Dear Cindy – Fired from RN Job of 9 Years

I was terminated from the only nursing job I've ever had. I had worked there for nine years and was an excellent employee. I made a very stupid mistake, which was the reason I was fired. My nurse manager is very upset that I was let go, and is willing to write a letter of recommendation and is allowing me to put her down as a reference. (She thought I should have been given a second chance, since I had such a good history with the organization.)

However, I am terrified of having to interview and explain the reason I "left." If I give a brief explanation, I'm afraid it will sound much worse than it would if I were to tell the entire story, however I do not want the entire interview to be focused on this one thing. HELP!

Sincerely,

What to Say

You're in a better position than most people who have been fired for cause: Your manager has promised you a good reference. So discuss what happened (and why) with your manager, and find out how she is going to explain why you were fired. Not only will this give you some insight into what you will say to a prospective employer yourself, but you want to be telling the same (honest) story to your prospective employer.

How to present what happened depends on what happened: was it a practical issue (e.g., serious or minor medication error) or an interpersonal issue (e.g., theft, being caught in a compromising position with a coworker). You have to demonstrate to a prospective employer that you have an understanding of what happened, and take responsibility for it, without feeling eternally guilty for it. For example, if it was a medication error, explain how it happened, e.g., "It was night, and we were short-staffed, and I was running around, then there was an emergency, and then …" Or if it was something personal, go into less detail, but stress how it didn't compromise patient care and how you understand why it was the wrong thing to do. In both cases, tell the prospective employer what you've done to make sure the mistake never happens again. Also stress that your nurse manager was upset that you were fired, and offered to provide you with a reference.

Good luck!