Unrehirable? Just give me a chance....

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Looking for some advice please!! I'm a relatively new nurse (2+ yrs.), started on med-surg/tele floor with 1st job-was working w/preceptor for 1 mo., given 9 pts. on a shift. Knew this was not a good thing, didn't want to lose my license, so I turned in 2 wk notice a few days later (still being precepted at the time; hospital was managed by HCA if that tells you anything) Nurse manager unhappy, told me I was of no benefit to her and I could leave then. It was my day off when I turned in my notice, so I was not leaving my shift uncovered. She wouldn't let me work the final 2 wks under preceptor, which I fully understand her reasoning. I also realize the costs involved to train a new nurse.

Went to work 1 hr away for larger hospital/fewer pts to deal w/on a med-surg floor. Stayed for 8 mos. Currently working in another specialty area (Hospice) for last 18 mos. and now ready to get my feel wet again in the hospital. Applied to another HCA owned (different hospital) close to home, interview went well, and you can probably guess...haven't heard from director/HR dept, who I interviewed with, even though they said they'd call in 2 days and not to worry. It's now been 1 week, and I left a message for director and HR. I've had 3 jobs in 2+ yrs, so that probably doesn't look good, but my excuse is looking for my "niche". Anyway, could my file possibly be listed as "not rehirable" by the above co. for the 1st position I left (NM told me to leave) What do you think? Hindsight is 20/20, wish I had stuck it out on the 1st position, but didn't feel safe.

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I really doubt that is the reason why you haven't got a call back. They wouldn't have called you in for an interview if they were concerned about the number of jobs that you've had. Also, you were hired for two jobs after the first, so it wasn't a problem then. If you gave a two weeks notice and had no disciplinary actions, I don't believe that you could be listed as "not hireable". You could always call the HR department at the first hospital and check your status. You are entitled to know what is in your employee file.

If it makes you feel better, I have been a nurse for a year and a half and I've had three jobs. I'm currently searching for my fourth and I have a few interviews set up for this week. I don't think that employers really mind, as long as you have a good explanation. Did you explain what happened at that facility?

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I really doubt that is the reason why you haven't got a call back. They wouldn't have called you in for an interview if they were concerned about the number of jobs that you've had. Also, you were hired for two jobs after the first, so it wasn't a problem then. If you gave a two weeks notice and had no disciplinary actions, I don't believe that you could be listed as "not hireable". You could always call the HR department at the first hospital and check your status. You are entitled to know what is in your employee file.

If it makes you feel better, I have been a nurse for a year and a half and I've had three jobs. I'm currently searching for my fourth and I have a few interviews set up for this week. I don't think that employers really mind, as long as you have a good explanation. Did you explain what happened at that facility?

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Thank you for responding, when the interviewer asked why I left that HCA owned hospital, I told her why-I wasn't comfortable w/nurse/pt ratio-I had been given 9 on a shift (even though I had a preceptor). She seemed satisfied by that answer. May

be they had better applicants after my interview?

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Thank you for responding, when the interviewer asked why I left that HCA owned hospital, I told her why-I wasn't comfortable w/nurse/pt ratio-I had been given 9 on a shift (even though I had a preceptor). She seemed satisfied by that answer. May

be they had better applicants after my interview?

Don't kick yourself, if you were concerned about safety issues you made the right choice. Some hospitals will unfortunately count brand new orientees as full blown staff. You made the right choice.

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It could just be that they are still interviewing and it is taking longer than they thought. For my current job, they didn't tell me that I got the position until 3 weeks after I interviewed. I was certain that the answer would be no. However, it is not a staff nurse position and so they were able to take more time. Regardless, I would try again to get in touch with HR and see if the position has been filled.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I think your suspicions are probably right on the money. You might have burned your bridges with HCA.

Good luck in finding your "niche".

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I think your suspicions are probably right on the money. You might have burned your bridges with HCA.

Good luck in finding your "niche".

But Tweety, wouldn't they have already looked me up on their files b-4 they brought me in for interview? Do you have experience w/HCA? What have you heard?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I'm not the one to ask sorry. Just giving an opinion. I would presume if you burn a bridge at one, you do them all. Perhaps they wanted to hear your side of the story. Who knows. Perhaps someone that works for them would know.

You have a good point as to why they would interview you.

Perhaps your statements that you left because of the ratios turned them off because their ratios aren't better.

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I'm not the one to ask sorry. Just giving an opinion. I would presume if you burn a bridge at one, you do them all. Perhaps they wanted to hear your side of the story. Who knows. Perhaps someone that works for them would know.

You have a good point as to why they would interview you.

Perhaps your statements that you left because of the ratios turned them off because their ratios aren't better.

Thank you Tweety. I appreciate the discussion; during the interview, they asked me if I would have a problem with 5 to 6 pts. on my shift. I said " no, that would be acceptable." Darn!! I think I really wanted that job!! Any others w/advice??

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But Tweety, wouldn't they have already looked me up on their files b-4 they brought me in for interview? Do you have experience w/HCA? What have you heard?

Not A nurse yet...but I work for an HCA facility. It has been my experience that they bring you in for an interview before checking up on background etc. Watch out for what they say about ratios. I have seen 7 patients per nurse on day shift on our neuro floor, very unsafe. The nurse managers on call won't come in to help. They always have a good "reason". Not saying that all HCA facilities are bad. Just be cautious and take care of your license.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.
i'm not the one to ask sorry. just giving an opinion. i would presume if you burn a bridge at one, you do them all. perhaps they wanted to hear your side of the story. who knows. perhaps someone that works for them would know.

you have a good point as to why they would interview you. [emphasis by ♪♫ in my ♥]

perhaps your statements that you left because of the ratios turned them off because their ratios aren't better.

well, i haven't worked in nursing yet but in my other field we typically didn't delve into backgrounds until after the interview.

i share tweety's suspicion that hca corporate has you tagged. for another company, hca would be unlikely to share any negative feelings for fear of being sued. when it's "all in the family", though, it could just be a casual conversation between two colleagues. "hey, we're thinking about hiring one of your former graduate nurses. what can you tell me about ..." or even, "hey, do you know what ___ said about you guys?"

i wouldn't count on getting much attention from an hca facility. from what you said, perhaps that's for the better.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
But Tweety, wouldn't they have already looked me up on their files b-4 they brought me in for interview? Do you have experience w/HCA? What have you heard?

I have dealt with HCA. And you have to be careful leaving a job after working with them. They are known to frequently blackball employees who do not leave in the best manner. Also, given that they are known to shortstaff, the fact that you left a position for that reason may be an issue.

HCA also works with an agency in Texas, that provides and collects job reference material (GroupOne). Nurses sometimes find that after leaving an HCA facility on poor terms, that GroupOne provides this info to other facilities in it's reference bank.

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