I need advice on management's reaction to resignation/notice

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

I wanted to ask a question of you all... it is difficult for me to explain the whole situation without writing a book. But, basically, let me give you a little background before I ask the question.

This place I've been working for a little while is,,, different,, to say the least. There is such a huge disconnect between management and nursing staff/patients. It is more obvious than I have seen it anywhere. So MANY things have been going wrong with this place. It all comes down to the disconnect, and management's will to run patient care even though they are not licensed or certified in any healthcare aspect. For example, we had a Physical therapy assistant standing in as the nursing manager. ,,, what the heck!!, right? You can't do that! But, they did.

SO many things have been done wrong at this place, and it is to the expense of the patients. So, two weeks ago, me and a few other nurses there went to a job fair somewhere else and were all hired with huge bonuses and higher pay. We were all scared to put our two weeks notice in because this management has a history of walking the staff out of the building the minute they put their notice in.... I don't know about the others, but I cannot go two weeks without working.

So, I didn't put my notice in. Neither did anyone else. This last weekend, again, at the expense of the patients (more than one) something really bad happened. Several processes failed. My friend put her notice to resign in, and two minutes later was being escorted to her locker and then out the building. Like a criminal, she might as well have been in handcuffs. She didn't do anything wrong!! They didn't let her work the last two weeks.

She was crying so hard when she called me that I jumped up and drove to where she was to help her calm down. I honestly believe that management was threatened by this nurse because she is smart, and she doesn't kiss butt over taking care of the patients. Her number one concern is the quality of care of the patients. NOT kissing butt to the management.

I can't bring myself to go back into that place. It is BAD. So bad that I can't even walk back in there. I've never walked away from a job before, no matter how bad it got, but this is a new all time, bad.

Okay, now that I've got that off my chest,,,,,, here's the question..

Is it okay for a hospital to make it standard procedure to make their staff leave the moment they've given their two week notice? Why do you think they do that? Are they afraid the staff might bring more people with her? Are the feeling threatened?

This isn't the only person they've done it too. They do it to EVERYONE!

[yelnikmcwawa]

i have no idea about healthcare policy, but in many businesses, it is customary to ask the employee to leave immediately but then the company usually still pays them their two weeks. that is something you could look into, and ask that you get your two weeks pay even if they escort you out.

make sure your resignation is accompanied by a letter, so it's all in writing.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

I can understand this , but they're not paying the two weeks.

[malaski]

Wow,

My friend and I was just talking about this yesterday. He is not a nurse, but there were 18 people layed off at his work and they were escorted all out, without a chance to say goodbye. When I was layed off about 6 years ago (I was not in the medical field though) I had the same thing done to me. I thought it was very inhumane and horrible. I asked HR if I could say goodbye and I was answered "I'm sorry, but you have to leave now." I couldn't even get my coffee cup or my picture frames!!!! HR said "you'll have to call someone to send it to you".

My friend was saying that the reason they do this is because the company can be liable if someone does "go postal". They are in fear of retaliation. The company is also worried about protecting themselves - they don't want anyone taking any documents that might prove that they were a bad employer. --- A lot of companies are afraid of being sued, so they just want to get them out as quickly as possible before any evidence is gathered against them.

That hospital sounds terrible btw. I'm sorry about your situation:(

[nlion87]

More than likely you are employed in an at will state meaning they can fire you without cause or terminate your employment at any time without notice

[morte, LPN, LVN]

i think this may have started to prevent WC issues.....the fired employee "falling" down the stairs....etc

[amarilla, RN]

When I worked in finance, this procedure is standard when someone resigns, (or is terminated.) There was no notice and any employees who knew were instructed to stay quiet at the expense of their job; the employee in question was immediately escorted out of the building by security. The cube would be audited and packed up by other team members; all items would be forwarded via mail along with termination documents to the address on file.

The reason for this was simple: the company did not want to be responsible for damage control related to the employee reaction and hoped to avoid disruption of business for the day. Arguments or unsightly scenes between management and employees stir other employees; productivity is usually shot to h*ll after something blows up in front of everyone. No one wants upper management or, worse yet, clients to witness the discord.

Other reasons for the abrupt dismissal: disgruntled employees on their way out steal, damage equipment, destroy documents, and can threaten (or commit) acts of violence. The company was also avoiding potential for loss as well as protecting the other staff.

Regarding pay, they did not pay the two weeks notice. In the words of HR, 'if you're ready to quit, be ready to leave. Period'. To their credit, they did accurately audit remaining vacation and sick time and pay it out without delay.

My advice, if you'd like it, is to figure out a working budget, borrow if you have to, but keep your head up and leave this awful job. It will be a tremendous weight off your shoulders and a few days until you start at the new place will give you a break to gather yourself and start new. I too never walked away from a job, until illegalities forced a confrontation over protecting my license to do business...

obviously, you're in a similar position, though in a different industry. Remember: they aren't giving you a choice. There is nothing you can do to help an impossible situation. Protect yourself first and get out of there!

Best,

Southern

[catlynLPN]

It sounds like you are in a "right to work" state?

Which means, if I'm correct, that the employer can fire you at will for absolutely no reason at all, and on the other side of the coin employees can just resign and walk out at the end of the day.....{I'm saying at the end of the day, because a person sure wouldn't want to get the BON involved if you had walked out in the middle of a shift and abandoned the patients.}

But in the state I live in, employers can fire you at will, no reason at all and employees can quit with NO notice and do not have to come back the next day....just call and tell them you've quit.

I've never done that myself, because I don't want to burn any bridges so I always give a notice and work it out.......and they've always let me.

If I were in your shoes and considering the history of the employers walking people out the minute they give notice.......I would work the two weeks I wanted to work, then give notice at the end of the day and tell them I won't be back. Then you've got your two weeks and don't have to go back. Just be sure you don't want to go back, ever, because that bridge will be burned, and will probably also be on your work record. But if I had another better job, I wouldn't worry about it. They would have done it to you, too.

Just tell them you won't be back...just don't abandon your patients, so you don't get the BON involved.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

Yes it is an at will state. It is just all strange to me, the management tactics that they employ here. I have never seen it done this way at any other hospital. Oh and btw, I did resign already. My new job starts Tuesday and I am very happy that I kept my mouth shut and worked for as long as I could. Although I would have liked to work this weekend, there is no way I am going back there now. I stated in my resignation letter that I knew that it was standard practice to walk their employees out the minute they gave notice, so I would save us all some time. Otherwise it was a very professional resignation.

They lost three of their best charge nurses this week, only one still there, I feel for the other nurses. But on the other hand, I have to take care of myself and I won't let them run over me. It was like an out of control train heading toward us... The smart ones will jump out of the way,, the other ones,, well.. they will get run over.

[debi49]

So it worked out well for you. Sounds like the job was a disaster in the making so just as well you cut your losses. Good luck with the new job!!!! What kind of place/floor is it (the new place)?

[BradleyRN]

I have never heard of such lunacy. All i have ever known is you have to give a two week notice, and if you are in a higher position, a month. This is of no benefit whatsoever to the employee, only the employer. Otherwise, an employee could just work up to the day they would have quit, without ever saying a word, and then just quit! That puts a burden on the company to immediately fill in gaps with not time to prepare for it. Thus, i have never seen companies that act so ignorantly as they are truly only hurting themselves. And i dont think there is any legitimate defense for such a practice, especially concerning good employees! :)

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

This is becoming a common practice in many business's for all the above stated reasons.

Good luck with your new and hopefully safer, more enjoyable job