Published May 6, 2008
nurse555
37 Posts
Hi. I just need a place to vent. I have been employed at the same place for 5 yrs. I am on my 4th DON. I went back to school for my RN this past year and now my work life is total chaos. I have a scholarship through my employer and have to work for them for 2 years. In the last 3 months I have been demoted, told I would have a day shift position that is now being filled by someone with less senority ( 2yrs less) and was told that when I finish school I will only be working 3 days per week (on evening shift) instead of the 32 I have to work to pay back my scholarship. I have never had any disciplinary writeup the whole time I have worked there until recently and management put it into my file without my signature or telling me what it said when I was demoted and ironically everyone in the building knew about it 2 days before I did. I have been blindsided by all of this.
After all of this crap the DON says to me how do you feel about this?? Honestly!!!!! Then she has taken it upon herself to direct me to other jobs that would be full time.
Anyone else in a similar situation or have any advice?
BTW I am due to graduate in a week how's that for timing.
Thanks for reading. Sorry its so long but I feel a little better:banghead:
RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P
580 Posts
so you have 2 yrs left after you graduate right? i know what you are doing, but do you have less than 2 or does that not start until you are a "RN"?
I would write out your thoughts, as well as solutions of things you could bring up. we need to always follow that rank stuff, so your DON is the best person to discuss it with, but if she is impossible, i totally understand. i would also write a list of questions to ask of specific "why's" to each time they have done this demotion thing. sounds like each diff DON wants to do what they want, and to prove that they are bringing what they can as far as changes to make themselves look better. i doubt this highly, but maybe, just maybe, they didnt know what the last DON did.
so you have been working as another job title, maybe thats what they were planning on doing all along after you graduated. you need to talk to HR about the hours situation, and explain to them its not your choice to not work those FT hrs to pay back the place that graciously helped your schooling out. maybe they just need a say in it also, to maybe remind your floor about what needs to happen contractually. (SP?)
GL! but make sure that you are writing and pre-reading over and over b4 you go in to make sure you have your ducks in a row.
It would be crappy to have to move dept's, but maybe thats what needs to happen. Heck, think of it as a new beginning if you have to! may be what you need? who knows.!
GL!!
Heather
litbitblack, ASN, RN
594 Posts
Sounds like they maybe trying to get you quit. Hope not. But whatever you don't quit. Then you have to pay back the money. If they terminate you you have no obliglation to pay it back. Yep I would talk to the don then to hr if that doesn't help. They are required to give you the hours that are stated in the contract.
zimsaint
113 Posts
I am going through the same thing at a LTC facility that I work. I just became an RN and the LPN managers are intimidated. They are going behind my back telling lies to my manager to get me terminated. The manager is foolish enough to believe it and has taken me off the schedule in the past. I have just decided to hell with all of them, as soon as my credentials are transferred I am leaving that place. It is not worth the stress.
Try filing an official complaint with HR or corporate explaining exactly what is happening. I would mail it to them certified with a return receipt. That way if you do decide to just quit and they try to sue you for the money, you can show you had just cause and was experiencing harassment. In addition I found that a certified letter always get their attention.
As soon as my license is transferred, I will show my nursing home my gluteus maximus:smokin:.
medsurgrnco, BSN, RN
539 Posts
Write down details of the problems you've had at work, and then discuss the situation and your contract with an attorney. The attorney may advise he/she write your employer a letter regarding the problems in the workplace which are preventing you from effectively fullfilling your contractual obligation. Doing this cost me a few hundred dollars but saved me thousands when a former employer put me in a similar bad situation.
Thanks to all for the input. In my opinion I think they're trying to make me quit. I have had absolutely no problems with the 3 previous DONs just this one. Zim where are you located? It sounds as if my LTC and yours could be run by the same company. I called my corporate person today and explained this situation to her and she is going to check on this for me. I'm seriously leaning toward finding an attorney to explore my options.
Again thanks for reading and for offering your advice.
pagandeva2000, LPN
7,984 Posts
I am under a similar contract. At my place of work, if I am terminated, I still have to pay the difference of the contract. Especially if I didn't follow policy and procedure.
To the OP: What position are you working in, now, and what position are you being demoted to? Are you being demoted until you become an RN? Or will you have less hours as an RN? I am a bit confused. What other departments are they referring you to? This does not make it better, but if you become an RN, it would seem to me that since they paid your way through school, then, they are obligated to hire you. No company I know of would help you to obtain your license but have you work elsewhere until the contract runs out.
No matter what happens, be sure you speak to an attorney so that you can find out your rights regarding this contract, because essentially, they have you by the balls until your contract is up. They invested big bucks into you, and they will try not to lose.
I wanted to thank everyone again for thier input. Just to update. I have transfered to another facility that will still meet my contract obligations and I have discussed my issues with an attorney and have filed a complaint with HR. The facility I'm going to knows nothing of the bad situation I was in and I feel like its a second chance to start over.
Thanks to all again:)
Sounds like a great solution! Hope all works out well there.