i am a 53 y/o rn with 21 years of experience in ltc as a charge nurse and the past year as a supervisor, i started a new job as a7-3 staff rn to avoid the headaches of supervisor, my md had started me on toprol xl for htn to be taken in the am. the job had a computerized med system called sigma, no one trained me for the use of the computer ,on my 8th day, they assigned me to an am med pass of 40 residents, it was horrible, i wasn't orientated to that particular unit previously, had no idea of where the rooms numbers were, some residents didnt have wrist id's, and i did not know how to do med administraion with a laptop computer instead of a regular mar book, it took me 3 hours to do the med pass, i didn't know how to put accuchecks or b/p's in the computer, i sat at the nurses station and plugged the laptop in to go over the med pass i had just done, and just stated to the lpn, "it feels good to sit down" at 2:30 i was called into the office by the don and adon to terminate me, they said i yawned too much, and was reported as saying, "oh god, after that 3 hour med pass, it feels good to sit down" i explained to them i had just started on toprol xl for htn, and admitted it made me feel tired for a few hours after taking it, and i would switch it to taking it at nite instead, i had already asked the don for the teaching code password so i could teach my self the computerized med system at home, but they never gave it to me, they said they couldnt tolerate a nurse yawning at the desk, and that they had so many other younger applicants for the job and were letting me go, i asked them if i could keep the job and offered to go to my cardioligist for a clean bill of health, and they said no, i also had found out previously that i was hired so they could fire an rn who caled in sick a lot but had many friends there, i am still in shock and devestated about this
Specializes in LTC, ER, ICU, Psych, Med-surg...etc....
But you know, THEY have your personnel file and THEY can put whatever THEY like in it and you would have no way of proving otherwise....what I mean is, there is no way any employer is going to go to battle regarding age discrimination. They would risk making something up and putting it in your file regarding your performance, or whatever. It's sad, but it happens.
i wouldn't REALLY consider that "complaining about your health problems". seems to me she gave a simple, honest, and clear reason as to why she was yawning. why say it will never happen again when it might? i never say i wont do something again, cause we're human.
and it doesn't matter if it was an employment at will state. im assuming you mean one that can fire for whatever reason within a certain time, like we are here in TN. if you state something like "we had plenty of younger candidates" then thats age descrimination, period.
id be getting a lawyer, thats if you really want to continue working there. id be looking for another place. but in times like these, you have to make do. im sorry youre going through this. you sound like a great worker and one id want to work with.
Hi Jollydog, I am so glad that there are so many people wanting to help Jean, we need to be there for each other,
When yousay that all she complained about is yawning then I realize that you forgot what Jean posted in her OP- and I quote :
"i explained to them i had just started on toprol xl for htn, and admitted it made me feel tired for a few hours after taking it,"
When you say that one shouldn't say "it will never happen again" you are correct and I stand corrected, obviously we are all human, I just corrected our Administrator on a mistake as well. I should have advised,"I will try and make sure it will never happen again". But honestly, we in managing positions prefer to see our staff awake and alert....I am sure you understand that.
I never wrote that one can fire staff at will, but understand that all new employees (from Nurse to dietitian to janitor) start work under a certain amount of probation and the employee has greater leeway to say "This wont work out".
BTW it is silly for the employer to say "we have plenty of younger candidates" because if they had wanted a younger candidate they would have gone with her from the beginning, There are pros and cons to older or younger candidates for employment and if they gave the job to her it is because they wanted her and they wanted to give her a chance, I would take that chance with two hands, work as well as I can and show them that they made the right choice.
WOW. It sounds like they did you a favor. The management team sounds like they are inexperienced, intolerant, unreasonable, etc. The part about hiring someone younger sounds like age discrimination to me. I dont understand why they had you passing meds without a preceptor. I just dont know what to say except I hope you get hired by someone who can appreciate your experience and is experienced enough themself to offer the training that one would need in order to be successful on a job.
Be happy you are out of there! If that is how they manage, then it is definitely not a good place to be!
but with that said...I'm the type that will do something totally just for spite, lol. i would get another job, do a wonderful job there and get a lawyer and try to sue them for wrongful termination AND age discrimination!
with the evidence of getting another job and doing a great job there is awesome evidence to use in a case of wrongful termination and age discrimination.
despite any state that is an "at will state", there are still grounds for wrongful termination and age discrimination.
i would so talk to an attorney.
i just had another thought tho...i dont know if you can survive with not working, but if you could, you could make them pay your salary in the settlement.
i couldnt survive without working but then again, i'm so spiteful that i would be happy just with a judgement against them.
um...maybe im not the best to give you advice, lol.
... with the evidence of getting another job and doing a great job there is awesome evidence to use in a case of wrongful termination and age discrimination... /QUOTE]
debRN0417
511 Posts
But you know, THEY have your personnel file and THEY can put whatever THEY like in it and you would have no way of proving otherwise....what I mean is, there is no way any employer is going to go to battle regarding age discrimination. They would risk making something up and putting it in your file regarding your performance, or whatever. It's sad, but it happens.