My license is probation & I need interviewing advice

Published

Two years ago, I was reported to the BNE for a medication error. It was really a documentation error. I was to give two medications, one IV and one IM. On two separate occasions of inadvertently wrote the wrong name of the medication but the right route and time. I was reported as giving meds the wrong route. There was no adverse patient reaction and this was only found on routine chart checks. I had just completed a probationary period for a medication error that I did do 2 years earlier, so the BNE put me on a 2 year probation of which I am halfway through that period. My last employer went out of business and I am having a hard time finding a new job because of my probationary status. Can you help me when they ask why I was let go from the previous job and about the error. No one seems to want to hire someone on probation even though I have good nursing skills and received a high mark on my last evaluation.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Were you "let go" from your last employer, or did you lose the job because they went out of business? I think it would help if you got written references from previous co-workers, supervisors, people in HR, anyone who can state you are a good, honest nurse. Did you go thru any medication error training that would indicate your desire to learn from the experience and not repeat it? I am sorry this is happening and hope you find work soon. Maybe you could apply for a position that does not require handling of meds.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You received 2 years of license probation for 2 reported med errors in a two year period that didn't result in harming the patient !!!?!!! Much less a documentation error... Oh you forgot to sign off a med, guess what your on license probation! ?

What state are you in? Are they seriously handing out fines/license probations for commiting a couple med errors that never harmed a patient? And since when do hospitals fire a nurse for making 2 documentation errors?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

What kind of a facility were you working at?

I know employers can report to the BON for an error, but the storys on this board are insane. People make med errors all the time in the hospital, the doc is notified, an occurence report is made out, but I have never worked anywhere where the BON was notified. Why do they do that? There must be a reason for it. To make them look good, to cover their butt, what?

Human beings are fallible and they make errors, in spite of the few seemingly perfect people that do post here. There is a big difference between an error and something that needs to be reported, in my opinion.

Good luck.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in jack of all trades, master of none.

They do it to get rid of people they don't like for being honest, caring nurses that won't purposely lie to cover someone else's (or the facility's) ***....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My last employer went out of business and I am having a hard time finding a new job because of my probationary status. Can you help me when they ask why I was let go from the previous job and about the error. No one seems to want to hire someone on probation even though I have good nursing skills and received a high mark on my last evaluation.
Do you have any friends presently working as nurses who could vouch for you? Sometimes that helps, getting a word of mouth reference from a good employee.

Have you done whatever the BON wanted you to do in order to remediate? So you are less likely to make those errors in the future? Documentation that you made formal efforts to get better at meds might also help.

And looking for a slot where you would not be doing meds might be a good idea, until you feel comfortable with doing meds again.

Good luck. It's a hard thing to deal with, but if you don't give up, you don't lose!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Were you "let go" from your last employer, or did you lose the job because they went out of business? I think it would help if you got written references from previous co-workers, supervisors, people in HR, anyone who can state you are a good, honest nurse. Did you go thru any medication error training that would indicate your desire to learn from the experience and not repeat it? I am sorry this is happening and hope you find work soon. Maybe you could apply for a position that does not require handling of meds.

I lost the job that I got reported to the BNE. I think that it might have been a little retaliatory because I filed Safe Harbor/Request for Peer Review for unsafe assignments. But the job that I got after that is the one that closed down and laid me off. I did use them as references, but this becomes a very sticky situation in applying for new jobs. I have applied for several and this is a real problem.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I lost the job that I got reported to the BNE. I think that it might have been a little retaliatory because I filed Safe Harbor/Request for Peer Review for unsafe assignments. But the job that I got after that is the one that closed down and laid me off. I did use them as references, but this becomes a very sticky situation in applying for new jobs. I have applied for several and this is a real problem. This is in the state of Texas.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
What kind of a facility were you working at?

I know employers can report to the BON for an error, but the storys on this board are insane. People make med errors all the time in the hospital, the doc is notified, an occurence report is made out, but I have never worked anywhere where the BON was notified. Why do they do that? There must be a reason for it. To make them look good, to cover their butt, what?

Human beings are fallible and they make errors, in spite of the few seemingly perfect people that do post here. There is a big difference between an error and something that needs to be reported, in my opinion.

Good luck.

Thanx. I lost the job that I got reported to the BNE for. I think that it might have been a little retaliatory because I filed Safe Harbor/Request for Peer Review for unsafe assignments. But the job that I got after that is the one that closed down and laid me off. I did use them as references, but this becomes a very sticky situation in applying for new jobs. I have applied for several and this is a real problem.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
They do it to get rid of people they don't like for being honest, caring nurses that won't purposely lie to cover someone else's (or the facility's) ***....

You're right! I lost the job that I got reported to the BNE. I think that it might have been a little retaliatory because I filed Safe Harbor/Request for Peer Review for unsafe assignments. But the job that I got after that is the one that closed down and laid me off. I did use them as references, but this becomes a very sticky situation in applying for new jobs. I have applied for several and this is a real problem.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
They do it to get rid of people they don't like for being honest, caring nurses that won't purposely lie to cover someone else's (or the facility's) ***....

Exactamundo. Anyone they don't want around....someone outspoken,seen as high risk for any reason, nurses with medical problems, older nurses, etc etc.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Once again, my question is how do I answer when they ask about it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion