1st job as LVN, bullied, victim of theft, then terminated

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Right after passing my NCLEX, I began working as a temp (not thru an agency) in replacement of an RN on leave. I worked on the surgery floor and felt this would be a great start especially because I'd be able to network. Well, my preceptor wasn't the greatest. Although I was a mid-level employee, medical assistants pretty much ran the place. I'll leave specifics out but will mention the treatment from the MA's was pretty juvenile and when I approached the nursing station to give my MA instructions, things would get very quiet quick. Then bickering would continue after I left. Figured I was getting the "new girl" treatment. So because I was trying to maintain a professional boundary where I wouldn't get taken advantage of, I'd mostly stay in my office and do phone triage on non-clinic days. I really didn't want these girls to have any reason to go and complain because god forbid I miss a patient's call. So I'd be ready and would only leave for a few minutes for bathroom//lunch breaks because quite honestly I couldn't trust anyone. I was there for a couple of months and was hoping that my assignment, although temp, would at least give me a good 5 months of the usual 1 yr experience requirement common amongst getting into any nursing job. I never complained that my MA was never at her station and always late. Was really wanting to make an impression and show I could "hold the fort down". Quickly went south when that specific MA that I was responsible for, stole from me. She used my CC info to pay her bills. I didn't know what to do so I asked an older senior nurse that saw I wasn't happy and she was quick to say, to report it to HR. So I did. The proof was there. They confronted the MA, she denied it several times. The next morning, I was terminated. Make sense to you? I was a temp however, employed directly with the company. Any write-ups? No. Is that MA still there? Yes. I just am having the hardest time dealing with this because I hate that my first official job as a nurse started off on such a sour note and left a bad taste in my mouth. Anybody else experience anything similar where you're kinda outnumbered by MA's or anything like that?

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Not to the specifics, but more than once I've been the one "dealt with" while the guilty party went around proud. It happens in just about any kind of work environment. You always have to keep your "position" in the pecking order in mind and choose your battles wisely. You will almost always be the one who is hurt, because the "bad" employees are almost always the pet of someone important. Sorry this happened to you and hope you recover quickly.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Why not file a police report for identity theft?

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

1. why would you not file a police report?

2. are LVN's allowed to do phone triage in your state? They aren't in mine. I hate seeing a nurse being asked/expected to do a job that they aren't legally allowed to do.

I'm very sorry that you had such an awful experience =(

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It is difficult as a new grad to be put in a supervisory role. If you have , call them to give them a heads up. Just to protect yourself.

It is equally as daunting to be put in a temporary role and have to follow the style of another nurse. Everyone has a different style. And that the MA's were not responsive is a hard thing to try and change, to only have the other nurse come back and have things back the way they were. Going forward, you can only be advised as to how your superior wants the place to run, and even if it is not your particular style of supervising, you may have to go with the flow--as this is a temporary situation. UNLESS there is patient care issues involved. Then that becomes a different issue that you would need to use your resources to handle. Culture change is hard, especially when you are not going to be there for long. Because of the non-support and termination, I am not sure that is a bad thing. It is hard to supervise without anyone having your back.

I get that jobs are difficult to find, however, a bedside situation for some clinical experience may not be a bad thing. Delegating to unlicensed assistive persons is something that ultimately falls on the licensed person. So you need to know that the MA's are doing what they need to be for the patients. And for a more inexperienced nurse, this is not an easy task. And especially for surgical patients who may or may not have complications that require a licensed nurse to assess.

The other and more important part of this is the credit card thing. I can not give legal advice per TOS of AN, however, my thought would be to contact your credit card company, and do as they tell you as far as reporting this. I would think that someone stealing a credit card (or whatever happend) would warrant some sort of action.

As a complete aside, and I do not know it this is the case with you--IF you were ordering online and that is how your credit card info came to be known, OR if you did all this and did not log out of the computer, then yes, in some arenas this is cause for termination, for either A) Using the company computer for personal use against the policy of the company or B) Leaving the computer logged on to yourself so that others could have access to it. As odd as it sounds, this is often a huge way that nurses are terminated. Never, ever, leave a computer unoccupied if you are logged onto it--as much of a pain as it is to continue a log on, log off--when any device is logged onto yourself and anyone (knowingly or not) then uses it--anything that they do is reflective of your footprint on the computer--even if someone is accessing confidential information.

If my assumption is incorrect and the person went into your personal bag and stole your card--I can't see how that could be justified in any way shape or form. But there are many climates where it would be a "blame the victim" approach of "you shoulda. coulda, woulda"

You can only go forward from here, and best of luck to you.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Why not file a police report for identity theft?

​If I had absolute proof that the MA did this, you bet I'd file a police report in a New York minute. Why should you pay her bills? Also, contact your credit card company to dispute the charges and have them give you a new card. If she has the card number, she can still do damage to you.

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Well, I haven't worked with MAs, but I have CNAs. I get a bit annoyed at how some of them act like I, who technically direct them (shh, don't tell) seem to have to prove myself to CNAs who think I have it easy by being a nurse. And that THEY would be the BEST NURSE EVER if they could just make it through school. Why is school needed when some CNAs are so naturally awesome with the patients?! Most give me no trouble at all, but I know what you are speaking of was probably a serious inferiority complex on the part of the MA. Of course you were right to report your stolen.CC, but I don't think you should've confronted the employee yourself. Should've left that to the police. I would most definitely press charges and take whatever you can (even the bad, if possible) as a learning experience.

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So the person went into my purse which i would store in my desk unlocked. I shared an office with a doctor. I ended up filing a police report. The MA was interviewed and left me voicemails and texts so that I could have sympathy and not press charges. She felt everything should be fine since I got my money back. Although the money wasn't the point. It's that she lied to my face three times but yet volunteered to pay back the money even though she "didn't steal it" and tried to pin the theft on hospital cafeteria staff because i paid for my lunch with my card. Oh and I reported it to the police because apparently according to the store, it wasn't the first time she tried using a credit card that wasn't hers. At some point, there needs to be some accountability. I'm not trying to be a hero but seriously, when people see they can get away with something, they do it again. And yes, I did put fraud alerts on all my cards and banks.

My concern now is whether this company will blacklist me from getting employment elsewhere.

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Specializes in MED SURGE.

Dont sympathize with the thief. Protect yourself in the future. Grow a thick skin so you can survive workplace politics. It only just begun.

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As to the blacklisting question, you should see an attorney to find out where you stand.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

I'm glad you filed the report, sounds like this woman would have kept on going if you hadn't. As far as being blacklisted, you've got truth on your side, if you find that this is a true problem, you've got documentation to stand on

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Please NEVER leave your valuable unsecured at work. That is just asking for trouble. If you have to carry a purse and have no place to lock it I recommend you obtain a man's wallet or a change purse large enough to hold your ID, credit cards and money and keep it on your person.

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