Pointers to Keep Your Job when You're on the Firing Line

"Randi," an RN who loves her job as a nurse at a facility has a meeting tomro morning at 10 am with the higher-ups who want to "observe" her performance.

Why? They weren't happy with how she responded to one particular patient, though the patient is doing fine.

Here are some pointers I gave her, while taking my new clothes outa the washing machine and hanging them up to dry

- Talk to supportive friends to give you courage to face tomro's proceedings

- Have a plan & write down the pointers.

- Tell them how much you love your job and want to remain there.

- Do not bring up any of the charges they made against you.

- Respond to their charges by saying, "I love my job and am hoping you will help me if I encounter any problems."

- Bring in some quotes by some of your patients who think you're great.

- Go in with confidence. Say to yourself, "I'm going to charm and persuade these people so they want me to stay."

- Wear a 'power outfit' - subdued but comfy

I told Randi that I was a psychotherapist at Family Services of Bucks County. I was interviewed on WHYY-FM after receiving an award from the Montgomery County Office of Behavioral Health.

At Family Service, they heard the interview and the secret was out - I had bipolar d/o!

The most unforgiving places to work are mental health agencies, even tho both Randi and I know how compassionate and understanding we are for folks w/ a mental illness.

Family Service now observed me closely.

They treated me differently.

They had always disliked me - I was really creative with my clients and got many of them to make changes in their lives - but now they disliked me even more.

They saw to it that they never gave me any new cases.

The day I left was one of the happiest days in my life.

I'm still in touch with one of my clients - JP - who I sent a postcard to this morning. Another woman - WS - is a Facebook Friend.