Any comments to my following post would be greatly appreciated!!!!
I am a college student that recently was accepted into a nursing school for the fall of 2007. It is an ADN (2 yr program). I have technically completed the recommended course load for the first year because after this summer I will have completed over 24 or more hours in required pre reqs. ( at a different school than the nursing school I got into)
I recently applied to a facility for a summer student nurse trainee position (nurse's aid for the summer) . I got the job. After I got the job, I came in to be finger printed and my blood was drawn for lab tests. The next week I came in to do a physical and I was told all my prior tests came back fine ( no hep c, etc.) During my physical I had to disclose what medication I take. I was completely honest and disclosed that I take bupropion sr because I have ADHD. The very next day I got a call from HR rescinding my job because they "overlooked" that I had not completed one full year in nursing school ( one of the listed requirements on the application).
I find this very hard to believe because I submitted my transcripts from school and a letter declaring my future intentions in nursing where I listed some of my academic highlights which were all pre req classes ( AP I, nutrition, human development, etc....) I did not list one nursing class.
I feel so bad and low! I feel like I have 2 options:
stop taking my meds ( which help me greatly!!!!) or lie on my future applications. I don't want to lie to get a job and loose my job later because I did not disclose this medication.
Do you think I discriminated against or did HR really fall asleep at the wheel and overlook my lack of qualifications?
I will lay you odds that the full job description said one year of nursing school (which pre-reqs are NOT) and/or prior experience. This your friend was hired based on previous job experience.
It seems that what is really puzzling you right now is how they could have overlooked that you are not in nursing school yet. Here's the thing: in many ADN programs, classes like A&P, Microbiology, Pharmacology, etc are listed as pre-requisites. In a 4-year BSN program, these classes constitute much of the curriculum for the first year or two of Nursing eductation (plus a nursing class or two each semester), so those students have completed the same classes as you and have the same aspirations as you. Remember, a recruiter looks at the average resume for only 5 seconds, and usually no more than a minute or two if they are interested. While you might have spent months of time preparing it and have the entire thing memorized, unfortunately they do not.
Whatever you do, DON'T lie on future applications (It WILL come back to bite you, and could easily prevent you from getting any nursing jobs in the future), DO expand your options in the healthcare facilities you are considering working at right now, and DON'T give up.
It seems that what is really puzzling you right now is how they could have overlooked that you are not in nursing school yet. Here's the thing: in many ADN programs, classes like A&P, Microbiology, Pharmacology, etc are listed as pre-requisites. In a 4-year BSN program, these classes constitute much of the curriculum for the first year or two of Nursing eductation (plus a nursing class or two each semester), so those students have completed the same classes as you and have the same aspirations as you.
You're wrong and you're right. If you're in a BSN program, then the "externships" or whatever the hospitals call the student nurse jobs, you have to complete 1 year of CLINICAL classes. So even in a BSN these courses wouldn't have mattered to a recruiter in the least. A&P and Micro count as science courses, not nursing. Pharm is a nursing course.
However, most BSN programs start clinical classes their 2nd year in thus if someone in a BSN program could have completed 2 years and thus had 1 year of nursing completed. It's in ADN programs that you spend 2 years doing prereqs and 2 years doing clinical time.
Anyway, your friend got hired because she has CNA experience. You can't be upset over that because she's just more qualified and the fact that you tried to get a job that you're clearly not qualified for shows good moral conscience on the facility that you applied to. It shows that they're not so desperate to just hire anyone, but only people truly qualified. It's unfortunate that they let you know so late.
You could always try for unit secretary or PCT which wouldn't need that nursing school time to qualify, you're still getting into a healthcare setting, you can still learn through it and possibly continue it PRN or part time once you go back to school. You'd have an "in" at that facility if you wanted to work there after graduation as it's easier to lateral into a position than to get hired outright.
Pre-reqs are just that, they are not part of the nursing curriculum and do not give you a year of credit towards having a year of experience as a student.
Thongs get overlooked like that, especially if the facility was short-staffed. And your friend also had the CNA certificate. If you have one year of actual clinical training, then a facility can hire you as a student employee, but you need either the CNA or the one year.
And it had nothing to do with your medications. Best of luck to you in your schooling.
Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN
1 Article; 631 Posts
I will lay you odds that the full job description said one year of nursing school (which pre-reqs are NOT) and/or prior experience. This your friend was hired based on previous job experience.