I just got fired... what the hell happened?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Ok , this came out of left field... at least to ME!

I was fired today. Whoa, the reality is setting in now... or is that the wine I'm drinking? UGH.

Got called into a meeting w/the supervisor and HR (or, as I like to refer to them, INhumane resources).

Suddenly - thrust into my lap, are allegations of patient safety issues, complaints made by my coworkers (of a different shift).

Ok.. you're wondering.. "then why are you so shocked?"

Here's the kicker...

THEY ARE ALL, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, LIES LIES LIES!!!!

I normally would question a post where someone stated all complaints against them were lies.. heck, I questioned my own SELF... Did I really do that? Could I have forgotten NOT taking care of a pressure 210/100? Did I NOT give an anti-inflammatory to a pt w/COPD??? Did I sign off meds that I hadn't actually GIVEN??? NEVER.. I addressed each and every one of those issues.. AND documented in notes. *****!!!

Holy crap... I've heard of being bamboozled - but never thought this would exist in a supposed caring profession.

Never thought *I* would be on the receiving end of these falsehoods!!! :eek:

And yet, here I sit - without a job - a worse yet, without hope for this profession. WHY are some people so back-biting and just plain EVIL?

And.. WHY .. WHY is their word TAKEN for truth, without being thoroughly investigated? This isn't right, it shouldn't be allowed to happen.. yet it does.

I'm happy for the time off, believe me.. I could use a break. But, damn, the humiliation - the second guessing myself - seeing those s.o.b's act as though they're so righteous, and faultless.. when.. damn, where the HELL is their conscience?

Ok.. so now I feel like a failure - like I've actually been a horrible nurse - but why can't I make myself believe that? WHY do I still find my actions correct in proper and DAMNIT GOOD care of my patients!????

Ugh.. maybe it IS the wine.. :uhoh3:

Dear Nocturne,

Welcome to the politics of nursing. Someone felt threatened by you. No I'm not kidding as a LPN i have been called in to break rooms and listening to nurses planing to get rid of people. You not a loser and i don't believe you did anything wrong.

I do believe your a victim thou of people who felt you wouldn't fit in to their clique. Its sad i know but you know your to good for that place anyways and and trying to fight it in court or whatever it would be their word against yours.

I hope you find another job soon. OH and BTW look at your BON if it's everything they say. It was reported to the BON its state law. So check your license. These are my thoughts use them as you wish. Remember when one door closes one door opens.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I too believe you. 15 years ago I was having a relationship with one of the PA's in our office. We were both going through a divorce at the time. Albeit, probably not the best decision but we were both fired. I felt this was extremely unfair. We maintained a business relationship at work and were NEVER, I repeat NEVER inappropriate. One of the transcriptionist stated that the PA was saying sexually suggestive things to me on his transcription tape.....WHAT????:uhoh3: Never ever happened. When it came time for my unemployment hearing on the phone, the office manager (who also happened to be one of the physician's wives) testified and made up SOOO many things about me. Things that were completely made up. Absurd. She also said that these things were written up in my personnel file and signed. I asked to see this as I knew darn well that it didn't exist. Turns out I did get unemployment for the 3 weeks I was out of work....but in our state you can be fired for whatever they want....unless it violates your civil rights....so I wasn't able to sue them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Unbelievable, I thought I was the only one, called in HR and fired on the spot for being threatening and dangerous for patients and staff, escorted out by security, when I filed my appeal security met me at the hospital entrance and wouldn't allow me in.

A coworker I thought was a friend showed my boss some text messages I sent, even though they were obviously tongue in cheek, they pretended that they were just part of my dangerous and explosive behavior. This thing had to involve 3or 4 people I liked and worked with everyday. Its been 2 weeks since I appealed and I haven't heard a word. Meanwhile I have to worry about losing my nursing license.

And there is not a word of truth in the whole complaint, No specific incident etc.

I can't believe how people can turn on each other, I know everyone wanted more overtime, some were afraid I would take some of their "charge" shifts, I am just speechless. I am glad to know I am not the only one- when I tell people what happened to me, I always feel like they don't believe me. My own wife still thinks its my fault for bringing this on myself. I thought the hospital would investigate and exonerate me, but my lawyer really gives me little hope of clearing my name.

I am just shocked.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER/Ortho.

I believe this was very close to happening to me earlier in the year. It was my first nursing job, and I somehow ruffled the unit manager feathers. I still don't know how I did it. There were three of us interns and she made life so horrible two of them quit, and it was down to just me. She gave me assignments that were unreasonable for me as an intern. She purposely moved me to a preceptor that was horrible (and I had a great relationship with the preceptor I was with), she sabotaged me, and made sure my schedule was unpredictable, and difficult to work.

I felt like she was trying to get me to quit like the others, and I was terrified that at some point she would finally fire me. My greatest fear was that I would make a mistake due to the unsafe situations she was putting me in, and then I would lose my job, and possibly my license. And even if I didn't make a mistake I felt eventually she would find a way to blame me for something.

I gave my two week notice and quit without a job lined, and I was horrified for my future. I ended up landing a job at my dream hospital before my two weeks was even up so it worked out.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It's sad that things like this can happen and what's even worse is I know so many people it has happened to including myself.

My one friend worked at a hospital for several years and although she loved the job and the people the schedule was very erratic. She found and got another job where she had a set schedule and only worked Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays all 12's. You would have to be a fool not to take a job with those days!

So they had a going away celebration for her and the management at the other job said that all her references praised her. Well after a few years there she moved out of state and for some reason she would keep getting through interviews but then get denied the job. After awhile of this she did some research and found that her first employer was giving her a bad reference.

Why?

Simply because the one manager there was PO'd that she left for another job and she lost her one good tech. I guess she felt if she bad mouthed enough my friend would come running back. Talk about nonsense!

It just seems as if the higher up you go and the more people your in charge of the quicker they want to hang you out to dry. At my former job (non nursing) all the supervisors would be reamed out left and right for the tiniest thing whether it happened or not. Yet the associates we were in charge of could be lazy as the day is long and screw up to the point jobs had to be reworked yet not a word was said to them.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Lots of great advice in this thread. Just to echo some others...these are strong allegations. Pls seek out the advice of an attorney immediately. You need one. And I agree to keep an eye on your license. Sometimes the more underhanded and unfair the firing the quicker they make a complaint against your license. Get a lawyer and get it worked out now. Call an employment attorney first thing. And if you have a union call the rep as well.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I also want to mention that I got a first hand look at the politics of nursing while I was in my clinicals.

In school you're taught to feed a resident nice and slow and only with a little bit of food on the spoon and you should NEVER mix foods. You know because you only have one resident and ALLL the time in the world.:rolleyes:

Well I was feeding a woman this way and it was taking forever. Her CNA came in and said that I should put bigger portions on the spoon and then promptly mixed her oatmeal in her milk and began to feed her quickly. The resident (who had dementia was going through the motions of eating but not talking whatsoever) wasn't choking, gagging or showing any kinds of distress and seemed to love her oatmeal milk because she sucked it all down in a heartbeat along with the rest of her food.

After in class when we discussed our day I brought this up because I thought it was interesting how school doesn't prepare you for real life scenarios. Two students became angry and said that I should have said something to the CNA and that I should have reported her to the charge nurse. My teacher who was a nurse for 29 years explained that because we are 'guests' and that the resident wasn't in danger that such a thing would be ill advised. The two students then began to argue how they would report things like that no matter what and they would make sure that all residents were treated fairly.

One half of my brain said "Alright someone who will fight for the proper care and residents rights!" and the other half said "Have fun getting ostracized and fired from a lot of your jobs."

Ok I'm done rambling because I can go on and on about unfair business practices for ever and a day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Gosh,they totally did you wrong....I have been a victim of an unfair nurse preceptor (I know how being picked on feels).Now on the other hand I work as home health RN and I have a patient who usually runs 210/100 and she walks as if everything is fine (no headache,diziness,numbness,blurry vision,chest pain) The only time she ended up in the ER iwas due to her kidney failure *she still is unsure about getting Dialysis*You stated that one of your patient had COPD ok what was the antiiflammatory meds for did she had pneumonia,c/o of shortness of breath/I myself have COPD patients and sometimes they ask for Spriva or Advair Things that you would normally freak you out in a hospital,doesnt impress you in a home health setting...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, Psych, Hospice.

Sending you big hugs! You've gotten a lot of good advise on here, please keep us posted.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Sorry to hear what happened to you. Take this as an opportunity for a new start somewhere else. Keep your your chin up, you deserve to work somewhere better than this place. Sending much love your way....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/SNF-LTC/Supervisory.

I'm definitely going to seek legal councel - at least to see what my options are. If anything.. maybe slander.

Thank you SO much for your advice and support. :heartbeat

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

Hey, so, so sorry this has happened. I feel for u. I think maybe nearly everyone on here has experienced this.

I was 'let go' from a Dr's office I worked at, & I used to do a bit of everything there so was multi-skilled. I trained all the Dr's family how to run the practice, worked for half a day, then was told "Oh we have 2 let u go 2day!" WHY they made me work half a day, I will never know. And I was paying off my car, had bills, etc. I told them all what I thought of them (I have no qualms confronting people after working witih many, irascible surgeons!), then marched over 2 the employment office, saw the guy there & said: "I was just let go from my job right now, find me another one." The employment consultant said: "Wow! U don't let the moss grow on u do u!" I said to him what is the point in looking back & worrying about why? U HAVE to move on & put if behind you. Sometimes it's better when ur let go because who would want to work for galas like that anyway. I would still seek legal advice, but get your resume (CV) out and apply 4 everything. Don't let depression overtake u, keep busy. If u have bills, explain what's happened & ask for extensions on them. Work for an agency if u have to, but don't get discouraged! And yes a little wine WILL help you!

Let us know how u get on.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment