How do I address getting fired because of a medication error on my résumé?
Tuesday November 17, 2009
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I was an RMA in 1991 and got fired for a med error. How do I address that on my résumé if I want to use that job as a reference? And how do I handle it when asked if I was ever fired? I am currently a practicing RN. I want to change my field. I'm not sure what direction to go, but I need to start with preparing a cover letter and updating my résumé.
Janet
By RMA I am assuming you mean registered medical assistant. If that is the case, I wish I had more details about the medication error and the circumstances. However, that was in another profession and in another time. It should not have a major impact on your job-finding as an RN.
Employers rarely ask, "Have you ever been fired?" They are typically more interested in your most recent employment. But if that previous job were to somehow come up in an interview, you could simply say something like, "I made a med error, but no one was hurt (presuming that was the case). I had too much responsibility on me, and I learned a hard lesson. I'm glad it happened before I became an RN because it makes me all the more cautious and conscientious with meds."
The fact that it happened isn't the problem with a prospective employer; it's all in how you address it — but only do so if it is brought up by the employer. Otherwise, you can relegate it to past history.
You say that you want to change fields, and I will presume this to mean change specialties in nursing. To prepare a cover letter, read “6 Tips for Writing Effective Cover Letters” at www.dcardillo.com/articles/coverletters.html. To update your résumé, go to www.dcardillo.com/articles/restrip.html. Both subjects, along with samples, are covered extensively in “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses” at www.nurse.com/ce/7250.
Good luck,
Donna
Donna Cardillo, RN, MA, well-known career guru, is Nursing Spectrum/NurseWeek’s “Dear Donna” and author of “Your First Year as a Nurse: Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional” and “The ULTIMATE Career Guide for Nurses: Practical Advice for Thriving at Every Stage of Your Career.” Information about the books is available at www.Nurse.com/CE/7010 and www.Nurse.com/CE/7250, respectively. To ask Donna your question, go to www.Nurse.com/asktheexperts/deardonna. Find a “Dear Donna” seminar near you: Call 800-866-0919 or visit http://events.nursingspectrum.com/Seminar.
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