What can get you fired??

HIPAA violation

None of those things would necessarily get you fired. Mistakes happen, people are human, most employers understand that (unless it was something that happened repeatedly).

The things that are more likely to get you fired are the things nurses KNOWINGLY do:

Theft

Abuse

Abandonment of patients

Diverting narcotics

Intoxication while at work

Honestly, in an "at will" state, any/every mistake or error can POSSIBLY get you fired.

Let's add: false documentation, especially if used to cover up after a patient incident.

Not showing up for work without calling in. (usually tolerated if a first offense or rare occurence).

Not keeping current with required certifications and competencies.(lost a nurse recently this way)

If The ADON or DON doesn't like you or your response to his/her bulljunk!

The number one reason employees (in all fields) get terminated:

Attendance/tardiness issues.

Why?

It's completely objective. Time is what it is. There is no gray area or individual personal interpretation.

One of my ED co-workers was fired for falling alseep while giving concious sedation (she was standing up!). She was working two full-time 7p-7a jobs.

Any and everything (or nothing at all - like the boss simply not liking you).

It seems that it is far easier to get fired in nursing than in many other occupations - I know (or know about) many nurses it has happened to (and few of them had any "serious" issues or deserved this). One nurse who did deserve it - and was also turned in to the BON - had failed to give a pt antibiotics as ordered for several shifts in a row, but had signed them off as given. Pharmacy caught it...

It is also not unusual for new grads to get fired during the orientation period in their very first job since managers and experienced nurses often have very unrealistic expectations and don't provide adequate orientation and support; it's a shameful situation. Just read this board for numerous examples.

Why is it so easy to get fired in nursing? Some reasons include unrealistic expectations by management (the staff nurse is supposed to be fast, accurate, know everything about meds without "wasting time" looking them up, handle unbelievable amounts of paperwork and leave on time - i.e., not incur any overtime. This is simply not realistic). Many hospitals also have punitive sick policies - a nurse can get fired for having one sick day in a year (!) if he or she has reached a certain, unrealistically low limit in the 12 months prior to that. So basically, many nurses are given a choice: come to work sick - and risk infecting their coworkers and, of course, their vulnerable patients - or stay home as they should and get fired for it. Nice, isn't it?

Basically: If they want to get rid of a nurse, it will be very easy to find "reasons" to do so since it is not humanly possible to meet all these unrealistic expectations.

DeLana

P.S. On the other hand, I know nurses who should have been fired for incompetence but have not been. Go figure (hint: they are expert brown-nosers).

Showing up to work in your wife's clothes, that might get you fired.

Breathing.