Need help

[Snflwr0817]

I need some advice, guidance, and or general input. Last year I was fired from a hospital position of 10 years. I had FMLA for a couple of years and was getting flare ups more frequent than approved. The FMLA office looked into it and the doctor stated he didn't see me on certain dates. These dates I dealt with his nurse for return to work forms. I thought she was acting as a liaison and he was aware that I had contacted the office. I was terminated and reported to the board for falsifying documents for not seeing a physician. I should have never dealt with a nurse with the understanding it was OK and the doctor was aware. I have been trying to get a job and failing miserably. I get interviews, but it ends there. I don't know what to do or say to increase my chances of landing a job. I love nursing and did not intentionally falsify. I regret it everyday that I tried to get back to work quickly, instead of missing more dates inn order to physically see a physician. Any thoughts? What can or should I say in an interview?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

It sounds like your license was not affected (despite the complaint). So it's a matter of being terminated, but not one of licensure restriction.

You say you are failing miserably at landing a job, but you are landing interviews. That means your resume is effective, but the problem is your interviewing skills.

You need to project confidence in your interviews. After all, you have 10 years of experience!

You need to prepare and reheorifice interview questions that are highly likely to be asked. You need to understand how to stand out, and how to think like a hiring manager.

As a previous hiring manager, I cover all of these in my book (below).

Here's an excerpt from my book on a commonly asked question:

Tell us when you had a conflict at work and how you resolved it

Variations of interview question: Describe a time when you disagreed with your boss.

Tell me about a difficult patient and how you handled the situation Describe a conflict with a coworker, and how you resolved it.

What the employer is looking for: Conflict resolution skills. Interpersonal skills. Team work. That you can interact well with others.

How to answer: Have 3 examples ready, one of conflict with your boss, one with a co-worker, one with a customer/patient. Segue if needed (While I haven't had that particular experience, I have had….”). Then give them a similar example that shows your ability to communicate with others and come to a working agreement. They will go with it.

Healthcare facilities prefer to hire people who work well with others, have good social skills, get along well with patients and visitors, and can pull together as a team for the sake of patient care.

To tell your example, follow this helpful formula:

Describe the situation

Identify the challenges you encountered

Explain the action steps you took

Share the outcome

Summarize what you learned and will apply moving forward

Just an example of one question, but you can find answers to all the most common questions in my book:

What is your greatest weakness?

Tell us about a time you exceeded customer expectations

Tell us about leaving your previous position

Tell us about yourself

In addition, you need to communicate to the employer how you can help solve their problems (low HCAPs, turnover, teamwork, morale). This makes it about the employer and not about you!

I have so much more to tell you, but space limits :) I hope you will check out the book, I guarantee you won't regret it, my friend. Best wishes!