have a good day everyone and thank you for reading this long post. I really had to vent to someone out there.

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