School Nurse - Should I Resign before I am Fired?

[Lorie Brown RN, MN, JD]

I am a school nurse. I was suspended from work 20 hours after I filed a complaint - the complaint regarding me not being allowed to follow state laws and Standard practice of care for medication delegation. I have also not been allowed to make DCF calls, follow Kansas Health Department laws, and so on. The superintendent told me the reason why is because no one is going to come check and see, that’s just not the way they do things, and so on. I am being fired, had a board meeting on Monday, and have not been allowed to talk to the board. There is more to the story and I am not allowed to turn in my evidence, witnesses, as well as a letter for the medical doctor.

Would it be best to turn in a letter of resignation stating I am leaving because I am not allowed to follow state laws and regulations? Or should I just let them fire me on Monday?

I have contacted the Kansas Board of Nursing, Kansas Association of school nursing, Kansas Department of education, Kansas Board of Education, and Kansas Department of Health. None of them are able to step in. The nursing side can’t step in because no one is going against my license. But the education side isn’t going to step in because they say it is a personnel matter.

I have evidence, witnesses, including a doctor and a nurse to every law of the school is not allowing me to do, and they are allowing unlicensed personnel without delegation to be handing out medications in my absence. I have not been able to find a lawyer because they say that I am black so it might be discrimination. But I may be treated differently because I am black and then I need to fill out an EEOC. The next appointment available for an EEOC is in April. I finally contacted a nurse attorney but she cannot meet with me until the day after I am fired. So my options are turning in a letter resignation or letting them fire me since I can’t talk to the board.

I don’t know what to do. Thank you.

Dear Resign or Be Fired

I am sorry this is happening. I suggest you contact a labor law attorney in your state. Generally, it is better to resign so you don’t have to put a termination on future job applications.

Lorie A. Brown, R.N., M.N., J.D.