NepRN

Thank you! I am looking for jobs still and no luck yet. Thinking hard what should I do next. I think I will at least talk to a lawyer.

I am fairly a new nurse. After several years of tough waiting and job hunt, landed a job in a different state before moving to DC for a new job as a RN. It so happens that my life situation changed and we had to travel to Asia to take care of aging parental needs. I requested for few weeks off but was denied. I tried to apply for FMLA but was denied because in-laws needs are not considered family needs!!! Anyways, I was told by my manager to resign, go back and return back to reapply. She said "I will hire you." But I still didn't want to put my career in a jeopardy and tried to get leave of absence but was consistently denied and the manager told me it wasn't under her control. Desperate and left with no choice, I resigned from the RN position at the floor and gave enough notice to find replacement RN. Before leaving, I was still working and looking for jobs. I was fortunate to find a position with another DC hospital and was verbally offered a job. They knew about me traveling for family needs and were ok with me starting the job upon my return. They were willing to wait for even two months!!!! Then came the job reference part -- I asked my clinical supervisor at the job (that I was still working even after I resigned) to give me a job reference. She took it and said ok but instead another new clinical supervisor who was furious that I resigned from the position and hated me for everything I do, filled in the reference form and faxed it to the new employer. She marked "will not rehire" and faxed the paper to the new employer. Result is I got a call from the new employer to let me know they decided to withdraw the offer. I was crying, thinking hard, going crazy just to figure out what went wrong. I called the new employer as well as my manager from the hospital I was working at then (and had resigned). The manager told me her response would be the same as the clinical supervisor's was despite the fact they both said "you were a great nurse and no doubt in your clinical skills. But you called out sick on Sunday." I said "I called out because I was sick, but I never signed a paper saying I will never get sick when I started this job." I talked, pleaded, requested for the manager to reverse the reference sent but it didn't happen. So I went to HR for help. HR manager was nice in the beginning and sounded like she understood. She mentioned "you never should have to resign, you could have gotten unpaid leave." That's exactly what I requested for to my manager -- "an unpaid leave" if she couldn't let me go on PTO or FMLA. But at the end HR manager also took side of the management (floor and the clinical supervisor). She said I "assumed" that unfair reference was sent while it's not true and that she told me to "sign a leave of absence form" which later will be signed by my manager. At this point, the situation had gotten so ugly, I didn't want to work under that management at all. I refused LOA and told the HR manager, I had no intention to go back to that floor to work under that management again. They still didn't take me out of the hospital system and never processed my last paycheck. I kept making international calls to get my money but nothing happened. When it come to the end point, I told the HR manager I will file a lawsuit. She sent an email that looked like I was refusing the LOA and that the email was my resignation (=note they never validated the original resignation I gave to them). I was very frustrated and told her my resignation was long given and had enough notice in there for replacement RN. Now I am back in the US. After three more emails I finally received my paycheck where they clearly took my money for no reason because they extended my status in the hospital without my consent. I had done an interview before starting the travel to transfer to a different department, but the manager didn't give out good reference and so I couldn't transfer to the new floor either. At this point, I am jobless, stressed, financially hit and don't know what should I do next. I sometimes think I should as well as few other well-wishers tell me to file a lawsuit against the hospital and the manager as well as file a lawsuit against the clinical supervisor who provided the bad reference even though I asked another clinical supervisor to fill out the form. The one who provided the reference legally falsified the reference provided to another institution as her name wasn't even there where I had to fill out the name for the person who I wanted to provide the reference for me. Do you have any suggestions for me? Should I file a lawsuit? If yes, where should I go? Has anyone done this before? I don't want to waste a lot more time fighting but the bad part of the reference is I not only lost the job and went through all this, but now I can't apply to that institution as well as any other under its umbrella because I am a black-listed candidate for them. Or should I just let this go and try to find a job somewhere else where there still is a possibility I wont be able to get good reference from the employer. Please provide me with suggestions. Any will be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks to both of you! It's true I should make a list of things I am not comfortable with. The things you mentioned above are a big help for me to get started with my list. Thanks again!

Hi All, I landed a med-surg position finally after 6 years. But since I am not a fresh new grad, a lot of things are rusty for me. I took refresher course, but even such classes can't really make you ready to work in a hospital. I would really appreciate if you can suggest techniques on few usual things done in a med-surg floor. Any suggestion/help will help me transition into an experienced RN. I am very nervous about many things like different syringes, medications, feeding pump, drainage tube, IV etc. Thank you!

Thank you everyone! You all have pointed out a big benefit of the DOH job -- flexible time to run both work and home due to hours. I thought of doing both the jobs but I know it's not possible since there will be at least one or two days when I have to work all day and then go to work all night. It's not practical and in fact it is dangerous for the patients too. So I wouldn't do it. Since I do want to gain hospital experience I think I will talk to DOH about it and ask them if they can give me less hours for now turning into full time later or maybe I can directly contact them later when I am ready to take the job. What do you all think? This really is a tough decision for me because I really still can't decice which one is the better option for me.

Hi All, After waiting for years finally opportunity knocked at my door. I graduated 5 years back but couldn't work due to personal reasons, but when I was ready I didn't find a job. I now have a part-time night shift medical-surgical job on the table and also Department of Health daytime school nursing job on the table. Being a mom of two joggling everything alone, I don't know which one is better or if I should consider taking both the jobs. I lack hospital experience and floor nursing is the best way to gain experience. But when I think about DOH school nursing job, it's a city job and a government job and I have nice prospective of earning pension, retiring at the age of 62, working when my kids are in school and so on. If I take the civil service exam and pass it I will be a permanent employee. I need to decide by Monday and I can't think which might be better. What do you all think? Thanks for suggestions!

Thank you. I applied to a few LTC before, but never heard back from them. I will certainly try again. I need to find RN refresher course in my area, I will look for them.

Thank you so much to you all! I lived in NYC but recently moved to NJ. I am willing to relocate anywhere at this point. I will certainly apply in long term care too. I applied to a few, but never heard back from them. I will try again. Looks like Molloy college in Long Island, NY has refresher course for RN. It will be a big commute for me from NJ. If I don't find anything else, I probably will do that too.

Hi! I graduated with BS degree 4 years back, but I couldn't go back to floor nursing right away because of some family issues. I had to stay home to take care of my two little kids at the time. I also went through few other stresses in life, and struggled to get RN license. two years back, I finally got my license. My kids were a little more grown too. I volunteered in an ICU unit for about 6 months abroad. I also did ACLS and BLS... but at this point, nothing works. I don't even get an interview and all the time the only one answer I get is "no". The recruiters most of the time tell me I will always be considered a new grad yet not a recent one, so my chances are down to zero! I don't know what to do. My husband might be getting a job in Kansas city, MO. I heard new grads would be accepted in hospitals in MO or KS, but everywhere I applied, I am turned down. Does anyone know if the hospitals there still hire new grads? If yes, what is the chance for a stale new grad like me? Finances have become a big issue in our lives. My kids are in school and demand is growing every day. I feel frustrated and lost. I don't know what to do.... can anyone suggest me any way out. I will really appreciate.

Hi! I graduated with BS degree 4 years back, but I couldn't go back to floor nursing right away because of some family issues. I had to stay home to take care of my two little kids at the time. I also went through few other stresses in life, and struggled to get RN license. two years back, I finally got my license. My kids were a little more grown too. I volunteered in an ICU unit for about 6 months abroad. I also did ACLS and BLS... but at this point, nothing works. I don't even get an interview and all the time the only one answer I get is "no". The recruiters most of the time tell me I will always be considered a new grad yet not a recent one, so my chances are down to zero! I don't know what to do. My husband might be getting a job in Kansas city, MO. I heard new grads would be accepted in hospitals in MO or KS, but everywhere I applied, I am turned down. Does anyone know if the hospitals there still hire new grads? If yes, what is the chance for a stale new grad like me? Finances have become a big issue in our lives. My kids are in school and demand is growing every day. I feel frustrated and lost. I don't know what to do.... can anyone suggest me any way out. I will really appreciate.