Well today the charge nurse an R.N was doing her job and adm. walked by and said "Don't forget the meeting today" The nurse replied "Oh I forgot my brain is off today haha." .................................She was fired for that comment.(I was there to hear and see this)
The Adm. is a very "gossipy" kind of guy at the end of the day I overheard him talking and said " jane do is fired, you know what she said to me? Her brain was off ....imagine a Nurse dealing with peoples lives and her brain is off."
From my point of view she was not being serious she was busy doing her job. I'm not getting involved but I just wanted to see what others think. Is this normal? Does this happen all the time? I'm scared for my job now.
I think there is more to the story, as well. At will employers can fire for almost any reason just as at will employees can resign for any reason.
However, if it was a single isolated incident as you have described above that seems unlawful. However I must end with the belief that there may be a pattern of some sort in this situation.
Even at will states need to have reasons to deal with the unemployment hearings- no facility wants to pay unemployment, and having worked in TX for 17 years, in LTC and acute care, LTAC, alcohol/drug rehab and psych, they ALL had to have enough write ups for valid things in order to fire someone. During the initial probationary period, they can do with less- however after that, they have to have reasons. :) I've heard administrators and DONs going to unemployment hearings with documentation to support the termination of an employee and they win. You have to have reasons even in an at-will state. They can't just walk in and play duck-duck-goose, and can whoever ends up 'goosed'
Just a suggestion to the OP- don't talk about this at work. Questioning someone's reasons can be construed as incredibly problematic, and make it much more likely that if in the future there's a question about whether or not to write you up, you lose..... jme
Very good point. OP, I too wouldn't offer my opinions on this firing while at work.
...But there is no need to be fearful of getting fired too as long as you do your own job well.
I say, my brain is off 24/7 , but it doesn't mean it is not functioning. Damn I would be fired over 1 million times. There's always more things happening behind the scene, I can't imagine someone being fired for something this simple.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Sounds to me like the adm is the one who's brain is off, and by "off" I mean unbalanced. Even if there is a backstory to it (most likely yes) it's extremely unprofessional for a manager to go blab like that about the circumstances so just anyone could hear it.
The nurse who made the jocular comment either wasn't reading the guy very well or he is extremely unfamiliar with common colloquial remarks obviously not meant literally ... I'd steer a very wide path around that person and never use any type of hyperbole! If you're hungry don't say you're starving! If you're cold don't say you are freezing! (how can you take care of patients if your hands are frozen?)
quote :"it's extremely unprofessional for a manager to go blab like that about the circumstances so just anyone could hear it. "
He does this ALL the time, Seriously if you ever want to find out the scoop all you have to do is be near him and say "Hey good morning" usually he will blab and blab about who did what and what happened ( without ever bringing it up or asking him about it)
quote :"it's extremely unprofessional for a manager to go blab like that about the circumstances so just anyone could hear it. "
He does this ALL the time, Seriously if you ever want to find out the scoop all you have to do is be near him and say "Hey good morning" usually he will blab and blab about who did what and what happened ( without ever bringing it up or asking him about it)
:smackingf:smackingf:smackingf Is this some 30-something guy who seems to need to prove how useful he is???? Sounds like an insecure train wreck....imho
Dumb stuff this like this do happen. Just recently, an activity aide called the administrator on the cnas and said that the residents were not being changed and a few other lies, and the administrator responded by telling her, you're fired and to punch out.
In this economy (and in my state) you can be fired for ANYTHING. I have repeatedly told my story on this board. I was never late, never called in, had excellent patient rapport. I was well liked by charge managers.
I called while on vacation by an administrator and told I was not to come back. I also filed unemployement and did not receive. If you have write ups (and they can be anything, even if another nurse wrote you up) you are denied unemployment in this state. I am living proof that this happened.
I am travelling now and will never work on staff again. They will throw you under the bus in a New York minute and I am dead serious about this!!!!
I will also add that they administrator was a 30 something guy who is trying to climb the food chain. I am about 10 years older than him. I think that played into it somehow.
JosefVernon Hodgkins
38 Posts
I think there is more to the story, as well. At will employers can fire for almost any reason just as at will employees can resign for any reason.
However, if it was a single isolated incident as you have described above that seems unlawful. However I must end with the belief that there may be a pattern of some sort in this situation.
-Joe