[bubba143]

If you have read my post from earlier this week you know that I have concerns about the facility I work at and the fact that accept head injury patients without proper staffing,etc,. The Director of Nursing called and when I called back she was unavailable so I spoke to the Nurse Manager. The Medical Director who was in house this past weekend and saw how this patient was acting is not happy with the things I said to him. I finally was able to talk to the Director of Nursing and the Medical Director wants to have a meeting with me, the DON and my Nurse Manager.
I feel that nothing good will come of this meeting and I do not want to have it. First, I only work weekends and they want to reschedule my life to accommodate them. I work Per Diem for the town school system at two-three days a week. They wanted me to meet with them during my daughters school vacation next week! Secondly, I do not really like our DON. She does not stand up for nursing and she has already called me a trouble maker in the past. Although she denies that she ever said that to me. I guess I am a trouble maker because in my mind patients and staff should come first.
I was just told yesterday by a fellow employee that we have another head injury patient that came in Monday and she kept throwing the phone and other things around the room.
I feel like I am being cornered and I do not want to go to the meeting alone. Alot of people at work feel the same way, but they talk behind upper managements back. When confronted with the issues they never say anything. Am I allowed to bring a tape recorder to the meeting so that things are on record and it does not become a he said she said type of thing?
I have started sending in other applications because I feel that I can no longer work at my current facility and feel that I am giving 100%. Plus I feel I will not be wanted there anymore.
I have contacted OSHA and they were helpful, but they came right out and said, that with privately owned facilities things are wishy/washy. I am still looking online for info on head injury facility guidelines. Not having much luck so far, but I will keep looking.
Looking for a plan for the meeting and an answer to above question about the tape recorder. Again any help greatly appreciated!
I feel that has a nurse, somehow we get lost in the decision making factor. This is very frustrating since it would seem that we would know what is best for the patient.
Thank you for previous answers, suggestions and support!
I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season!!!

[Advocate1]

one piece of advice I can give is to remember that in nursing Patient safety in the #1 Priority before anything else. These head injury pts are

a. Not being given adequate care to provide for their safety b/c your facility is not equipped to care for them and your RNs are not trained to provide specialized care

b. the safety of the staff and Other Pts are also in jeopardy

Write your facts down and bring them in with u to the meeting - it will help you keep your focus. Maybe given examples of How to solve the problem. So it doesn't seem like u are against them.

I know this isn;t much but I really wanted to help in some way.

[Crocuta]

If you work for a union facility, your union will probably provide you with a union representative who will attend the meeting with you if you ask. Contact them early.

If you do not have this option, consider asking someone you trust to attend the meeting with you to act as a witness. If you feel the situation will turn hostile, you may want this protection.

If all else fails, have a copy of your notice typed up and ready to hand to them at the end of the meeting. At least you can go with dignity and on your terms.

Good luck!

[Poochee]

If you know exactly, what they are calling you in for, then you should be prepared to address whatever issue directly, with feedback supporting your actions.

You should be able to back up your position/actions with evidence to your credibility, charting, anything you did, to help affect the situation positively.

Be calm, poised and pleasant.

Goodluck.

[tigger2sassy1]

just my opinion only-- if you do go ahead with this meeting be prepared for anything-- if you do decide to take a tape recorder you really need to let them know that you will be taping this conversation so that the facts can be straight and you will be sure of what is expected-- also might keep them straight

[ingelein]

Originally Posted by bubba143

If you have read my post from earlier this week you know that I have concerns about the facility I work at and the fact that accept head injury patients without proper staffing,etc,. The Director of Nursing called and when I called back she was unavailable so I spoke to the Nurse Manager. The Medical Director who was in house this past weekend and saw how this patient was acting is not happy with the things I said to him. I finally was able to talk to the Director of Nursing and the Medical Director wants to have a meeting with me, the DON and my Nurse Manager.Be prepared for the worst, I dont mean to be negative, but I am speaking from experience here.You may want to contact an EMPLOYMENT attorney before your meeting. If you have a union you wont have to face the lions all by yourself.That is one of the MAJOR reasons for having a union.
I feel that nothing good will come of this meeting and I do not want to have it. First, I only work weekends and they want to reschedule my life to accommodate them. I work Per Diem for the town school system at two-three days a week. They wanted me to meet with them during my daughters school vacation next week! Secondly, I do not really like our DON. She does not stand up for nursing and she has already called me a trouble maker in the past. Although she denies that she ever said that to me. I guess I am a trouble maker because in my mind patients and staff should come first.More than likely you wont be allowed to return to work until this meeting, delaying the inevitable will just make it harder on yourself.
I was just told yesterday by a fellow employee that we have another head injury patient that came in Monday and she kept throwing the phone and other things around the room.
I feel like I am being cornered and I do not want to go to the meeting alone. Alot of people at work feel the same way, but they talk behind upper managements back. When confronted with the issues they never say anything. Am I allowed to bring a tape recorder to the meeting so that things are on record and it does not become a he said she said type of thing?Find out if your state is one in which you are allowed to tape someone without their knowledge, you can still tape them surrepticiously, but it wont be able to be used as evidence in court, BUT it is good to have what they said to you on tape for future reference.Especially if you do end up in litigation with them.
I have started sending in other applications because I feel that I can no longer work at my current facility and feel that I am giving 100%. Plus I feel I will not be wanted there anymore.
I have contacted OSHA and they were helpful, but they came right out and said, that with privately owned facilities things are wishy/washy.Is OSHA the right agency to be reporting this stuff to?I would think that your state agency that regulates the type of facility you work in would be the correct agency to report to. At any rate since you have reported to OSHA and IF your employer knows this, you have afforded yourself some protection, from retaliatory discharge.They may still terminate you but you then may have legal recourse.I think it would be a very good idea to find out if your state has a whistleblower retaliation protection law, this is what will give you added protection and the right to sue for retaliatory discharge. If your state does have such a law, there should be a notice of it posted somewhere near the timeclock, or where other employee related laws and info are posted. I am still looking online for info on head injury facility guidelines. Not having much luck so far, but I will keep looking.
Looking for a plan for the meeting and an answer to above question about the tape recorder. Again any help greatly appreciated!I would say that if you do end up being fired, be very careful what you say in this meeting, I would have them give you your termination /discipline papers and say NOTHING.You can write your side of the story on the papers they give you, but it may be better to say nothing except you do not agree with them.
I feel that has a nurse, somehow we get lost in the decision making factor. This is very frustrating since it would seem that we would know what is best for the patient.
Thank you for previous answers, suggestions and support!
I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season!!!

I am now in the middle of a employment lawsuit of my own, because of a retaliatory termination.These facilities have big bad bulldog lawyers and will fight hard to prove their case should you sue them, but in my case it has been WORTH all the frustration and grief to possibly improve conditions in LTC.SORRY if I am jumping to the conclusion that you will be terminated, maybe things will work themselves out.

[ktwlpn]

[quote=bubba143;2558580]If you have read my post from earlier this week you know that I have concerns about the facility I work at and the fact that accept head injury patients without proper staffing,etc,. The Director of Nursing called and when I called back she was unavailable so I spoke to the Nurse Manager. The Medical Director who was in house this past weekend and saw how this patient was acting is not happy with the things I said to him. I finally was able to talk to the Director of Nursing and the Medical Director wants to have a meeting with me, the DON and my Nurse Manager.
I feel that nothing good will come of this meeting and I do not want to have it. First, I only work weekends and they want to reschedule my life to accommodate them. I work Per Diem for the town school system at two-three days a week. They wanted me to meet with them during my daughters school vacation next week! Secondly, I do not really like our DON. She does not stand up for nursing and she has already called me a trouble maker in the past. Although she denies that she ever said that to me. I guess I am a trouble maker because in my mind patients and staff should come first.
QUOTE] It sounds like you are going to be raked over the coals in that metting-others have given you good advice.I think you should call the ombudsman (anonymously if you like) regarding your concerns for the safety of the other patients.Also-I think you need legal rep at this meeting.Get pro-active-Call the DON and tell her you will be glad to set up a meeting with your counsel present-ask her what dates are good for all of them...You will have to go in during the week but do it soon- try to get it over with so you can move on.good luck

[MrsWampthang]

That place sounds like the place I just left. And inappropriate head injury patients weren't the only inappropriate patients they would drag in there. When a facility is for profit and the upper management wants to make sure they make their bonus at the end of the year, they don't care about patients or staff. The facility I left just moved into a bigger hospital and I shudder to think about the nightmares they will drag in there to fill all those extra empty beds. I'm glad I left and will never go back. I'm with everyone else, try and take someone in with you to the meeting, a union rep, an attorney, someone you can trust to back you up and be your witness. Good luck with them and I would definitely seek other employment ASAP. You worked to hard to get your license to lose it because someone wants to make a buck. And you might consider reporting this facility to JACHO (sp?), they regulate what hospital's do and how they do it. Good luck.

Pam