Navigating Professional Challenges: Should a Nurse Resign 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 if there is any validity to the accusations.

Life is tough, and for those in the medical field, the stress of work and personal lives created enormous pressure. If you are a nurse or a licensed medical professional regulated by IDFPR and have recently been accused of doing something inappropriate related to 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.

All decisions need to be made thinking about the past, the present and the future.

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 terminated due to misconduct of some kind.

In some cases, quitting is preferable to being fired because even though you won’t collect unemployment, you will not have to report on future job applications 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 will need to disclose that information, and you will likely be asked to provide further details. By resigning before you are 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 can 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.

Avoid Reporting Anything to the IDFPR

While you want to avoid having to report to future employers that you were fired, 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 (225 ILCS 65/ Act 65) and could result in disciplinary action. (225 ILCS 65/70-5(b))

Reporting that you were fired or an employer reporting to IDFPR (225 ILCS 65/65-65(a)) about your termination or employment-related issues may trigger an IDFPR investigation. (225 ILCS 65/70-80) Investigations can lead to discipline, including suspension or revocation of your nursing license so they must be taken seriously. (225 ILCS 65/70-130)

Don’t Gamble with Your Nursing License – Choose an IDFPR Attorney You Can Trust

No two situations are the same, so if you are being accused of inappropriate behavior, contact 1818 today. There are many lawyers in the State but be sure to find one who knows and has experience working with IDFPR. Once you contact 1818, we will discuss whether quitting may be a better option than waiting to be fired.

One advantage to resigning your position is that it can avoid your requirements to report the termination to IDFPR, which can trigger an investigation and potentially result in disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation of your nursing license. (225 ILCS 65/70-5(a))

If you were caught committing a serious violation at work, contact us at 1818, an experienced Illinois nursing license defense lawyer, that can guide you through the process. Your professional license is too important for you to do this alone.

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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.