Identity Crisis

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Whose is it?

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What do you mean it's not mine? My name is right there on it.

Let me tell you about the worst excuse I've ever come across at work. It still blows my mind. Back when I was at a hospice company, it was a mixed bag of nerves and excitement, but I truly loved what we did. The place was supportive, and the team was all about giving patients the best care in their final days. But then, everything flipped when the ownership changed. These changes can either make things better or send everything downhill, and I had a hunch we were heading for the latter.

When my boss called me into the meeting room, my heart was pounding. I had this uneasy feeling, but I was pretty sure I hadn’t messed up. The tension was thick as we joined a conference call with corporate. I could feel how serious it was when the woman on the line dropped the bomb: I was being let go because the Adderall in my drug test didn’t match my prescription. What?! I was totally shocked. Why would I use someone else’s meds when I had my own legit prescription? My boss, looking just as confused, was literally holding my prescription bottle, with my name and all the details on it. This wasn’t just a small mistake; it was a crazy accusation. What kind of lame excuse was that?

I was hit with a wave of anger and disbelief. Here I was, a dedicated hospice nurse who put my heart into my work, and they were ready to toss me aside over something so ridiculous. Nurses like me, who are all about high-quality care, aren’t easy to find, and I couldn’t wrap my head around why they’d let me go. Whatever their reason, I later realized it was a blessing in disguise, though I sure didn’t see it that way at the time. All I could think about was the time and effort I’d put into getting hired, the onboarding, and the training. I’d just started seeing patients on my own, and now I had to start from scratch, dealing with the same boring steps because of what I thought was the dumbest excuse ever.

In my frustration, I couldn’t help but think, "Oh well, their loss." The whole thing was maddening, and the irony wasn’t lost on me. The funniest part was when my boss, seeing how upset I was, awkwardly tried to give me a hug. I shot back, “Oh hell no, I don’t want a hug from you.” The craziness of it all just made me more determined. I heard recently that she’s no longer there and is job hunting. A coworker who worked closely with her had warned our boss about her bad calls and lack of support for the team. It’s funny how karma works; she missed out on the awesome company I’m now lucky to be part of. Take that, beeeooocch! This twist of fate reminded me that sometimes, what feels like a setback can lead to even better things.