Lied to in Interview

[westieluv]

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.

What would you do?

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I didn't even ask why the previous nurse left, I just asked how it happened that a full-time day shift position was open, as this is virtually impossible to find in most facilities and I was told that she didn't leave but just "wanted a different schedule".

I was getting ready to go in today and received a call that two nurses had called off and I was going to be on my own (with extra patients due to two nurses calling off), even though I have not completed my training on the computer or ever been trained on how to do an admission, which is a daily thing. I told them flat out, NO, and I did not go in. I also told them my back is hurting which is absolutely true. I am going to have to notify them that I am not coming back. Why continue orientation while I seek other positions, so that they can train me and then I quit? This job is not worth it. I do not care about future hiring prospects with this company, so if I burn a bridge I also do not care. Something in me just snapped today when I got that phone call. That is the third time that they have tried to pull me off of my first week of orientation to cover call offs. Absolutely not, life is too short to risk my nursing license and be used this way.

:eek:Give your resignation... try to think of it as a bad dream. Best of luck with your new position. Let us know how it's going.

[gdottie]

I guess I'm kinda stunned you've been in nursing this long and never been lied to. I'm lied to quite frequently. Last position I was told I would have complete training for a new area. It consisted of less than two weeks of going through what needed done urgently. No training manual, resource book, checkoff list of things to be reviewed...absolutely nada. After a week, the other people were getting behind in their work and irritated with having to train me. I was even told-you travel people come and don't know what your doing, leave, and we're stuck with a huge mess to clean up. Wow. Worst assignment ever dealing with irritated, stressed people and rolled eyes when I asked anything. I learned 5 new softwares in less than 2 weeks. Another assignment, NOTHING was what I was told. I went to the director of nursing and said "this is NOT what you told me....her reply? Well, it might change." They think once you're there, you're stuck. Another position I was given TWO patients more than staff, every morning staff would take the easy patient off of my team and change them out with rough patients, THEN had the nerve to try to dump a new psychotic admit on me. I went to the manager stating ENOUGH, I'm not taking this admit when I already have 2 more patients and much higher acuity patients. Her response? Well, you have more experience. I SWEAR! She made one of them take my most stable patient and I still got the dump. I could go on for an hour. I'd jump that ship. You will never be appreciated there, the minute you set a limit you'll be the bad guy. I've done rehab and LTAC, RUN if you have a better option. There is nothing wrong with saying it just wasn't a good fit...the buzz word for HR. Just don't go into negatives at a job interview. I wouldn't even mention it if you were there only a really short time.

[rn715]

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.

I disagree. It says that she values her family time and is not interested in working more than her scheduled shift. She was hired to work 5 days a week.. Not to work overtime. I wouldn't even answer the phone on my off time, but that's just me. Being a team player is working as a team at work and not calling in. Has nothing to do with dealing with work on your scheduled off days. Working overtime is appreciated but should never be required.

[scuffles, RN]

If it was me I would hand my notice in at the earliest opportunity and get it over with. I am sure you will have no problems finding work in the meantime.

Things will stay the same where you are now and you will always be working overtime if you stay. Is it feasible for you to work for an agency.

As you have only just started this new role it might be possible to give one weeks notice, check the contract. I am sorry you have had this experience. I am sure you will work out what is best for you. Good luck with any decision you make.

[1burback1]

You are currently on orientation along with probation. This is both you AND the company. There is nothing wrong with resigning or rescinding the offer at the rehab facility and following up on your dream job. Let them know why you are rescinding. Hope this helps and GOOD LUCK!

[hc287]

I have had a job that sounds very similar to this. It was before nursing, but in the behavioral health field at a rehab facility. In my advice, don't quit until you have something else set up, but actively search for something else. You've already been lied to, overworked, and are clearly not valued by your employer so I would stick it out until you find something new. It most likely won't change.

[CapeMaui]

Take the dream job. You have to do what is best for you and you will be better off in the long run.

[adaniels7]

First of all I have to ask ... do you work where I work in Charlotte??!! LOL We recently hired a few nurses that stated management Lied to them to get them in the door. Sad sad practice. Plus we have such a great shortage of nurses and CNAs that everyone (including myself) are bailing. When management lies to an employee at the very beginning ... I can only say this will probably be a trend. But I can only advise you to give notice if you intend to leave current position. As a nurse I have worked quite a few places to see that burning bridges is not a good practice in the Nursing field. And you are very likely to run into that supervisor/manager or other staff in the future. You don't want any bad vibes out there that can make future positions intolerable. Best of luck to you!!

[njpawarn]

Start looking for another job unless you need the experience. I would turn my phone off or not answer if it has to be on. I had the same thing happen to me. In this profession, I think we need to go above and beyond on occaision. It's part of being a team and commitment to the patients. Unless you have other obligations like children or another job, I recommend you pick up a shift just once in awhile. You will be sick one day and someone will cover you. Rarely are nurses waiting in the wings to fill vacancies. I had to accept certain realities even though I was lead astray at the interview. Working past the end of a shift is commonplace. In my case, I accepted it then planned for it and moved on. You probably will leave the place eventually. In the meantime, tell them what you can do. "I worked OT last week. I can do 5 shifts this week." I learned how to be flexible and when and how to say no." I always tried to be pleasant, even when I was miserable. Even a bad place can give you a Good reference. Good luck!

[Axgrinder]

I'm so sorry that happened to you. Nursing can be a brutal career, physically exhausting, sometimes in less than stellar conditions.

If it was me - I'd bail the first opportunity. You've just gotten a snap shot of what working there will be like. They weren't honest with you, and you put your needs out on the table at interview time. You don't owe them any loyalties in this case.

You owe it to yourself to keep looking. You didn't make it through an extremely rigorous nursing program, and pay out a fortune to get that career to be anyone's slave-girl. There are great jobs out there: keep looking.

[Cheri174evr]

Don't try to stick with a job where you already have huge reservations. Go with the job you know you'd love, and your professional history backs that up. Do what you *know* you'll be happy doing. You can tell the dialysis hiring manager what you've already experienced with the rehab job. S/He will understand.

[TNnursejane, BSN, RN]

Give them your two week notice while checking up on other places where you've put in applications. Don't just up and quite even though that's what you feel like doing because you never know when that could come back to bite you. Be sure that when you do leave, explain that you were lied to in the interview and then the reality of the situation. I've been where you are when I took a position in nursing admin in a LTC facility. They didn't bother to tell me that I would have to take call or that staffing on the nightshift was terrible. I was expected to find coverage or cover it myself. When I was addressed by administration, I spilled the beans but in a professional manner but in my exit interview I let them have it. I don't care if I never see that place ever again or anyone who I worked with. It was a nightmare!