new grad maybe screwed

[Fruit Sucker]

After graduating, I was hired onto a specialty unit where I worked for 4 months. During the 4 months I worked there, I started to have a medical problem that interfered with work. I had two syncopal episodes at work and just felt horrible at work. I ended up calling in 6 times during the 4 months I worked there, which resulted in my being fired. Although I was fired, I was told that my performance was exceptional and I received an employee recognition award. My patients all loved me, and the doctors all loved me...the other nurses, some of them did and some didn't.

The last couple of months I've had a number of doctor's appointments and treatment and have started to feel better.

I'm worried. I need to start looking for another job, and I know it will look bad that I was fired after 4 months for being sick. The hospital said that I am eligible for rehire after six months. I'm wondering if I should just wait for them to take me back, because maybe nobody else will want me.

What should my plan be? I'm also thinking about applying to a different kind of unit, because working on this specialty unit with no experience was really quite stressful.

[AJJKRN]

If you could wait the six months out this May be your best option assuming they really will hire you back. I would also look into getting FMLA for your illness but am not sure if you have to be at a place for a certain amount of time or not to be able to use it.

[iluvivt, BSN, RN]

How many more months until you reach the 6 month mark and can you survive financially until that time?

[elkpark]

It is perfectly reasonable to explain in job interviews that you lost the prior job due to health problems you were having at the time (without going into more detail), and you have taken steps to get those health problems resolved (assuming that is a true statement :)).

[elkpark]

If you could wait the six months out this May be your best option assuming they really will hire you back. I would also look into getting FMLA for your illness but am not sure if you have to be at a place for a certain amount of time or not to be able to use it.

Yes, there are specific conditions that must be met in order to get leave under the FMLA. Not everyone qualifies. You have to have worked for your employer for at least 12 months, and have worked at least 1250 hours in the last twelve months (so, many part-time employees never become eligible, even after they've been employed a year).

[Fruit Sucker]

Thanks guys. If I can squeak by financially until February, I'll be eligible for rehire at the hospital. It's not assured that they'll give me a position though.

What is a potential employer allowed to ask me regarding my medical situation?

[amoLucia]

Thanks guys. If I can squeak by financially until February, I'll be eligible for rehire at the hospital. It's not assured that they'll give me a position though.

What is a potential employer allowed to ask me regarding my medical situation?

At an interview, I don't think they can ask you health questions. But if you get far enough into the hiring process, an employee history & physical may require disclosure. And that may stop the process unless you have some officially protected designated 'DISABILITY'.

Upon hearing from a prospective applicant that there was illness and sick time used (that resulted in a termination), a hiring manager might be hesitant to pursue the appl process. At least not without knowing more.

But then they can't ask too much and they can't discriminate if the appl seems appropriate, but that really doesn't matter. They find some other reason to say "other applicants were better qualified'.

It's a sad commentary to say that if some recruiter was subconsciously but negatively reminded of his/her mother because a prospective applicant was short, chubby, with curly dark hair or wore glasses, then that applicant might be passed over.

Yours is a tricky situation to explain. But you should continue to try & apply elsewhere as it's been astutely commented, you have no quarantee that they will rehire.

Good luck.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Personally, I think your best bet for being hired is to be totally forthcoming with your medical information -- not hide it. As a hiring manager, being fired looks really bad. To say it was a health issue implies that you may have health problems that will continue into the future -- something undesirable.

I think your best bet would be to go into an interview "with nothing to hide." Show that you were doing well as a new grad and having no problems at work. Then you developed a health problem -- which you explain to show you have nothing to hide -- and explain how you have solved the problem so that they are assured that you will not have problems with attendance in the future. Explain that as a new grad/new employee, you had not been eligible for FMLA at your previous job, did not have the ability to take a leave of absence to address your health, etc. so that termination was the only solution. But that is over now because you have addressed your health problem and will be able to meet their requirements for attendance. That approach will look stronger to a prospective employer than one of minimal-disclosure.

But that's just my opinion as someone who hires people (and as someone who has a hearing/balance impairment).