"No, fortunately, I have not had to terminate an employee. However, I have had to discipline employees and always document everything well. I understand that proper documentation is necessary to let employees go to avoid a lawsuit or wrongful termination charge. If I am ever put in the position where I need to let an employee go, I will have the documentation to show them the steps taken and let them go with compassion and grace."

"Yes, I have been present at an employee's termination as a neutral third party and have also been responsible for terminating several employees. While it is not a fun part of the job, the experience went well because I performed my due diligence and had documentation of the employee's behavior and offenses that led up to the termination. Since the employee's supervisor and I documented everything correctly, the employees realized they were not being discriminated against and understood why they were being let go."

I have never had to personally fire anyone, but I have been with my Director of Nursing when she was terminating an employee. It was a tough experience, but I found that my DON was very prepared for the situation. I know that if I was ever in the position to be the one terminating the employee, I would be very sure I was prepared. I would definitely have done a thorough investigation into the reason for termination, and I would be sure to have clear and concise documentation to back up why the employee is being terminated. Termination is never something that can be taken lightly, and I want to continue to be an empathetic leader even in that situation.