Sorry if this is long, want to give the whole story. I'm a fairly new RN I graduated in the summer of '07, so I have a year and a half of experience. While in nursing school I worked for about a year as a CNA on a med/surge/rehab floor. After school I worked as an RN on a cardiac/tele floor sometimes being pulled to CCU/ICU. A lot of the time I was the charge nurse on the floor and in charge of the rest of the RNs, LPNs, CNAs and the rest of the staff. I was on the code/rapid response team and also trained new employees. I never had any issues at this job, never any verbal or written warnings.
My husband had a job transfer so I had to quit and got a new job as an ER nurse and have worked there for the past 6 months until I was fired yesterday. The ER I worked in was very busy and usually understaffed (where isn't?). The night of the "incident" I floated basicly taking care of a stroke patient one/one for the first four hours taking him to CT, MRI and working with the docs and he was only in his 20's and half of his brain was gone due to the stroke. Four hours into my shift I got pulled to take a group of 5 patients from a nurse who was getting off for the night. It was a very high accuity group and she was in a very bad mood and gave me a crapy report before leaving.
I had a homeless TB patient who would curse at me everytime I went in his room and he wouldn't let me touch him, let alone start the needed IV or take vital signs. He refused to stay in his room and would not wear a mask when he left his isolation room even after multiple call to security to come get him back in his room. My next patient was a quadrapalegic who could TALK and not let me out of the room and wanted IV pain/anxiety/nausea meds every 30 minutes. I had a patient who needed admitted to ICU and was on a drip for his blood pressure that required me to be in the room titrating it every 15 minutes, plus he was wanting to sign out AMA, so the Dr, my supervisor for the shift, and I were in his room multiple times trying to get him to stay as he was obviously at high risk for a brain bleed because his pressure was so high. I got a new patient from the waiting room right when i got there who had abdominal pain. We also had no tech, so I was doing the job of 2 people.
OK, here is the story of my 5th patient and the one with the incident that got me fired. She had already arrived by EMS before I took the group from the previous nurse. As I was getting report from her the charge nurse was in the room triaging her and getting her settled. When she finished she never came to give me report on the patient and put the entire chart over with the Dr, so I didn't even have anything to read about the patient. All I knew was she was having lady partsl bleeding. I left the floor to take one of my patients up stairs to their room and while I was gone she was seen by the Dr and her husband came out complaining that I had not come in after the Dr to strt the IV and such. So, the charge nurse (a new one as it was change of shifts) went in and started the IV and whatever other orders for me while I was upstairs. When I got back downstairs she told me that she had got her started for me and she should be settled for awhile. I asked her what was going on w/ the patient as I had not gotten any report on her. She said "She's pregnant, lady partsl bleeding, they brought in a container with what she had passed at home, but I didn't look in it, it's sitting in the room." When I went in there was a container inside of a grocery bag sitting on top of the linnen cart that I left there for the Dr to look at.
So, a few minutes later the husband came out and wanted me to check the patient as she felt like she was bleeding a lot. I went in and she had several disposable pads under her, they were relatively clean and I told them she wasn't bleeding to heavily and the pad was still clean. The family asked me a few questions that I answered for them. I had no problems with the family, they were friendly and never complained to me about anything. After getting an U/S and a couple of bags of fluids she was being discharged. I went in, unhooked her IV. The bag still had about 200cc in it, so I draped it over the edge of the sink to drain. She had her bloody panties and pants in the sink, but on the other side away from where the fluids were draining. I was planning to get her a bag to take them home in as soon as I finished up getting her discharge vital signs and taking out her IV. Well, her pulse was in the 130's, so I told them I would go discuss it with the Dr and be back. Well, to make it short she ended up staying and was waiting to be admitted because they were thinking she had an infection somewhere because her WBC were slightly high and all of the fluids hadn't brought her pulse down. I hooked her to the monitor where we watched her pulse at times hit 160's.
So, at 3AM it was time for me to go home and I gave report to the LPN who was taking over her care. As I was finishing report the husband came out and asked me if I would clean her up again. I told him sure and I would be right in to do it before I went home as soon as I finished up giving report. Well, I ended up getting a phone call abot my ICU patient and getting totally destracted with him and forgot to go back in there before I left. So, the husband wrote a letter saying I had no compassion or their loss (she did miscarry), which I feel is totally not true as I spent time in the room talking to them and answering questions about what to expect and such. AND said that the fetus was in the sink and that I placed trash on top of it and left it laying in the sink. If there was a fetus anywhere in that sink her clothes were piled on top of it. The family never said ANYTHING to me about them thinking the fetus was in the sink, neither did the prior charge nurses who had triaged her and provided her care. Nor did they bother to remove it from the sink if they new it was there.
So, I got fired for not properly disposing of a fetus that I knew nothing about. She was not very far along, so it's not like she gave birth to a full term baby that I didn't see. She was only a few weeks along. It just makes me so upset that they think I would leave a fetus in the sink if I knew that it was there. I never thought I would be fired over a patient who I had good rapore with complaining about me. I just figured it would be one of those patients from he** who you can't do anything right with. I consider myself a good nurse, I care deeply for my patients, sometimes crying along side them when they're scared and get bad news. I worked my butt off for that place, usually getting no break longer than to go pee a couple of times even though I'm pregnant. I've gone 15 hours with out eating while pregnant trying to take good care of my patients.
I have had one written warning for not having my charting quite up to par. That night I had a overdose/drunk patient who had already fallen once before EMS even left the bedside along with her drunk boyfriend. Another night that there was no tech or secretary. I called the charge nurse to please come help me, she told me there was nobody to help and hung up on me. But then proceeded to write me up when she had to come take over my patients and not everything was done. She would also be one of the charge nurses who took care of my miscarriage patient. So, I know she didn't speek up to cover my butt.
I'm just curious how I explain all of this in an interview??? I am going to send a grievance to HR to try to get the termination off of my record. I have no desire to go back there as I now see how stressed I was and that I havent' even been sleeping because I'm constantly waking myself up talking in my sleep because I'm dreaming I'm still at work! Any advice is appreciated.
Specializes in Emergency Department, Rehabilitation.
I know this is a difficult situation for you, Melissa, but just know that you're not alone. I was unjustly fired back in September from my job as a PCA that I had for almost 11 years just as I started my final semester of nursing school. I filed for unemployment and was penalized 5 weeks but was allowed to collect after that time period elapsed, I live in New Jersey so I don't know if the rules are different here. It's difficult to get over that "fired" hump when applying for jobs but the only thing you can do is be honest about the firing and try not to be bitter and negative when you're in the interview and it comes up. I know that sounds like a tough thing to do but potential employers know that sometimes good people get fired for a number of reasons. What they want to know is if you have learned from this experience and can move beyond it. Good luck with the job search and keep your attitude positive. I'm sure you're a good nurse and will find a new position soon.
As someone contemplating getting into nursing, I found your story quite compelling. I know they always say to stay away from places where the loss of your license can be challenged, but in your case, there was an obvious lack of COMMUNICATION. I have also been wrongfully terminated and because I CHOSE TO BE HONEST and answer yes to the question of "have you ever been terminated", to this day I still find myself UNEMPLOYED, going on TWO YEARS. I'm sorry but in this society, companies will make certain judgements about you when you tell them you were fired. I don't care what anybody says. The job interviews I did get were from the ones where I said I quit. Honesty is NOT always the best policy because of the fact that companies want to hire PERFECT candidates and their idea of perfection is someone who's never been fired. PLEASE. The fact of the matter is that in some states the law requires companies to divulge dates of employment and your title and THAT'S IT. Further negative info. might hinder your process of obtaining employment and moving on with your life. This is unlawful and if you find out this hospital is giving bad references to your prospective employers, there is a private investigation agency that will call as a prospective employer and will record the conversation between them and their human resources. You will then find out exactly what is being said about you and you can decide what to do next . On the flip side, with your experience, you can find work elsewhere where the office politics do not interfere with the work of the medical staff and the care of the patients. Better yet, take unemployment and get as much rest until you have your baby. This unnecessary stress is not good for someone in your condition either. Good luck!
Unions have good and not so good side. The not so good side, it is hard to fire a lazy a$$ nurse. The good part is, it is also hard to fire a good nurse put in a very bad situation. Have you ever filed a protest of assignment at all? Nobody should have to work like this. I know it happens but it is up to us to produce the paper trail. As I see it, We, nurses are expected to document like crazy. Why not document this?
OOOOhhhh some days I just hate nursing. I love my patients and I am great at taking care of them. I hate the politics and how our own kind in admin positions can not back us up like docs back up each other. Yes, I used the word HATE!!!
All I can say is that I'm glad I'm in a union... To the OP, keep your head up and always be honest about what happened, it will get better and you will find another job.
OMG, sooo sorry for all the crappolla!!! If I were you, I'd make a copy of your post to give with your resume. I could literally feel the stress and impossibilness( not a word I'm sure, but describes the situation) that you were facing. Good luck, and may you find a better staffed position. Be careful of being floated, it can really do you in as a nurse especially if you have too many high acuity patients, which is exactly what you had. :redpinkhe
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I am trying to understand where was this fetus? It seems that the family, in their distress were looking for someone to blame. Was she first trimester? If so, then, well, she could have been passing products of conception all day, not necessarily in the ER. I am horrified over your situation and hope for the very best for you.
I was absolutely sickened after reading your post. It is disgusting how poorly nurses are treated, just discarded like yesterday's garbage. Believe me, I know! As for myself, I am only on this site today for the purpose of reading how others have handled getting fired. Why? Because after a 7 month hiatus, much of which has been comprised of depression, fear, and downright refusal to go back into nursing, I have just recently been sending out resumes. I still have no intention of staying in nursing just because of this very reason. Honestly, I just want to get a piece of the Obama first time home buyer stimulus money - THAT IS MY ONLY REASON FOR EVEN CONSIDERING GOING BACK TO THIS CRAP TEMPORARILY! Sorry, now I've begun to rant. It's just that I gave so much of my heart and soul to nursing ... and all just to be abused! I wouldn't treat a cockroach the way I've been treated (or many of the other nurses who've endured such crap).
Sorry, I really do have a hard time stopping once I get started. It really is just beyond me why we are not given the red carpet treatment and EVERY benefit of the doubt, as most of us got into nursing for the "right" reasons and have good hearts. I really hope your life has gotten back on track and that you find that "diamond in the rough" to employ your talents.
I haven't seen anyone getting fired because of a complaint... What is your protocol in disciplinary actions? I know you need verbal warning first then, 1st written then I think 3 strikes you're out... If I were you I would ask the HR because it seems unfair and very subjective... Its unfortunate you have to go through it. Its wrong to have no help, its dangerous... you dont have to worry about interviews just tell them not to call your previous employer since you got fired. Its not a lawsuit plus your license didnt get suspended so you're still ok. Just be honest because they'll know. On the other hand its your license so dont let it happen again-dont ever accept a pt that you didnt get report on... This is hand off communication... Very essential for pt safety! Goodluck!
JerzeeMike
40 Posts
I know this is a difficult situation for you, Melissa, but just know that you're not alone. I was unjustly fired back in September from my job as a PCA that I had for almost 11 years just as I started my final semester of nursing school. I filed for unemployment and was penalized 5 weeks but was allowed to collect after that time period elapsed, I live in New Jersey so I don't know if the rules are different here. It's difficult to get over that "fired" hump when applying for jobs but the only thing you can do is be honest about the firing and try not to be bitter and negative when you're in the interview and it comes up. I know that sounds like a tough thing to do but potential employers know that sometimes good people get fired for a number of reasons. What they want to know is if you have learned from this experience and can move beyond it. Good luck with the job search and keep your attitude positive. I'm sure you're a good nurse and will find a new position soon.