Sounds like she caught you at an unfavorable moment and was sure to report what she saw. Although it was an honest mistake now you must be accountalbe for what happened, and as far as bullying goes I don't think we will ever understand why some feel compelled to hurt others. For some reason they feed off the distress of others, and perhaps this is all they know in life, and the only way they can get ahead of the game. That is how I perceive "bullies" but I didn't do so well in Psych (received a C) so don't take this directly to heart, please.

People who bully do so because they have a very low self esteem for themselves.. They think when they bully people look up to them... Rather it shows what aq small individual they are.

Yes, people usually put other down, because even if they don't realize it, it makes them feel better about themselves.

I have now recovered from being bullied from my younger years. It has taken a long time, but bullying is just so wrong on so many levels.

Don't grace this person's behavior with one more minute of concern on your part.  You have much better things to do with your attention and your time.  And congrats on getting the A grade that you deserved.

 You know, it's strange...when I was in nursing school, there was a whole clique of people (oddly enough, it was the class president's clique) who all sat next to each other and mocked, snickered, rolled their eyes, etc. at other students who asked questions, spoke or tried to participate in class.  It turned out that I dropped a class and returned the following year to retake that class and was now a member of the next year's graduating class and sure enough!!!, the following year's class president had his own clique who DID THE EXACT SAME THING!!!!!!!  As an older student (2nd profession), I never said anything although I knew exactly what they were doing...until the day of graduation rehearsal.  As the alphabet would have it, the class president was sitting almost directly behind me and I listened as he and one of his clique continued to mock the other students as they walked across the rehearsal stage.  I finally spoke up with a not so subtle dagger of my own directed at the president.  after rehearsal, he called my aside with some kind of weird confusion and asked me "what's going on?"  i told him i had listened to him making fun of the rest of the class for 2 semesters and that i was insulted, offended, sick of it and that i thought he was a poor representation of a class president.  he acted surprised and innocent and i walked away.  a few days later, after graduation, i got an email from him with a sort of sideways apology, he did say that he had learned something and would be more careful in the way he was interpretted in the future.  i respect him for that.  anyway, im here to tell you that THAT experience was only a preview to the way nurses treat each other!!!!  be prepared!  the wounds are still fresh but i was lucky enough to get a job shortly after getting my license and my preceptors were experts and subtly and covertly whittling away my confidence.  the strange thing is, in my private life, i am a confident person who went into the job with every intention a learning as much as i could and letting my preceptor know how much i appreciated her experience and support.  it didnt matter.  nothing worked.  my gratitude, my thirst for knowledge, none of it mattered.  they made me feel like i couldnt do anything right and their skills in provoking paralyzing anxiety were unsurpassed.  it was a gradual, methodical slaughter; nothing like the supportive, nurturing environment i had anticipated and looked forward to.  it was a disgrace to the profession, IMO.  I know that this is not everyone's experience but apparently, this bullying attitude and approach is an epidemic and i learned what was happening to me too late.  i couldnt understand what was wrong WITH ME!!!  i resigned before my orientation was even over since i had been reduced to an anxious, tearful mess who could no longer even remember things that i knew the day before.  im still looking for my second job after passing NCLEX but no bites at all.  next week i will be looking into volunteer opportunities.  im not trying to discourage you...just relaying my experience.  bad behavior, unprofessionalism and practicing the art of demeaning in nursing school was just a warm-up for what i expected to be an honorable, dignified profession.    

Legally, if I am not mistaken, when HR departments are called now, they are not allowed to give information except the dates you worked there. Beyond that, legally, HR departments should know they cannot give personal opinions, etc. I really wish you well on your search.

" I absolutely agree with you.It is ashame that this inappropriateness continues within the healthcare industry,but it does.

  Ever wonder if Curtis Sliwa would create an Archangel for the Guardian Angels?"

Oh my, best wishes to all wwith your future endeavors... Teresa