New Grad Fired From First RN Job After 90 Days

[ChinupNewRN21]

I’m devastated. Next week was going to be my last day of orientation and I was so excited. But I was surprised  when my manager called me into her office only to announce that I was going to be terminated for not making any progress. I was fired on the spot without being given reason. No option to resign.

You should have seen the smile on her face. I wonder how humans can be so cruel.

I was working on a step down cardiac unit in my hospital and truly loved the job. 2 weeks ago she told me that my training was going to be extended and also placed me on a PIP for performance issues. I worked my butt off to improve as I thought she truly loved me and just wanted to be a great nurse. Oh boy was I wrong!

Now I’m back to job searching again. I’ve decided to list this job on my resume, even though I worked only 3 months. Went to 2 interviews already and none of the interviewers even asked me about it. This AM, I saw a text from the recruiter for one of the job (PCU) stating that they were considering extending me an offer and that I should call back when I have a minute. I saw it 1hr later and immediately called back. But this recruiter hasn’t answered the phone or even returned my calls. I left a message, to let him know I am excited and looks forward to his call l, but nothing since then. The day is now over- 6pm, and  nothing new. I’m so worried. Are they reconsidering their decision because of my job history?

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

On 8/2/2021 at 2:16 PM, Hopeful RN said:

Wow! I'm sorry to hear that. Are you financially responsible for the training program? I just got offer letter for a residency and the promissory note states that I'm responsible from the training program cost as soon as I sign and submit the note. I did think to myself "What if they let me go after the training, I'll be in debt regardless if I stay or not." ?

 

Say what??? Charging a new nurse for their orientation? What kind of ridiculous BS is that? Any contract that stated I'd be responsible for paying for my own training as an employee would get a very hard pass.  

[Gumercinda]

The orientation and 2 years of contract after that is very common. Usually the starting salary is 21 to 25 dollars hour. It prevents that after the first year, the nurse get a better paid job of 27-30 per hour. If the nurse change for a better paid job before 2 years, the nurse SHOULD PAY FOR THE TRAINING RECEIVED, AT THE COST ESTIMATED BY THE FACILITY. 

[JKL33]

1 hour ago, Gumercinda said:

If the nurse change for a better paid job before 2 years, the nurse SHOULD PAY FOR THE TRAINING RECEIVED, AT THE COST ESTIMATED BY THE FACILITY. 

It is a little more complicated than that.

1. Verbal information given to applicants during their application process is not legally binding. Therefore employer can present the job or the work conditions in a much more favorable light than reality. IF new grads then find themselves in unsafe or abusive situations, they have no recourse. Their contracts do not give them any significant protections. We have even had reports here of nurses whose orientation was cut significantly short and they were put out on their own due to the facility's staffing needs.

2. The grad is not given specific information about what they are "buying." They are only given written information in very general terms. You would never purchase something in this manner; it would be similar to going to buy a car and being told that for your money you will get "a car with 4 wheels." Great. Does it run? Does it have working airbags and seatbelts? Is it missing a steering wheel? Who knows!

3. There is no standard amount of $ that is considered reasonable for the training. The amount will be whatever the company wants to request. Reported costs for orienting one new grad are often exaggerated, sometimes significantly

4. These "residencies" are not special. They contain the elements of any decent orientation, that is all. Calling them residencies is a marketing tool. The new grad is not purchasing anything special. Reality is that they don't know WHAT they're purchasing...besides a chance to get hired.

5. Just because something happens doesn't make it right.

6. There are other measures that employers can take to retain nurses if continually training new nurses is costing them too much money. Since they are the business owners, that decision is within their power.

7. People who do not have a say in how the company is run are not expected to bear the expenses of the company. Period.

[Gumercinda]

 

The repayment for orientation is documented legally upon a ceptance of the job offer

You are right about residence. The "residence is a total scam,"

It is like a regular orientation. Usually win stupid instructors that say things opposite to the books, if you raise your hand and say that it has no sense what they are saying, because 1,2,3....they will make to fire you from orientation, and you repay $0 for being fired.

The reason the instructors are the worst, is because they are nurse educators, or mediocre nurses wirh friends on administration with some exp a RN, or only nurse educator with few exp on bedside. The people in charge of orientation are people that works IN A OFFICE, NO DEBSIDE, NO ADVICES FOR bedside use. Most are certified on CPR, so expect they speak about CPR every day, to avoid talk about things they do not know.

My friend entered in this kind of contract. She told me that the first day half has BSN half aa. The third day all people with BSN were dismissed. Only stayed people with AA. Other people commented that new RN with BSN will earn more than AA for doing the same thing, and that was the reason fir dissmissal.

She found several mistakes about the nursing care...(she had some experience, not totally new) she demonstrated why things said on orientation are inacurrate on practice. She told me that it was obvious that they do not have nursing experience. Also correcting errors about common illness mentioned. For example one nurse educator (were 2), mentioned a parasite as responsible for  a bacterial infection. One day, she was called in the middle of orientation and was fired. She did not repay any money. She lost a contract of 24 hr for 2 years and repay training time if quit before 2 years. After one month, she got another job for 27 hr. It was a win win being fired by the mediocre residence program. I do not want to mention the place because I do not want legal repercusions. My advice is to stay away from residencies if possible. 

 

[JKL33]

1 hour ago, Gumercinda said:

The repayment for orientation is documented legally upon a ceptance of the job offer

Yes. That's why we urge caution with the contracts. They promise very little in writing yet they obligate the new grad legally even if conditions are significantly worse than portrayed during the interview process.

[Hopeful RN]

On 8/3/2021 at 9:34 PM, K. Everly said:

Aww, thanks for letting me know what I said was helpful to you! You deserve to be treated fairly and with respect by an employer and I’m sure you’ll find the right one if you remember your worth and commit to assessing the culture of the organize. 
 

And thank you also for the well wishes in finding my own slice of happiness in the profession we are so passionate about and yet don’t want to get burned by! 
 

Update us when you find “the one” right position for you! 

K. Everly,

I definitely will keep you updated! Thanks again! ?

[Hopeful RN]

On 8/7/2021 at 5:56 PM, kbrn2002 said:

Say what??? Charging a new nurse for their orientation? What kind of ridiculous BS is that? Any contract that stated I'd be responsible for paying for my own training as an employee would get a very hard pass.  

Right?! It didn't matter if I stayed the whole 2 years or if I left prior, I was going to pay regardless. It sounds crazy to me to have to pay to get a job. Needless to say, I didn't accept it. ?

[Hopeful RN]

On 8/7/2021 at 9:01 PM, Gumercinda said:

The orientation and 2 years of contract after that is very common. Usually the starting salary is 21 to 25 dollars hour. It prevents that after the first year, the nurse get a better paid job of 27-30 per hour. If the nurse change for a better paid job before 2 years, the nurse SHOULD PAY FOR THE TRAINING RECEIVED, AT THE COST ESTIMATED BY THE FACILITY. 

I agree, but in my case, I would have to pay even if I fulfill the 2-year contract at the hospital. If I stay 1 year, 2 years, or 1 day, I have to pay. 

[Hopeful RN]

On 8/8/2021 at 9:42 AM, Gumercinda said:

 

She found several mistakes about the nursing care...(she had some experience, not totally new) she demonstrated why things said on orientation are inacurrate on practice. She told me that it was obvious that they do not have nursing experience. Also correcting errors about common illness mentioned. For example one nurse educator (were 2), mentioned a parasite as responsible for  a bacterial infection. One day, she was called in the middle of orientation and was fired. She did not repay any money. She lost a contract of 24 hr for 2 years and repay training time if quit before 2 years. After one month, she got another job for 27 hr. It was a win win being fired by the mediocre residence program. I do not want to mention the place because I do not want legal repercusions. My advice is to stay away from residencies if possible. 

 

Thanks for the info! I'm learning so much about residencies. So thankful for all of the info on this site from all of you who are already in the field. I would like to avoid a residency if possible, but we shall see. Thanks again!

[AmbeeDee, BSN, RN]

On 8/2/2021 at 3:19 PM, Hopeful RN said:

My thoughts exactly, it makes me VERY uncomfortable to commit because of the many variables! I'm not very comfortable with the terms either. In my case, I will have to pay for the training regardless and it accrues interest. If I stay for 2 years, I can make payments; I believe it gets deducted from my paycheck. If I leave before my contract ends, I have to pay the balance upfront. So either way, I have to pay. I had never heard of this, but I assumed this was the norm. It's a hospital in TX will multiple locations. Not to mention that the first offer letter I got was 1 month ago and stated I'd pay only if I leave before contract ends. But the second offer letter I got came with a promissory note with different terms and it was given to me just days before orientation. The more I talk about it, the more this residency sounds like a bad deal. ?

Did you do a residency program? If so, what was your agreement like? Only pay if you leave before contract ends?

I may be able to answer this. I actually start a New Grad program later this month. This is common industry practice for New Grad Programs. The contract essentially says that the training they are providing costs about $10k. The contract is to remain at that hospital for 2 years. If you choose to leave sooner, you may be on the hook for a pro-rated amount of that $10k (say you leave after 1 year, you could owe $5k, for example). They may also choose not to charge you, depending on your circumstances and why you are leaving. I do not think they can charge you anything if they let you go. They do not charge you anything if you fulfill the 2 year contract. It is a paid position.

 The reason I joined one was because I could not find a hospital nursing position near me that didn't require at least a year of experience. I really want to be in med-surg, and this was the best opportunity I could find to get what I wanted. 

I have the same concerns you do, but I figured 2 years is not really that long in the grand scheme of things. If it is not a good fit, at least I will have 2 years under my belt when the program is over and it will open many more opportunities for me. Of course, it may also be a perfect fit and I'll just stay until I retire. 

[John Marcus]

Could it possibly be that you are not a fit for the job, or did something change with the job that you have not been made aware?  Is it you or are the managers at your location playing dirty?  Yes, this happens and don't beat yourself up over it.  Do not put them on your resume and move on.  

After 3 years as an electrical engineer, 4+ years of schooling and 25 years in the IT industry, I went back to school for nursing because of the demand.

In my area, so many schools were producing grad nurses, it was difficult to find a job available for a new, inexperienced nurse.  I found a job, in a hospital, in the OR, 50 miles away in the next state and jumped at the opportunity.  After all, it was as an ortho OR RN.  This seemed to be a good fit for what I wanted, and I began the orientation program.

After several months with my preceptor, he left the OR to totally change his role in another department.  I saw him 2 weeks later and he subtly mentioned that I watch my back with management.  Weeks later my manager of more than 20 years was reassigned, but re-assured me she chose the move.  To me it seemed like a downgrade.  In fact, I should have trusted my senses.  She was forced to take a lesser position to remain with the hospital.

Later, I was assigned to a new preceptor and was moved to other disciplines.  I, a male nurse kept being thrown into the gynecologic surgeries.  I was told was that was where I was needed at the time.  This too was a lie, but I was oblivious and kept working hard.

As it turned out, and I later learned, the hospital hired 2 contract managers to take my bosses position and she was moved, "out of the way".  They were hired to cut costs.  The 20 new orthopedic surgeons they hired on, (whom left their clinics), had their terms suddenly re-negotiated at half the pay.  They all left, back for their clinics.  Management subtly mentioned that half the new nurses, (8 were hired for the new load), would choose to leave.  

One day I was told I was not able to pick up my job quickly enough.  They confused me and mislead me constantly to the point I was starting to believe them.  But then I realized that I managed the tasks as well as any other OR nurse.  Then suddenly their motives became clearer.  I went to HR and stated, "I was hired for Orthopedic surgeries, not Gynecology".  Some of the new requirements seemed to only target me.  They told me that if I was not happy I was free to leave.  

I decided to look for something else.  I resigned.  I put this position on my resume,  but I think it hurt my chances at the time.  One day I came across one of my preceptors from that hospital who told me what was going on.  They told her to be mean to me, to try to force me to resign.  They did not want to pay unemployment and were doing everything in their power, except ask nicely, to get new nurses to quit.

Again, many employers play dirty and will not be truthful in what they tell you.  If you feel you have been learning things and picking up the pace as expected, and you were blindsided, consider that the employer is not being truthful with you.  If this is the case, they also may hurt your chances in getting a new position.

My advice is, take it off your resume, step back and take even a lesser position and prove your skills the right way.  I have done this and now, (10 years later), I am with an employer that wants me so much that I have worked overtime every week for the past 1.5 years.  I average 50 hours per week and have worked 75 hours in a week at times.  Now I have so much work I have to beg for time off.

[K. Everly, BSN, RN]

1 hour ago, AmbeeDee said:

I do not think they can charge you anything if they let you go. They do not charge you anything if you fulfill the 2 year contract. It is a paid position.

I have the same concerns you do, but I figured 2 years is not really that long in the grand scheme of things. If it is not a good fit, at least I will have 2 years under my belt when the program is over and it will open many more opportunities for me. 

You may not have seen it, but HopefulRN said her program costs a fee regardless of whether she stays or leaves within 2 yrs.

In your situation, it makes more sense, because you don't pay if you end up staying. Of course, neither option is preferable but your situation is also one I could live with given the specific circumstances. 

However, in HopefulRN's position, absolutely not. I would never have taken that deal.