I frequently have nurses come to me because they have been fired from their jobs and are afraid that they will be reported to the Board. What’s interesting about these nurses is that almost all have said, “I knew I should have been looking for another job.” If you feel the handwriting is on the wall, it is better to resign than get terminated. On every job application, you will have to include that job on the application and include that you were terminated. You cannot simply omit a job because you were terminated. And you must tell the truth. If you do not put these jobs on an application or do not tell the truth about being terminated, its considered fraud and material misrepresentation in obtaining a position.
I always say you can get another job, but you can’t get another license. Many nurses stay in the job because they feel a loyalty to their patients. I can assure you, when there is a problem or complaint, your employer will have not have loyalty to you.
Many nurses stay in a position rather than leave because it is comfortable for them. It is so much more difficult to go out and find another job.
I’ve represented 2 nurses around the same proximity in time. One nurse worked at Hospital A and got terminated and went to Hospital B and said, “If I knew Hospital B was so much better, I would have left a long time ago.” The other nurse said, who worked at Hospital B, got terminated from Hospital B and went to Hospital A, said the exact same thing. “If I had known Hospital A was better, I would have left a long time ago.” It’s so interesting that 2 nurses each had very different experiences at the hospitals.
There is a place out that there which you love, you will fit, you will say “I wish I had come here a long time ago.” If you’re struggling and see the handwriting on the wall, I am not telling you to quit your job but just think about it and make a decision. Are you staying out of loyalty or comfort? Could there be a better fit out there? You won’t know until you try.
I would love to hear your comments below about how you handle difficult situations at work and what you would do if the handwriting is one the wall.
Nurse Undone says
I saw the handwriting . Living in hospital owned housing, a stalker harassing me . I quit packed left no notice. I sued the harasser for lost wages ending bonus and won. The hospital found out , thinking they are next, they put in a BRN complaint SIX months after I left. BRN’s always side with hospitals. After a Sham court, and a nurse imposter testifying , and a housing mgr (who’s felony from Calif , I put in the record, she was fired) but I still lost my license . And you cannot , get a another job when this happens , in many fields ! Of Course this is AZ Board of Nursing , a board with no over sight . NO DOH, umbrella. Notice this has nothing to do with nursing at all. Still fighting .
Experienced Nurse says
As a twenty-six year nurse, I agree with you 100%. When one has done everything one can and the fit just isn’t right, for whatever reason, one needs to move on. Nursing offers such a wide variety of options and one must not be afraid to explore. I will, however, say that one should do one’s absolute best to find the next job before leaving the old job. Furthermore, one should never burn a bridge because one never knows the exact course of one’s life.