Poll: How many of you have been fired from nursing jobs?

[weetziebat]

I can't believe this. I've been working at this awful job now just short of three months. The State is expected any day now, and no kidding, they will be shut down in five minutes flat. The place has been without nurses for six months, can't keep the nurses it does get, and the only reason I've stayed so long is because I didn't want to jump from the frying pan into the fire, so been looking carefully for a 'good' nursing job.

Guess the problem started because I was in administration. Not a good place for me, especially in a for-profit environment. All they care about is the money, and all I cared about was the patients.

The caregivers as well as nurses got NO orientation, no inservices and had to pick up skills such as taking blood pressures (manual machines) from other caregivers. Who also did not know how to do it, but afraid to say so.

But they won't say anything. I'm not like that. I was supposed to be admin. and I thought they needed to know, and do something about, all the deficiencies.

I tried to do my best in a department that would need to stop the clock and then spend about a year getting it all up to snuff before starting anew. I was overwhelmed, frightened for my license, and determined that things be set right. I was also all for the caregivers.

So, today, just before quitting time, I get called into the office. It is the end of my three month probationary period, and they decided it was just 'not a good fit, and here's your final paycheck'. Well, I told them in no uncertain terms that 'fit' had nothing to do with it.

And went into detail about all the administrators (none of whom have a nursing degree) making the nursing decisions, while ignoring, backstabbing, or going around the nurses. For example, a recent very serious med error was made by a part time, but 'favored' nurse. No incident report, no investigation and not one word about how did I feel about what should be done.

I am seriously happy to be out of there, and was actually going to give my notice in on Monday, after getting some details ironed out about my new job offer, but it still hurts to know you are a dang good nurse, but if you don't play 'the game' with the corporation, you are put down as a bad fit.How dare I be fired?!?!

I am seriously pissed! :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire Thanks for letting me rant and rave.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Oh, Weetz---I can't believe the *#$+@&!s fired you!!!!! I know you've been getting hammered, what with all the responsibilities and the rotten personnel decisions by the higher-ups.......so for them to have the nerve to let YOU go is just incredible.:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

All I can say is, you (and your career) WILL survive this. I don't know if I ever told you this, but a few years ago I managed to get myself fired from an RCM position in a nursing home with the worst reputation in two counties....talk about feeling like a loser! But it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me; for one thing, that job was the biggest PITA of any I've ever had, including the hospital job---I was putting in enormous amounts of time as it was, and then corporate got angry with me when I refused to work a 3rd 16-hour day in a row (I had pneumonia at the time). Secondly, being fired meant I could draw unemployment benefits while I took my time looking for a better job. Third, when some employers found out I'd been fired from there, they acted as if it were practically a badge of honor---"they're jerks, they wouldn't know a good nurse if one bit 'em on the nose".

Long story short: it's never affected my career adversely. The company you were working for probably has a horrid reputation, and others within the industry will likely look at what happened like, "their loss, our gain". You know you're a good nurse. We all know you're a good nurse. And think of it this way: your license is no longer in danger.

I'm sorry about the shock---getting fired, even when you were planning to leave anyway, is like being punched in the stomach. But in the long run, it's more than likely for the best.

Love you, my friend.:icon_hug:

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Hey, I was fired too. It took me about a month to find a job I liked better with a raise :) It doesn't mean you are a bad nurse.

[ONSnrs]

How does the old saying go, "God closes a door, and then opens a window." It reallly doesn't sound like this was a good working environment anyway. With the demand for nurses you should be able to find an employer that appreciates your integrity and true care for the patients.

Don't give up the good fight!

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

When I first got on this site, a year ago, somebody quoted somebody else that was a regular here and had this on their sig line. I LOVE the quote:

Being a good nurse is not always the same thing as being a good employee.

I sure wish I could attribute that to somebody.

But, if somebody fired you BECAUSE you put being a good nurse over being a good employee - well, aren't YOU better off?!

I would consider that to be nuthin' but a thang. And I'd move on without losing a single wink of sleep.

~faith,

Timothy.

[weetziebat]

Gosh, guys - how did I ever cope with life before Allnurses? Can come here anytime and cry, rant, rave, screech, whatever - and know you'll be sure to find good friends with excellent advice, caring, hugs and all those things guaranteed to make a body feel better.

Yeah, it was the shi**iest job I've ever had, and I really have to thank them. If they hadn't fired me, I was going to give my notice on Monday, and didn't have a clue how I was going to manage to work there for another two weeks.

Marla, I've been told by other nurses that working as a RCM is a mistake. (this is just advice I've been given - don't know if it has any truth to it, except to the person who told me, or not - so please don't yell at me - I've already got a bruised ego). Anyway, this person told me RCM's get to do all the work, have all the responsibility, have to answer for everything and get blamed for anything, and everything that goes wrong.

Canoehead, thanks. It helps to know I'm in such good company.

ONCNRS, Yeah, I think I may see that window on the not-too-distant horizon. Thanks.

Timothy, don't remember seeing that sig line before, but you're right - I adore it. So totally right on! Thanks for sharing it, and thanks for your always wise words.

[leslie :-D]

a couple of yrs ago, i was fired from my workplace of 7 yrs.

i had made a complaint to a state agcy, re: pt concerns.

an investigation was done which resulted in the don and nm being charged by the bon: and the facility receiving damaging citations along w/threat of being closed down.

shortly thereafter, i was terminated.

for a long, long time, i struggled with my decision to try and help these dying, defenseless patients (it was an inpt hospice facility); and wondered if i would have done the same thing again, knowing it caused me to be fired.

but even though the end results didn't benefit me personally, it certainly benefitted the pts. and any future pts.

so yeah, i would definitely do it again if necessary.

leslie

[weetziebat]

Leslie, I think stories like yours are the reason that nurses are consistently seen by the public as folks to be trusted and to have confidence in. I think all of us are in this field because we really do care about people and trying to help them.

Unfortunately, I also think there are a few (in my experience, usually in administration) who have gotten too far from the patients concerns and problems, and lose their sense of compassion. Often in favor of $$$$$

Thank goodness the majority of us would, I hope, do exactly what you did if faced with the same situation. You can be very proud of yourself.

[sanctuary, BSN, MSN, RN]

Weetziebat, it can be a mark of honor to be fired from some places. Zash had it right. I was threatened with termination once for refusing to assist with ECT on a retarded pt (that and pregnancy are total contraindications) and I told the DON and Med Director the I would rather be fired than keep a job that I'm ashamed of. So big hugs to you, Sister.:icon_hug: The "kicked in the gut" feeling will fade, the commitment to highest standards will not.

[DDRN4me]

(((((Weetzie))))) this was the best thing for you and they will soon relaize that....it is thier great loss . I do not fit in the corporate world, either...and i have a very hard time accepting that the bottom line is more important than the patients . God Bless...perhaps the skills that you learned dealing with these morons (trying to be nice here:chuckle ) will be useful to you at another less stressful time!! I am sure you will find another position somewhere that appreciates you !!!! Mary

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

How does the old saying go, "God closes a door, and then opens a window." It reallly doesn't sound like this was a good working environment anyway. With the demand for nurses you should be able to find an employer that appreciates your integrity and true care for the patients.

Don't give up the good fight!

While I have never been fired as a nurse, I have dealt with the, "Let's make you so miserable that you wish you were dead...so that you quit" syndrome. And let me tell you, I needed that kick in the pants, to go on to so many better situations in nursing.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

While I have never been fired as a nurse, I have dealt with the, "Let's make you so miserable that you wish you were dead...so that you quit" syndrome. And let me tell you, I needed that kick in the pants, to go on to so many better situations in nursing.

That's exactly what I went through at my hospital job........I probably hung in there a lot longer than I should have, just because I didn't want to give them the satisfaction of forcing me to quit. But then things got so miserable that I quit anyway.....but you know THAT story.

Weetzie, I agree with you about the RCM thing too---one of the biggest career mistakes I've made. You don't get any of the credit, but you get ALL of the responsibility, and of course all of the blame when survey comes in and issues the facility a batch of F-tags for missing documentation that pre-dates you by six months.:stone

End of rant. Best of luck, always, and may your next position be the RIGHT one!!