I am a new member to this forum, but have been desperately seeking a site that I can share my frustration do to the lack of fairness in our At Will Termination Laws and Bias Unemployment System.
I was terminated from my postion in a small rural Long-Term Care facility last April after giving an elderly female patient a whirlpool bath. Yes, after 23+ years as a RN, my employer decided "we should part ways" as she had endured some heat from the resident's daughter for the bath!! This facility had allowed the resident's skin to become so broken down that a whirlpool bath was infact, the best intervention one could of taken to attempt to relieve the severe state her skin was in. This was one of the worst cases of skin care neglect I had ever been exposed to in this type of enviornmnet finding her breasts with deep bleeding gouges beneath the tissue, open areas under both her armpits were cracked and bleeding, her skin contained superficial scrathing abrasions throughout from attempt to scratch her dry scaley body and scalp, her toenails where grown over her toes on both feet and her groin and buttocks were flame red and open. Upon picking up additional shifts for the weekend, to help care for the residents due to a chronic short of direct care staff situation in this facility, I was faced with this unpleasant situation.
Being the only RN on the floor and having no limitations to the residents care-plan on a whirlpool, I felt it was in the best interest of this resident to have a whirlpool bath. The resident herself agreed that a bath would feel good and therefor, we proceeded with the task. Unfortunately, I was denied Unemployment Compensation and therefore face an uncertain life of ruin because of this.
I am sickended by the number of terminated employees in our country right now who have been fired because of drugs, alcohol, failing to show up to work, neglence of job preformance, or just quit due to dissatified scheduling, ect. ect. I have NEVER received Unemployment benefits and always worked, most often two jobs at a time, paying my share of state and fedral taxes and abiding by all the legal and ethical rules of society. Yet, the only time I desperately depended on a service, that I greatly worked for, the system failed me. Now, I will be walking away from my home of 25 years, and attempt to tough through all forthcomming financiall issues I was not able to commit to from lost employment and denied unemployment benefits. I have applied for 10 job opportunities in the past 8 months, but because of my experience I am convinced I will be the last hired because my years of experience would cost the employer more when they can hire someone with less experience.
There is so much more to this story, but the bottom line is the same. I dont believe in the equal opportunity concept anymore as I am living proof that there is no such thing. I am a good caring nurse who loves this career. I was put on this earth to care for people to the best of my potential and will continue to to practice under these pretenses when I am fortunate to get a job, in the mean time, I as well as my family have suffered enormously because of an unfair system!!!!!

I can certainly understand your frustration. You certainly can use this to vent.