Has anyone else experienced this? I just accepted a new position in an acute rehab facility. During the interview I was told that I would be replacing someone who wanted to work a different schedule within the company. I was also told that I would only rarely have to stay past my scheduled shift but that most days I would get out on time. I told the interviewer that I will work my five days each week but do NOT want to be called on my days off, as I am not interested in any overtime and she said she would make a note of it and wrote it down.
I am now a few days into orientation and I have learned from the other nurses in the facility that a.) I am replacing a nurse who got fed up with the working conditions and left the company without a two week notice, b.) I will end up having to stay over the end of my shift pretty much every time I work in order to get everything done, and c.) I received a phone call this morning at 6:30 where I was pressured to come in and work to cover a call off, even though I told the caller that I do not want more than five days a week and I am still on orientation to boot. She was not very happy when we hung up.
I feel duped and scared that I have gotten myself into something that I will regret. I do not appreciate being lied to and I think it was unethical to do so. Part of me wants to run before I get in any deeper and part of me feels like I need to stick it out, except that I'm worried that I will decide to do so only to find that I am constantly pressured into picking up overtime, being forced to stay over, and getting nagged to come in on my days off, in which case I will kick myself for not getting out right away. I am not afraid to say NO to the requests for overtime, but if this is an ongoing thing, it will make my life miserable anyway.
I am always interested in learning why my predecessor left. It is a standard interview question for me and if (IF) you can trust the answer, it's always instructive.
Equally instructive is the evidence that HR did lie about the reason. It would certainly be within their right (as you point out) to decline to answer the question, but they didn't. They just lied. Not a place I would want to work for a minute.
Unless a couple of people left around the same time and people are just talking about the one that stomped off. Or, maybe at the time of your interview they HAD given proper notice with the excuse you heard. You simply DON'T know.
You missed clue #1. You made a demand like that and rather than put your resume in the trash, they called you and offered you the spot. That smells of desperation on their part to me. How many truly wonderful places would let YOU tell THEM what you will and will not work?
Only YOU can allow yourself to feel pressured or nagged to come in extra. You need to own that.
I have a feeling you and I are seeing eye to eye on this one.
If you have such strong reservations about this new job before even really getting started and you have another job lined up that you already know works better for your preferred schedule take the other job and don't look back. If you do this try to give that 2 week notice, but to my thinking the rehab facility wouldn't hold you to that notice as you are still in orientation. It doesn't make much sense to keep you for two weeks of orientation for a job you are leaving.
Thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate your feedback.
I did receive an email a couple of days ago from a dialysis facility of one of the Big Two dialysis companies that is literally two minutes from my house (I have a year and a half of recent dialysis experience with that same company) and it is a dream schedule: MWF 5:30-5:30 with no weekends. I would jump on this opportunity in a New York minute except that my work ethic tells me that since I committed to the rehab position, I have to try to stay and make it work. This dialysis company was not bad at all to work for, and I regret leaving. If I had it to do over again, I would not have given up my position with them, and now they are contacting me with this position that I could almost walk to!
It's really hard to commit to the rehab facility after being lied to, that is the problem, plus I actually did tell the dialysis manager when I replied to her email that I had accepted a position at this facility and had already worked a few days. If I contact her today and ask if she is still interested in me for the dialysis position, will she not think that I am a flip flopper and disloyal? If not, I could be tempted into pursuing the dialysis job.
I remember when you were having problems with the dialysis job you had before, I feel your pain now. Can't recall if you were in acutes or not. I would be very tempted to take a job in dialysis, if I were in your shoes. But, I would request to shadow at the outpatient clinic for a day. You will get an idea of how they operate, before you jump back in.
I have done both acute and chronic dialysis for a loooong time, Acutes was never my thing because of all the overtime, etc. that went into it. My first Dialysis job was in chronics, and that's where I want to stay. Sure it's busy, but in a different way, the best thing is, you can lock the doors at night, and not worry about "That Darn Beeper!"
If indeed they did misrepresent this job, I would have no qualms in leaving it, and letting them know why!
If you interview for the dialysis position, I would just say the Re=hab job was misrepresented.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I would jump on this opportunity in a New York minute except that my work ethic tells me that since I committed to the rehab position, I have to try to stay and make it work.
I suppose my conscience is not terribly active, but I have no reservations about leaving any job as long as I have another one lined up. I would never be that loyal to any employer because no employer will be loyal to me in this day and age.
Commitment to a particular workplace is a relic of a bygone era. I am committed to me, myself, and my own needs. I will never be so committed to a workplace that I would pass up the opportunity to work a dream job.
This may sound selfish of me, but only the most loyal people believe selfishness is negative. It is not. I've got to address my own needs before I can function in society. Being selfish and ensuring my happiness first is part of the unwritten social contract: if the ship is sinking, ensure you have a life vest before you start assisting others.
"Funny" you would post this as something very similar happened to me this past week..I interviewed for baylor position..was told it was only Sat/Sun, 7a-7p, great hourly rate, benefits, etc. Between the 4 weeks I interviewed/was offered the position to actually starting last week the Nurse Manager I had been in contact with and who had offered me the position suddenly "left to pursue other interests" (after 20 plus yrs at the same hospital) which I wasn't aware of until I tried to contact her to confirm orientation..about a week before..I was given 2 other people's names that were "temporarily filling in for her" - ok - Day 1 of orientation those people are no where to be found, the new Nurse Manager I had never heard of or met until then..I find out the baylor agreement will not be honored, the nurse manager I interviewed with was terminated as was the CNO and CEO (both of which had been there over 10 yrs)...all due to a buy out..the hourly rate also changed as were the hours..Unlike the original poster here I was not about to stay. Fortunately I had another job offer, not my dream job but they at least are going with what they said..so I made it clear on Day 2 of orientation if the position I was originally hired for and the original salary would not be honored I would not continue. Little did I know 2 other new hires had the same thing happen to them..all 3 of us quit on Day 2. Do I feel badly? No. The employer is as much responsible as the employee in honoring agreements when hired. To say - even when the agreement was in writing as mine was - that the needs changed, etc..isn't sufficient..if the needs changed between the job offer and orientation in my case the employer had 4 weeks to contact me and let me know so we could potentially work something out - they didn't and I was blindsided and I felt mislead. My advice to the original poster is do NOT let your dream job pass you by over this position at the rehab..there is a reason the employer lied to you and you are already seeing some of the reason why..I can't imagine it would get better and if you are starting off mistrusting the leadership and HR there that says a lot about what the future could potentially hold. Work ethic works both ways -nurses work long, hard hours in the hospital setting and others places and we have earned and deserved to be treated with professionalism and respect...
I might add that, since my most recent job that I just left was one where I worked from home, my BLS certification lapsed, since I didn't have to worry about doing CPR and thought I would be at that job for a long time (and still would be if we didn't need healthcare benefits all of a sudden). I told the person who interviewed me at the rehab facility this and she said "Oh, that's no big deal," and they have no problem putting me to work on the floor even without it. I have emailed her and told her that until I get it, I will NOT be working independently on the floor, but I think they will try to ignore this and force me to anyway. Would you work without CPR certification? To my way of thinking, if I have to do CPR on someone and there is a bad outcome, even if it isn't my fault, I will be in deep you know what if a lawyer wants to know if I was CPR certified. I am not willing to lose my license over this.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Would you work without CPR certification?
At the acute rehab facility where I worked, all licensed nurses were required to obtain ACLS and all CNAs were required to have BLS. My former workplace did not allow nurses to set foot on the floor without at least the BLS card due to patient safety and potential liability issues.
I told the interviewer that I will work my five days each week but do NOT want to be called on my days off, as I am not interested in any overtime and she said she would make a note of it and wrote it down.
Wow. You're lucky you got hired at all. This is very demanding of a potential employer and it says to me that you are not a team player.
My state requires BLS certifications as part of licensure. Had your CPR expired here, your nursing license would be invalid and you would have been working without a license.
I might add that, since my most recent job that I just left was one where I worked from home, my BLS certification lapsed, since I didn't have to worry about doing CPR and thought I would be at that job for a long time (and still would be if we didn't need healthcare benefits all of a sudden). I told the person who interviewed me at the rehab facility this and she said "Oh, that's no big deal," and they have no problem putting me to work on the floor even without it. I have emailed her and told her that until I get it, I will NOT be working independently on the floor, but I think they will try to ignore this and force me to anyway. Would you work without CPR certification? To my way of thinking, if I have to do CPR on someone and there is a bad outcome, even if it isn't my fault, I will be in deep you know what if a lawyer wants to know if I was CPR certified. I am not willing to lose my license over this.
I might add that, since my most recent job that I just left was one where I worked from home, my BLS certification lapsed, since I didn't have to worry about doing CPR and thought I would be at that job for a long time (and still would be if we didn't need healthcare benefits all of a sudden). I told the person who interviewed me at the rehab facility this and she said "Oh, that's no big deal," and they have no problem putting me to work on the floor even without it. I have emailed her and told her that until I get it, I will NOT be working independently on the floor, but I think they will try to ignore this and force me to anyway. Would you work without CPR certification? To my way of thinking, if I have to do CPR on someone and there is a bad outcome, even if it isn't my fault, I will be in deep you know what if a lawyer wants to know if I was CPR certified. I am not willing to lose my license over this.
I'm not sure how many more signs you need to seriously consider leaving this position while still in orientation. This is a dangeous place.
Wow. You're lucky you got hired at all. This is very demanding of a potential employer and it says to me that you are not a team player.
It says to me that she knows what she is looking for and what she is not looking for in a job. If those are her "rules", and she is willing to accept that some jobs may not be options because of that, then so be it. I don't think its fair to judge if she would be a good coworker or team player based on that though - she very possibly is a team player in other ways. We all have deal breakers, that is just one of hers.
ixchel
4,547 Posts
Unless a couple of people left around the same time and people are just talking about the one that stomped off. Or, maybe at the time of your interview they HAD given proper notice with the excuse you heard. You simply DON'T know.