I think I was terminated from my PRN position...

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I changed jobs in June...I went from full time in a nursing home to PRN and started a new full time job in a hospital.

I haven't worked at the nursing home since July 16th...we are required to work once every 90 days to maintain PRN status...or that is how is used to be. The DON at the nursing home offered me a couple of shifts at the beginning of August. Since I was already scheduled at the hospital, I declined them. She wanted me to give her a copy of my schedule at the hospital, which I also declined to do. I told her that I could give her a list of the days I was available and she told me that she would just call me when the schedule was out and see if I could fill any open shifts. I haven't heard from her since I turned down the shifts at the beginning of the month.

Today, I was talking to another nurse at the hospital who works PRN at the nursing home and she told me they made some policy changes. Now, PRN staff has to work once a PAY PERIOD to maintain their status. It is rare that there are open shifts for nurses at all...certainly not once a pay period, so I am a bit confused by this. I called the DON today to see what was going on and all she will tell me is, "We are reassessing policies." I asked her if I was being terminated since I haven't worked in over a month and she refused to answer. Weird...

Either way, I guess I am not too upset over this. The DON didn't really care when I resigned...she didn't talk to me at all after I gave my notice. But, I would like to know if this makes me ineligible for rehire or what. It seems odd that they would change a policy and not let people know. It also seems odd that they would expect PRN staff to work so often, especially more often than not, hours are covered by regular full-time or part-time staff. They often go months without using any PRN staff at all.

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Specializes in LTC, Med-SURG,STICU.

It sounds like they are trying to fire you without actually doing so to me. My place of employment will occassionally do this too. They will not actually fire, but they will make it impossible to do what you need to do in order to remain employed. I just wish that they would just fire people instead of draging it out that way. Personally, I would think that they would want PRN people that would pick up one or two shifts a month or when someone calls in. That is where we run into a bind at my place.

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Specializes in Chemo.
i changed jobs in june...i went from full time in a nursing home to prn and started a new full time job in a hospital.

i haven't worked at the nursing home since july 16th...we are required to work once every 90 days to maintain prn status...or that is how is used to be. the don at the nursing home offered me a couple of shifts at the beginning of august. since i was already scheduled at the hospital, i declined them. she wanted me to give her a copy of my schedule at the hospital, which i also declined to do. i told her that i could give her a list of the days i was available and she told me that she would just call me when the schedule was out and see if i could fill any open shifts. i haven't heard from her since i turned down the shifts at the beginning of the month.

today, i was talking to another nurse at the hospital who works prn at the nursing home and she told me they made some policy changes. now, prn staff has to work once a pay period to maintain their status. it is rare that there are open shifts for nurses at all...certainly not once a pay period, so i am a bit confused by this. i called the don today to see what was going on and all she will tell me is, "we are reassessing policies." i asked her if i was being terminated since i haven't worked in over a month and she refused to answer. weird...

either way, i guess i am not too upset over this. the don didn't really care when i resigned...she didn't talk to me at all after i gave my notice. but, i would like to know if this makes me ineligible for rehire or what. it seems odd that they would change a policy and not let people know. it also seems odd that they would expect prn staff to work so often, especially more often than not, hours are covered by regular full-time or part-time staff. they often go months without using any prn staff at all.

send her and an email get something in writing, get a paper trail going. this way you create a legal trail if you want to take that route or for unemployment. if you have a union get them involved

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Why wouldn't you give her a copy of your schedule when she asked? :confused:

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

yes the above posters are right . i just wanted to give you support !! please keep us posted on how you are !!!

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Specializes in Med/surg, rural CCU.
Why wouldn't you give her a copy of your schedule when she asked? :confused:

I wouldn't have either. It would have made it impossible for her to make the decision if she wanted to pick up or not. THe benefit of a prn position is the freedom to say yes or no. Giving her the schedule gives them freedom to essentially bully her into saying yes.

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Why wouldn't you give her a copy of your schedule when she asked? :confused:

Because she wants an actual copy of the schedule at the hospital. I'm more than willing to give her a list of days I am available, but I really want to be asked before she schedules me either way. Plus, I work nights at the hospital and she is asking me to do evenings and days. I don't want her scheduling me for a 2p-10p shift on the same day that I finish a 6p-6a shift. My schedule a the hospital is out for 8 weeks at a time...it changes sometimes and I don't want her to schedule me on a day that I get changed at the hospital. And...I don't want her to schedule me and not let me know...I would hate to be scheduled and not show up.

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Because she wants an actual copy of the schedule at the hospital. I'm more than willing to give her a list of days I am available, but I really want to be asked before she schedules me either way. Plus, I work nights at the hospital and she is asking me to do evenings and days. I don't want her scheduling me for a 2p-10p shift on the same day that I finish a 6p-6a shift. My schedule a the hospital is out for 8 weeks at a time...it changes sometimes and I don't want her to schedule me on a day that I get changed at the hospital. And...I don't want her to schedule me and not let me know...I would hate to be scheduled and not show up.

A list of days available is all you are required to supply. I think it is nuts to "fire" a per diem person. They cost the faciity absolutely nothing until they hit the floor, and firing them means one less person who actually might be available in an emergency. What are they upset about, except having to make a phone call to someone who might say "yes" when they are in a bind?

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A list of days available is all you are required to supply. I think it is nuts to "fire" a per diem person. They cost the faciity absolutely nothing until they hit the floor, and firing them means one less person who actually might be available in an emergency. What are they upset about, except having to make a phone call to someone who might say "yes" when they are in a bind?

I agree! I was talking to one of the CNAs last night and she said they have been working short a lot lately. Also...they are implementing a manadatory stay over thing and are mandating people to come in early. The new policy is 1) no more scheduled 12 hour shifts, 2) the charge nurse can madate a four hour stay over, 3) every day, someone on each shift is "on call" two hours before the shift actually starts. So...they are trying to completely eliminate PRN staff. Seems like a bad plan to me...they don't have a lot of issues with people calling in...I think they might, now that everyone knows someone will be forced to cover for them.

I'm glad I am not there full time any more...

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Why wouldn't you give her a copy of your schedule when she asked? :confused:

Because it is none of her business when the OP is off at a separate job. Only when the OP is available to work.

Days off does not equal free to schedule her for PRN.

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I also agree that they are trying to fire you without actually firing you. Anytime you never hear from an employer any more, you can expect that you have been "fired" using the "behind the scenes" method. Also, all the talk about policy changes is more than likely nothing more than a smokescreen and/or a way to get rid of persons they do not want on the schedule chart any longer.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.
Why wouldn't you give her a copy of your schedule when she asked? :confused:

I wouldn't have given her a copy either. PRN means you pick your own days. If one place knows when you are not working at the other job, I would be afraid of them trying to get you to work more of you off days.

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