Should I resign or am I overreacting?

Nurses Career Support Nursing Q/A

Do you think it is feasible to stay on a job who's threatening you with the BON and suspending you without providing reason? An incident happened (previous post), but when I asked for the grounds or reason wanting to report to BON I did not receive an answer. This was the response to my "4 page letter asking these questions:” I will not doing anything without giving you a heads up. HR Director and I are meeting at .... I didn't even get an answer as to how long I am suspended. I wanted the answers for a peace of mind and to prepare if necessary, but they're not providing anything. What should I do? Should I have contacted HR first? I never had to deal with a situation like this, and almost have zero guidance. Keep in mind...what I think they would try to present to the board will not stand, because I didn't put anyones safety at harm. Should I resign or am I overreacting?  Thanks in advance for your responses. 

28 minutes ago, Robmoo said:

Having read your first post, the conclusion that I draw is that you contributed your current situation.  These problems will follow you whereever you go.  Creating problems when staffing demands change is seldom productive.  Was the assignment unsafe or just unfair?  When assignments are unsafe we need to make a stand.  When assignments are unfair it is time to either grab your straw or negotiate.  It doesn't sound like that was any attempt at negotiation on either side.  What you have now is a toxic brew and staying is not a viable option.  What will you do differently at your next job?

@Robmoo thank you so much for your response. I always take full responsibility for my actions. I could have done things differently, but at that time I thought that was the policy or rules. Staffing demands did mot change nor was I trying to create problems. Actually, our census has been low lately. I believe the assignment was unsafe and unfair. I initially thought the issue was resolved. Well, the issue was resolved until the other person texted her friend. At another job if I feel the assignment is unsafe and unfair I will approach the situation differently and express myself better. I like to think I am one of the most easy going people in the world. I bent over backwards for that place. I’ve worked extra, came in early on a late notice, and etc… I think my situation is a situation where you had to be there and know the people to understand it completely. 

Specializes in Vascular access.

Sounds like you have a target on your back. Find another job, then resign 

7 minutes ago, Justcultureisjustcrap said:

Sounds like you have a target on your back. Find another job, then resign

@Justcultureisjustcrap I definitely agree. if I don’t have one on my back Now I’m sure I will after the investigation. It’s definitely in the works. Thank you so much!

@rzyzzy I definitely agree. I talked to attorney he didn’t want to take the case. I’m not sure if it’s because they have no case to send in or not. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not submitting anything I’m writing. Thank you so much for your response.

rzyzzy said:

I'd hold firm on your intentions to quit as soon as feasible- the BON is a thermonuclear option for an employer- if they're threatening it for anything that isn't obviously related to actual incompetence or something that endangers a patient, they either don't understand the board's purpose, or they're actually using the power of government to jerk your chain.  

Neither situation is in your benefit.  I'd go one step further and say that quitting a bad situation without notice or under "bad" circumstances is a thousand times better than the risk of facing the board under dubious or even fully-explainable circumstances.

the BON in most circumstances is a hammer, and they have one purpose- squashing anything that gets in front of them.  You can't "win" anything by going before the board.  They're not going to ever sanction whomever makes the report, a dismissed case still shows on your "permanent record", and can be used to support disciplinary action years from now for honest mistakes you haven't even made yet.

I went before my board as a "baby nurse" with only a few months on the job, on trumped-up, BS charges that the board dismissed before I even got to the hearing.  8 months of literally worrying myself to sleep, lost my job, couldn't apply for a new one, because the board conveniently put my license in RED letters "under investigation for patient abuse" on the state website..  

I "won", and got a very rare dismissal before the hearing, but the allegations are still on file, they can still be brought up if I ever get accused of anything in the future..  and my "win" cost me probably $15k in lost wages, a few thousand dollars for the attorney.. (which was a bargain btw.. ), and so much stress and fear and shame that I could absolutely understand someone in a similar situation eating a bullet.  

Since then, I've been a prolific "quitter".    When an employer gives me bad vibes, I'm gone.  I quit one job on the second day..  several jobs after a week or two.  I interview my employers way harder than I ever did before becoming a nurse.  There are a lot of really awful employers out there, and like three good ones.  The good ones know how awful other employers can be, and they've always understood leaving the bad places.   It isn't a bit unusual to have other nurses pipe in and mention that they themselves or nurses they know or respect have left those same employers.

There's never been a better time to quit someplace that is awful in my time as a nurse.  If I'd have stayed at my first longer-term job (that wasn't dangerous to my license, but sucked for staffing and overload issues) - I'd be making a little more than 1/2 my current rate.  "Loyalty" could have cost me a lot of money, and I'd be working somewhere that wasn't as good as where I landed..

If you're still in contact with your nursing classmates, chat them up - find out who's happy and maybe get them a referral bonus for helping you get an interview at someplace good.

Two years experience anywhere should be plenty to jump into someplace good.  Without a reference from an employer, you ought to have some other nurses who would tell the truth about how good of a nurse you really are..  Many reference checks today are nearly completely automated- since my past included a period of self-employment, one of the reference-bots asked me for a reference for myself ?..  "Umm, yeah, I'm awesome, thanks for asking!”..  

@rzyzzy I'm so sorry you had to go through that! It's sad when these places try to hurt you about nonsense, especially being a new nurse. People are so evil! Thank you so much for your response and tips. I appreciate it! I am definitely in that head space now. If it's not  working or doesn't seem good I'm gna leave. Worked too hard for our license for someone to threaten it without real reason. It's really sad. People will be people! 

Joan Troyer RN BSN said:

You do not want a termination on your record. Resigning would be your best bet. As this is your first job, you are learning. It is not easy to be a nurse and every day you are put in situations you may believe to be unsafe. We just don't know what will happen minute by minute, which is the job of nursing. What is needed from you changes day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute. You need to make the choices. You chose to be a nurse and being a nurse comes with its challenges and sometimes surprises. We've gone through the texts and training. BUT...we learn something new every time we put on the nursing uniform and take on the work. You learn to ask for help and you step up to help others.

I've been a nurse for 36 years. I've not seen it all. I've seen lots I wish I had not had to see. You do what you need to do and then go home.

@Joan Troyer RN BSN thank you so much for your response! I have the mind to stay until I find out the end game. Do you think that's a good idea since it could go either way? I don't think they have anything to report otherwise they may not have invited me back to work unless they just need the staff I guess. I don't know. I'd rather not be terminated either but at the same time it's like nurses are needed everywhere. I doubt if other facilities care at this point.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
On 5/19/2022 at 7:44 PM, BaybeeNurse20 said:

@Joan Troyer RN BSN thank you so much for your response! I have the mind to stay until I find out the end game. Do you think that’s a good idea since it could go either way? I don’t think they have anything to report otherwise they may not have invited me back to work unless they just need the staff I guess. I don’t know. I’d rather not be terminated either but at the same time it’s like nurses are needed everywhere. I doubt if other facilities care at this point.

If they "invited you back to work" you are not being terminated, at least not for this. Once the investigation is completed you are either reinstated or terminated,  the investigation is closed and the incident under investigation is a done deal and not subject to further action.

Policy should be and likely is to have some kind of meeting with you to discuss their findings prior to either reinstating or terminating you. But honestly from the way you describe their actions it doesn't seem like these yahoos are too big on following policy or maybe you just work for an oddball that doesn't have a written progressive disciplinary policy?

Policy or not, that doesn't mean however that you won't be terminated. They can and possibly will just come up with another reason to fire you.  I sure wouldn't want to go to work every day  waiting for the hammer to drop. 

33 minutes ago, kbrn2002 said:

If they "invited you back to work" you are not being terminated, at least not for this. Once the investigation is completed you are either reinstated or terminated,  the investigation is closed and the incident under investigation is a done deal and not subject to further action.

Policy should be and likely is to have some kind of meeting with you to discuss their findings prior to either reinstating or terminating you. But honestly from the way you describe their actions it doesn't seem like these yahoos are too big on following policy or maybe you just work for an oddball that doesn't have a written progressive disciplinary policy?

Policy or not, that doesn't mean however that you won't be terminated. They can and possibly will just come up with another reason to fire you.  I sure wouldn't want to go to work every day  waiting for the hammer to drop. 

@kbrn2002 Thank You for your response!  “I sure wouldn't want to go to work every day  waiting for the hammer to drop. “ Exactly! That’s my thing. I’m just lost! I really need some guidance. In addition to that HR basically told me herself they went about the situation wrong and supervisor gave me the OK to go and my relief came. 

@hppygr8ful Thank you so much! I’ve been seeing the drop in rates for travel nurses. I said the other day. I will watch the way I word things because I notice sometimes I say one thing out of my mouth that may be taken wrong but really mean well. Yes. I am in an at will state. Wow. It’s sad that healthcare has come to this point. Cannot advocate for self or patients these days. If this had not happened, I would have left in a few months for other reasons. It’s a lot of things affecting my decisions. IDK ?

I believe I owe everyone an update. I was "counseled" on communication at the "nurses station" when half of the altercation was not at the nurses station. ? I am no longer FT at that facility d/t other reasons. Since I've left, the director at the time resigned supposedly because they didn't like who they'd become or someone was trying to point the finger at them for something. I am not sure. I am just doing my own thing at this point. Thank You all for your input. Greatly appreciated.

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