My Job as a Nurse is at Risk Because of My Actions: Should I Quit or Wait to Be Fired?

One frequently asked question is, “I was accused of doing something bad at my nursing job. Should I quit or wait to be fired?” In most circumstances, the answer to that question is complicated, but in most cases, quitting is a better option than waiting to be fired.

Life is tough and for those in the medical field the stress of personal and work-life causes enormous pressure. If you are a nurse or a licensed medical professional with IDFPR and have recently been accused of doing something inappropriate like substance abuse, medication diversion, or any other allegation, your license may be on the line. Reach out to an Illinois professional license defense lawyer at 1818 Legal today.

Thinking About Your Career in the Long Term

Many nursing professionals think it’s better to be fired since they can at least collect unemployment benefits if they don’t quit. However, in many situations, unemployment payments are not available to those who were terminated due to misconduct of some kind.

Quitting is actually preferable to being fired because, even though you still won’t collect unemployment if you quit, you will not have to report on a job application for in any future employment opportunities that you were fired. That is a very important consideration for a career in any field.

An employer at a potential new job will usually inquire about the circumstances of how you left your previous jobs. If you were terminated, you would need to disclose that information, and you would need to offer an explanation as to why that should not reflect negatively on you in the eyes of any future employer. By putting in your two-weeks’ notice at your job before being fired, you can avoid those inquiries on a future employment application.

There are other benefits to leaving your job on your own terms including:

• You are able to prepare yourself for the discussion
• You control the timing and can have another job lined up
• You control the story with your future potential employer

In sum, if you were caught violating a policy or law that may likely result in termination, then contact a healthcare license defense attorney and discuss if it makes sense to quit before being fired.

Avoid Reporting Anything to the IDFPR

Not only do you want to avoid having to report to future employers that you were fired, but you also want to avoid reporting to IDFPR that you were fired.

All nursing professionals in the State of Illinois are regulated by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation – or “IDFPR.” If a nurse is fired, then he or she must report the termination to IDFPR. A failure to report is a violation of the Nurse Practice Act and could result in disciplinary action.

Depending upon the circumstances of your work issue, there may be other legal requirements related to IDFPR. Reporting that you were fired or an employer reporting to IDFPR about your termination may trigger an IDFPR license investigation or prompt them to inquire further about the circumstances of your termination. Investigations can lead to discipline, including suspension or revocation of your nursing license.

Contact an Experienced Illinois Professional License Defense Attorney

In the medical field, being accused of doing something inappropriate can put your nurse job at risk. Quitting may be better than waiting to be fired, as it allows you to control the narrative of your departure and avoid having to disclose that you were fired to potential employers.

It also helps you avoid reporting to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which can trigger an investigation and potentially result in disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation of your nursing license. If you find yourself in this situation, an Illinois nursing license defense lawyer can guide you.

If you were caught committing a serious violation at work, contact us today at 1818. Your professional license is too important for you to do this alone.

The information in this blog post is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. You should not make a decision whether or not to contact an attorney based upon the information in this blog post. No attorney-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. If you require legal advice, please consult with an attorney licensed to practice in your jurisdiction.