LTC Issues and unemployment

[paytonsmom]

Hi I am new and just wanted some feedback. I am also a pretty new nurse (LPN). I had recently been working in a small LTC facility and have run into some major issues!! Myself along with 2 other nurses who have been at the facility for around 5 years but myself only 1 year quit w/o notice. We got really scared for our nursing license and in this workplace even if you give a 2 week notice they go ahead and tell you to leave and walk you out of the building. I have only been a nurse since 2007 and this was only the 2nd nursing job I have had. Of course we were always short staffed on CNA's and if you did not stop what you were doin and help them which obviously put you way far behind you were repremanded. Our jobs/hours were always being threatened if you didn't do exactly what you were told to being in the right or wrong.

Over the past year there have been some pretty bad incidents that happened in the facility that were hidden, never reported, or the family was told a whole different story to not make it look so bad. We were always told what we could chart, what we could not chart, what tests we could order even after the Dr. gave us the orders to do them, and who we could send out to the ER for evals after falls or any other kind of incident that would require higher medical attention. Not only was the DON telling you all of this the Administrator who has only went to a 6 month course to receive her admin license was also telling you what to do.

When someone has a fall they tell you not to report it and chart on it no matter how bad it is. If someone was yelling/screaming out and they were expecting important people in the facility that day you were told to "give them something to make them be quiet". I could go on and on with more day to day incidents but my question is. With me being fired could I file for unemployment? I have been told that very rarely does anybody ever win an unemployment case against the company I worked for but with them knowing I could possibly bring all this stuff up and since all this stuff has been hidden would I have a good shot at winning my case? I have allready reported all of this to the state to be invesigated. I have been actively looking everyday and night for another job but have had no luck. Where I live nobody wants to hire a LPN with only LTC experience and after my exp. I don't want to go back to any LTC facility.

I am torn between what to do? They put me thru torcher and I just couldnt take it anymore!!! They are so in the wrong but am I in the wrong to want to file unemployment for what I was asked to do for them for so long and since I still don't have a new job??? PLEASE HELP!!!

[OregonGal]

What state are you in?

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

I thought you quit w/o notice?

Any way....I think you did the right thing. Not sure on the issue

[iwanna]

I don't know what state you are in, but it sounds like a good reason to collect unemployment. It sure won't hurt any to file. Good Luck!

[paytonsmom]

Indiana...

[natrgrrl]

Did you tell someone that you quit or did you just not show up for work and assume you were fired?

[paytonsmom]

I just didn't show up and the admin told the ADON to call me and tell me I don't have a job anymore. They were trying all kinds of stuff to get rid of all the nurses they have b/c we know to much stuff and they were getting scared.

[schroeders_piano, RN]

I used to be a DON at LTC facility. I'm pretty sure you can't get unemployment for being terminated for being a No-call/No-show. If this facility is having problems like this, call the state and give them specific details. I'm very sure you will be able to find a new job without much hassle. Wish you the best.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

You can go ahead and file for unemployment benefits, although I seriously doubt they'll award you any payments. Shady nursing home administrators will tell boldfaced lies to the unemployment office so that your claim will have a higher likelihood of being rejected. In addition, the unemployment department does not look favorably upon people who voluntarily quit. Being laid off looks better.

I filed for unemployment about 4 years ago in California. The unemployment office initially rejected my claim because my former workplace lied and said I quit due to "childcare problems." Since I have no children, I could easily refute this outrageous fib.

[paytonsmom]

I went ahead and applied b/c I called and talked to the unemployment office about this issue and they advised me to file. They said in Indiana you can file if you quit if you have good reasons.

[sasha2lady]

Wow I thought my job had bad mgmt but after reading your story it makes mine see

not so bad. What did the state say? Have you followed up with your complaint? I'd call corporate also and an ombudsman. But don't give up on ltc completely. Each place is different and all places have kinks . Mine sure does but I've stayed because I like the majority of my coworkers. And my residents.

[jtmonique]

you should have told them you quit the no call no show will probably keep you from getting unemployment...way to protect your license! Im glad you left instead of contributing to the unethical treatment of patients...Now if only you could raise a red flag so that outsiders would know what is going on in that facility...