Need advice after losing first nursing job

[AsianNurse27]

Hi everyone! I need some advice after losing my job.

Some background on my situation: I had the luck to be hired into a new grad nurse residency program several months after my graduation. However during my orientation, the hospital had low census, so I didn't have alot of patients or very complex patients. When my orientation was finished, I started working independently on the evening shift in my medical unit. For the first month or so, my patient load was very similar to what I had during my orientation. But then the census started picking up, and suddenly I was bombarded with more patients with complex conditions that I had never encountered. I was told that it was fairly normal for the unit to have many complex patients, and it was a fluke during my orientation that we didn't have any. This went on for several weeks, and I started to be very worn down and was really struggling. I felt like I didn't have any support and that I was not adequately prepared. My manager was also placing alot of pressure on me to improve too, which made things very hard as I was trying my best to improve.

To add to the difficult situation, the hospital figured out that it was losing money and needed to cut expenses. So they announced that they would have to fire some people. I also had some difficulties in my personal life, like moving to a new house and some family health issues. It was just a very difficult time for me; I was always stressed and afraid.

Finally, my manager called me into her office, and told me that things were not working out and asked me to resign. I felt devastated. It was my first nursing job and I had only been working for 6 months.

Now I am currently on the job hunt for another position. I got an ACLS certification and also took an IV therapy class.

I was wondering if anyone knows if Nurse Residencies will accept you if you are not a newly graduated nurse, but only had 6 months of experience? I would really like to do another residency program since I really felt that my previous experience really did not prepare me very well. I have also been looking at regular nurse positions, too.

Also, if an interviewer asked me why I left my previous postion, what should I say? I feel that I am capable of handling the fast pace of a hospital setting, but my previous job situation had left me with a rather low opinion of myself and my nursing abilities.

Any advice would be wonderful. Thanks!

[Tragically Hip]

CCM, in many states (though not Massachusetts), you will be denied unemployment benefits if you're fired for cause.

[kcmylorn]

It sounds like the hospital was going thru cutbacks and didn't want to "lay you off"

If the hospital laid you off with 6 months of working, you would be eligible for unemployment. In my state- you have to be employed for 20 weeks to be eligible for unemployment. Unemployment is an insurance premium the employER pays to the State Dept of Labor on the employEE's behalf. Go on your state dept of labor's website as every state I think is different. I know in my state- the EmployER's contribution doubled in around 2009-2010 with the high unemployment rate. EmployERs were paying a $7,500 for each employEE. With the high unemployment rate not budging and people being lay'd off and fired for bogus reasons(the real reasons being the companies just wanted to save a buck and turn a profit) the departments of Labor started investigating the increase in unemployment claims. The end result was the dept of Labor raised the EmployER cost from the $7,500 per employee to $15,000/employee to discourage more people from loosing their jobs.

With the high unemployment rate and no real change in the recession, these labor deptartments are closely monitoring the unemployment rates and why people are getting let go. They ARE investigating. I know this for a fact- I was fired in 2010 as a perdeim RN in a crack pot hospital that wanted me to quite a full time- 40hr/week temporary position just to sit by the phone waiting for the fool nurse manager to call me to come in every other month then cancel me for 8 hr on a 12 hr shift. I have a mortgage and other bills to pay and 1 child at home- My bill are more than 4 hr pay every other month. I went straight to unemployment and tolded with an investigator and sent the investigator every peice of paper I had relating to this. I got my unemployment- $600/week.

Welcome to the real world world of Nursing. I think this is your first taste of the "real" nursing world and I think you're Nurse manager played 'dirty pool' with you. I think the Nurse Manager asked you to "resign" instead of 'laying you off' therefore negating your claim to unemployment. I am sorry to be mean, pushy,blunt and what ever- but these nurse managers today are all up to being 'company players'. I think she/he/it played you and didn't think twice about how devastated you would be or what your financial situation is. The crap nurswing administration would sling your way would be something about developing a "thick skin". Your Nurse manager, no doubt, had many conversations with the HR dept and the hospital's legal dept. It is my guess they are banking on you being devastated, naiive along with inexperienced.

I would advise you to go to your nearest unemployment office and speak to an unemployment councelor/specialist/ investigator. Don't assume you are not qualified for unemployment. Inaddition: Do researching 'online' on your state's dept of labor website( I think it is also called workforce development) When you go to the unemployment office- take every peice of paper from that nurse manager, HR dept with you, including your resignation letter. They need to know the details surrounding your resignation-IMHO: I think it was a layoff and the hospital does not want to pay their $15,000 premuim. The nurse manager was doing the hospital/devil's bidding when she asked you to resign. She probably got a good little brownie point by the way of securing her/his/it's position in hospital managment also. I would not write off unemployment. That could mean $400/week or more to you. Don't take these nurse managers at face value or believe every word they say- they are not your friends. They are out to make good for themselves in the company's eyes and keeping their eye on their paycheck--- what ever it takes!!

Very Important: it take ATLEAST 1 yr for a new grad to even gain their bearing into hospital nursing(not just 6 months) These nurse managers are very well aware of this.

Keep us posted- Good luck at the unemployment office! BTW- just cause in nursing means- gross neglegence, blatant malpractice, stealing, drug diversion, carrying a weapon to work, physically attacking some one- take your employee handbook to unemployment for the standards of behavior and conduct of the hiospital.

[UGADawgs]

If I were you, I wouldn't even mention the fact that you even had this job and just apply to new graduate residencies as a new grad with no nursing experience. Many new grad nurse residency programs will hire people who got their degree within the past 12 months, so if you only worked 6 months, I think it would be easier to find a new grad job having been out of school 6-8 months or so than it would be to find another position while having to explain a firing that really isn't your fault.

[kcmylorn]

This is a prime example as to why they don't want experienced nurses in these hospitals anymore- not only do they find us too expensive but we know too much/see right through them!!

[UGADawgs]

CCM, in many states (though not Massachusetts), you will be denied unemployment benefits if you're fired for cause.

That's the official word out of the unemployment office.

However, in practice, the vast majority of employees end up winning their appeal, even if the employer disputes it.

If there is any subjectivity at all involved in the reason the employer gives for firing you, you'll get your check at the end of the day. If they just write "poor performance" but don't have anything to back it up with, that won't fly. In most cases when a new grad is railroaded like this, the employer doesn't really keep an extensive list of specific incidents that came up with the employee's performance and how they gave them opportunities to correct that. Also, performance standards are different from one organization to the next, so what is poor at one place might be acceptable at another and if that's the case, the employee will usually win the appeal. Basically, they'd need to show that you compromised patient safety and point to specific regulations that you violated. Saying something like "they were too slow" won't get it.

[42346_nurse_]

As long as your termination was not related to patient care or absenteeism I would hire you.

Personally, I would try to find a manager who likes new grads. There are some who really embrace them.

I would be honest about the job, but keep the explanation short. "Census was low during orientation, and afterwards it was high. I resigned because they could not provide further training. I am hoping you can. "

And no worries, baptized by fire :)

Everyone gets fired or should have been at one point or another. It was the single best thing that ever happened to me!

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Happened to me, at 3 months orientation. The Versant new grad program disqualified me after I got to their second interview because I had 3 months experience! So I was not qualified to be Staff Nurse, nor was I a new grad anymore. It really really sucked. Sadly, this seems to be the norm, which drives me crazy. There are over 600,000 all nurse members, just think the changes we could make happen if we banded together!?

[Loadbetty]

You're my hero Haycyn....I was given the "choice" (resign or be fired) 3 days before the probationary period was up....and what did I miss in nursing school? I've been reading post after post and it's always the same...."not working out" "resign or be fired"....is that some secret class for nurse managers only??

I'm old and cranky, so I'm going to make them put an actual fact on paper. So far it's been pure fiction and zero to do with patient care....interesting that most hospitals I know of have a "step" program for corrective/coaching actions....I've never had a "step" - then again, I've never done anything that they could give me one for....I'm far from perfect - new grad - but I always ASK before I DO if I'm the least bit unsure....you would think mgt would desire that trait....apparently not....

I may get out of nursing all together - I've never worked with a group of people more nasty, more dishonest, and more UNcaring in my life...just breaks my heart that I sold my soul and nearly everything I own to get through school to come out to this.....it's just heartbreaking...

Not sure what to do now....I love your quote about the "reason" you left the job after only 6 mos...I'm definitely going to steal it when going on interviews....

And by the way..."training" - seems they like to tell you how long training is in terms of weeks....and get ****** when you do the math....makes it sound better I guess....

6 weeks = 2 wks 3 days = 17 DAYS of training...it's not like you're going to work 7 days a week - you're working a 3 days a wk schedule like everybody else....17 days of training for a specialty unit for a no prior health care experienced new grad isn't a long time....it's a joke - not to mention dangerous...I happen to have no shame - I could care less if someone thinks I'm an idiot or worse calls me an idiot for asking questions....but I fear that a younger less cranky grad might be intimiated and not ask questions and just DO because they don't want to be berated.....DANGEROUS....

Oh well....thanks for the quote and the laugh - wish you could have been my preceptor!!