Need your input

I'm a new RN as of May 2012. Unfortunately the only RN experience I've had so far has been from a job that let me go last month. Since I've never been terminated before, I don't know what to do. I'd love nothing more than to pretend I never had that job...I'm hurt, upset and embarassed that I was let go. But is it better to use my only experience, or let future employers think I have none? 3 months doesn't seem like a lot, but it sure felt like it. I figure some is better than none, and I was an LPN for 11 years. I'm prepared to explain why my former job wasn't "a good fit", and I have plenty of excellent references. But usually aren't they just checking dates of employment? Are they able to ask about why someone was terminated?

Contrary to popular belief, when verifying an applicant's work history, employers are not just limited to providing only dates of employment. Many employers stick to a "dates and rehire status only" policy when verifying employment to make their lives simple and to avoid any potential problems.

But the truth is that employers may say anything that they like about you, provided that what they say is factual and accurate. So yes, an employer could tell them why you were fired as long as what they say is fact.

TheCommuter wrote a great article about this topic that's somewhere around the forum...search for it and give it a read.

Also, don't forget the grapevine: even if employers stick to the "dates and rehire status only policy" when it comes to verifying employment, nursing is a very small world. The odds are good that someone at your old job knows someone at your new job, and info about you can be passed along that way.

IMO, the more honest you are, the better. How honest/upfront you want to be is your call.

Best of luck.

Found that article that TheCommuter wrote:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-job-search/yes-bad-job-760531.html

Essentially, there's no law that states an employer can only provide dates of employment during an employment verification check. So even if they were to adopt a "dates only" policy, they are not legally obligated to stick to it.

Good or bad: as long as what the employer says is factual, they can legally say it.