RN just completed probation. Can't find a job

Eris Discordia BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2018

Seconding what others have said...I found a good job in psych. Not my favorite and a two hour commute one way, but it pays my bills and keeps me in nursing. I plan on keeping it until I'm done with monitoring in 2022. I had to look WAY out of my local region in a big hospital system to find a job that would work with me.

Nurseinterrupted · Aug 9, 2019

Regarding nurses experiencing disciplinary action.... I can only speak from the state of California and the California BRN.

I was put on probation for 3 years following a misdemeanor in my personal life that had nothing to do with my being a nurse except the board felt like did not uphold the reputation of nursing. Here is the scoop... I completed probation on May 4th this year. Much to my surprise, when I went online to make sure that my license was updated as current, it does state this on the BREEZE verification site. However, it also says “prior discipline as the next entry, immediately below the words Active/Current. When I click on the button next to these words. My ENTIRE rap sheet comes up. Imagine my surprise. I immediately contacted my administrative law attorney who represented me to the board, for a nice $15,000 ( I met with him ONE time). I was then and ONLY then informed by him that, even though I successfully completed probation, the prior disciplinary action will remain attached to my license for anyone and everyone to see for the next TEN YEARS. Yes, you read that correctly. Now, I asked myself... why wouldn’t my admin law attorney have told me this at the time I retained him? The answer came easily. Had I known this. I would have kept the $20,000+ I spent to keep my license and not have retained him. Of course he wanted me to retain him and likely knew that I would have surrendered my license to the board (as might have other potential paying clients) and went back to school for another career with that money. So, no matter what you think or what anyone tells you, in the state of California even when you have done EVERYTHING that the board requires and have done so successfully, you will continue to be punished for TEN MORE YEARS. Oh and by the way, your time on probation does not count towards this ten year period. Had I to do this again, I would have surrendered my license per the above.

I was fortunate to find employment to complete the work requirement however it was short lived, it was in a cosmetic clinic and I “did not look the part”. Also heads up, my employment at a cosmetic clinic set a precedent for the nursing board and they have since removed working in an aesthetic medical setting as acceptable probationary employment. They had to let me do it because there was nothing on the books that said I couldn’t however, as soon as the paperwork for this position went through, the board IMMEDIATELY listed employment in this field as a non option.

I know work in an FQHC. I am an RN case manager. I sit in front of 2 gigantic computer screens for 45 hours a week in a chair that I literally have to jump into which has to be this high because the counter I work at is 4 feet off of the ground. I have to use a cardboard box to put my feet on so they don’t dangle. I sit in this set up while I do the require yearly Relias training modules that include workplace ergonomics. I told the hiring supervisor all about my history and of course my probation at the interview. After working here for over a year ,and becoming friends with the Controller, I learned that I was hired on at $4 less than the starting wage for my position. Not only that, but a nurse hired after me was hired on at the starting wage. They fired her after 4 months of employment for being ineffective at the job. I would often do half of her work load several times a month to get her “caught up”. I have been the ONLY nurse for a 5 clinic practice now for 6 months, there are supposed to be 4 nurses. It is hell. I am grateful to have a job however learning that I was low balled on wages and not given the opportunity to make an informed decision on accepting the offer makes me upset. I sent an email to my supervisor expressing my gratitude and also requesting an admin review of my work load and pay rate. I also informed her of what I knew. This was 2 months ago and she has not even acknowledged receipt of my email.

The point of the story about my current employment is to relay the harsh reality that it seems disciplined nurses are doomed to grovel and beg indefinitely. I have applied for numerous hospital positions to no avail. It’s way different now, every thing is online... no face-to-face unless you are contacted, the same automated email response back after every application.

So... I am encouraging everyone facing disciplinary action to think looooong and hard about the pros and cons of accepting probation and to thoroughly research ALL stipulations of your licensing board because being discipline will follow you for a very long time. Get ready to be taken advantage of because “you should be grateful” and to be closed out of the jobs for which you likely became a nurse in the first place. I barely pay my bills. Sometimes in between paychecks, I will have $23 left in my wallet until the next paycheck comes, which is also spent on bills.

And yes, only nurses and CPA’s are disciplined for misdemeanors in California. MD’s and lawyers are NOT. Why? And this was told to me by my admin law attorney... because they are predominately male professions and that the more money One spends on getting a degree /career, the less likely they are to lose a license in the face of disciplinary action. For MD’s and lawyers, the worst case scenario is a reprimand.

If I could go back I would have surrendered my license. Yes I was frantic to keep it as it was my livelihood and I had worked so hard for it. I wound have researched and known what questions to ask my attorney rather than blindly trust him because he “goes in front of licensing boards all of the time”.

Think about the money, the hassle and the long-term consequences and decide if it’s worth it. I could make more money and have better working conditions if I waited tables in a mid-grade restaurant. Trying to be helpful and not discouraging here, but hopefully this information will help some of you. I did not make any of this up. It’s the cold, hard truth. There is no forgiveness. The board makes us grovel only to continue punishing us. Best to you all.... Nurse Interrupted. ??