Management sharing too much information?

[Kschafer12]

I need to know if there is anything I can do in my current situation. I'll try to make this as short and factual as possible. I recently got terminated from my position. I am a new nurse (6months) and let my more experienced coworkers influence me with bad habits. Before I knew it, said bad habit got caught, resulting in termination. This is fine with me. It really sucked but was a huge learning experience for me and I believe will make me a better nurse in the long run. The issue: before I left the building for my suspension prior to termination I asked the DON and manager involved to please keep this private. I didn't want it blabbed everywhere. I told two close coworkers what happened and have been told by them that the story was everywhere by the second day. I came back for my termination paperwork and had a chance to ask an employee who shouldn't have known the story who told him. He said the DON had told him. My concern: this news has run rampant. Employees in departments that don't have any business in nursing now know about my termination and reasons. I have become the source of all topics of conversation there. Many, many of gees nurses work two jobs and I'm concerned that I will run across them while searching for a new job and word will spread before I can get a chance to be hired. Is there anything I can do about this? I was assured wholeheartedly by management that this would stay private and it obviously has not! Thanks in advance for any information. And if this needs moved to another forum please do so and let me know! I'm not sure where to post things here :)

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

I'm not sure what the actual law is, but the usual standard is for leadership to not divulge any details.

However, people notice when someone is no longer on the schedule, and often are observant enough to have figured out what happened just by observation.

Example: Jane has a reputation of rudeness towards patients. Jane's patient asks for a manager, appears upset. Jane gets called into the office. Next day, you notice Jane's name crossed off the schedule.

if someone asks where is Jane, the manager may simply reply, "she is no longer on the schedule."

Staff will be smart enough connect to the dots. You don't know what the manager actually said. If you were caught doing something that others have been doing, others may have also been disciplined, or talked to, at the same time. I do hope your manager did what he/she could to protect your privacy.

you seem to have learned from this, and I hope you are able to move forward and find something soon.

[Shuggypie, ASN, BSN, RN]

Unfortunately, you also told two other people. If one of them also told someone else, the information was repeated. Regardless of what these two individuals may be saying to you, unless you've known them for years and they've kept secrets for you before, do not trust them. Never trust anyone in the workplace unless you've known them for many years and have dealt with them outside of work.

I doubt management would say what happened, and I doubt either of those two individuals will admit telling anyone else. In the future remember it is best to keep everything to one's self.

[iPink, BSN, RN]

Have you heard of the saying "every bird has a bird"? Workplace gossip is no secret especially in nursing.

Among learning not to be persuaded to cut corners that will get you terminated, but you'll also learn not to divulge info to coworkers you don't want anyone else to find out about. Some learn this the hard way when they friend request coworkers on FB then get upset when their personal business is talked about on the unit.

Sent from iPink's phone via allnurses app

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

That you told two people is not keeping it private. You have no clue who said what to whom.

And I am not sure why it needs to be held secret, as you were apparently terminated due to what you learned from these experienced nurses on your orientation period. Perhaps this was your DON's way of saying "cut it out" to the nurses who are orienting, as if they are teaching new nurses this stuff, that is an issue. And I am sure "it would cost us more money to re-orient" could also have been an issue. In other words, the DON needs to reconcile why she terminated you on what you learned from her staff.

To go forward, you would have to divulge that you were terminated as part of your resume. Within one's orientation period, this it not necessarily uncommon. However, you could site "unit culture was not learning oriented, and I have learned what not to do and the resources I need to be successful in practice".

I am not sure what habit you developed. Get rid of that habit. I would go back to the DON and ask if perhaps you are able to resign. Again siting that in fact, you did as you were oriented to do. Negotiate for yourself, and your future.

Do not EVER be in a positon where you know something is incorrect and do it anyway. That takes a meeting with your manager to discuss alternatives. Being popular is not the end goal. Safe practice and your license is.

You have learned, you will move on, and best wishes. And who the heck cares about gossip? Next week it will be someone else. All of the gossipers are just as responsible for teaching you the incorrect unsafe way of doing things.

Live, learn and move on. And please, if you do not already, get yourself your own malpractice insurance. It is invaluable to have for instances such as this.

Keep us posted

[laKrugRN]

It was certainly wrong of these 2 co-workers to blab, but you did stick your neck out by telling them. Sorry, you are in this situation!