Horrific Write Ups? Has it ever happened to you?

Nurses General Nursing

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I had a write up early on in my nursing career.

I worked nights and did 7p 7a. I had a patient who was in with pneumonia, but had a long psychiatric history, but honestly was very high functioning and appeared stable from basic interactions.

I had an uneventful night with her and called it a wrap at the end of my shift.

THe next day I was called to come in as my manager needed to "speak to me". I came in and was floored!! The patient who I cared for the night before claimed I told her " I don't empty commodes, I will have the CNA come and help you". and that "I will have the CNA bring you some soda and crackers".

I had proof by witnesses that I was caring for this patient solo. NO CNA that night. I waited on her hand and foot and even brought her 7-p several times.... so it was unfounded.

I WAS WRITTEN UP!

My only response to my manage was, you know my practice, you know how I am with patients. I have staff willing to vouch for me I was solo and you are taking the word of a patient with a known psych history over me? I feel really hurt.....

I was a new RN, but it opened my eyes to the hospital.

Flashpoint - - your stuff is hysterical!!! How could they write you up when you were a patient????

Oy vey!!

And tapping a phone? Where did that idea come from?

I was written up for painful insertion of a foley - - the pt told me it was the easiest insertion she'd ever had, but cried when the doctor came, saying she'd been treated roughly. I made my supervisor read my procedure note and go talk to the pt who denied ever saying such a thing to the doc. The supe apologized to me, and tore up the write up.

But it took months for me to re-establish a good rapport with the doc.

Specializes in Emergency Room.

My first write up was probably the one I felt I didn't deserve. It happened maybe 3 or 4 months after I started my first job as an LPN. We had a patient who was getting 375 mg Naproxen at 9pm on my shift (I think q 12hr).

This was a LTC skilled facility so we had an outside pharmacy. For some reason either she ran out of Naproxen early or someone took the rest and misplaced them.

There was none available but she had a PRN order for 400 mg of ibuprofen so I asked her if that was alright and she said sure. So anyway I documented on the MAR why the med wasn't given and why, as well as the PRN sheet what I had given and when.

I had thought maybe the Naproxen had been reordered and just hadn't gotten there yet but the next night the same thing happened and I did what I had done before. This time however I let the supervisor know. Anyway I'm back on the same set like 4 days later and I see the medicine hasn't been given in like 6 days. So I call the pharmacy and they tell us it's about 10 days too early to send out the Naproxen. So I let the same supervisor know AGAIN.

Anyway a few days later I get written up for her not having her Naproxen for a week. I have no idea if the other evening nurse who gave the medicine was written up, or if the supervisor who I told twice was written up. Knowing her she probably covered her ---. I doubt management even knew she was aware of what I had told her.

If I knew back then what I knew now I would have done a few things differently. I probably wouldn't have signed it for one thing. I also would have documented (ugh I used to be horrible with documentation) everything I had done. I also should have made her doctor aware to see if he wanted to change the order or would the PRN be fine until her Naproxen came.

But like a bunch of mistakes you make in nursing, the first time you make it is usually the last time you make it.

Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

I would offer you this advice;

I would NOT sign the write up. I would not write on the form. I would not make any acknowledgement upon the hospital forms of a bogus write up.

What I WOULD do would be to write a letter with dates and times of facts surrounding the incident in question. I would make three copies. I would have each letter notarized. One would go the the DON (and or Human Resources) by CERTIFIED MAIL, which requires a signature and return receipt. One would go to the Nurse Manager by CERTIFIED MAIL, which requires a signature and return receipt. One would be kept in my special file for future reference.

You would be AMAZED at what happens when ridiculous complaints, which are total cow-pucky, hit the light of day.

Do not ever be afraid to stand up for yourself. YOU are the only one who is going to advocate for yourself and act in your best interests.

My two cents........... Take it or leave it.

Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
I was written up for buttering toast wrong. The patient felt humiliated because I didn't spread the butter out to the very edge...I left a small edge dry. I was given toast training so it didn't happen again.

I was written up because I only gave a little girl one sticker in the ER (even though it was an unwritten rule that we only gave one.)

I was written up for not helping an ER patient when I was an ER patient myself.

I was written up because a patient thought I had tapped her phone so I could listen to her personal conversations.

Please tell me this is a joke....or at least tell me you don't work there anymore.

I was written up once for not putting x's and boxes on the MAR on ONE order. I forgot the put the x's on senna that is due every other evening. I do not give the senna but yet I got written up for "causing a med error". Bunch of BS if you ask me. It is the nurses responsibility to read the order 3 times before giving it.

The second time I was written up, the head nurse told me NOT to give a particular Rt Percocet (1, because she thought he was addicted to it. 2. because he was constipated). She went on the tell his wife that the facility would not be giving him Percocet. However, she never called the Dr apparently because, I was written up for NOT giving it! He specifically stated that he wanted Tylenol when he complained of pain, because his wife didn't want him to have the Percocet. I was told I should have documented the refusal. However, it all boils down to this head nurse saying he couldn't have it!

I was also written up, after a workplace violence incident. I was the one being picked on! The CNA got directly in my face screaming, hollering, and threatening me all because I asked her to re position a Rt, that she clearly didn't do anything for when she was in the room. The supervisor was in the next room and she was made aware immediately. I got written up for violating the Rt's rights (scarring them - the loud yelling, blah blah) but I wasn't the one yelling! I got written up for telling her, "to get out of my face" :rolls eyes: Oh, and gotten written up for telling the aide I would call the cops if she kept threatening me (BTW, it is a felony in NYS to hit a nurse). Apparently, I am supposed to let the facility handle that. Yeah right. I have the right to go to the Police Dept if I feel threatened.

I wasn't written up for this but I was once accused of not giving a terminal cancer patient LIQUID Lortab when I was 7 months pregnant! I was accused of taking it myself o_O . I was accused of this because she didn't verbalize her pain. However, if you paid even the slightest attention to her, you would see that she couldn't swallow due to the pain (she had stomatitis 2 to Gamma treatments). She didn't verbalize, "I am in pain" but if you said "Mrs... are you in pain" she would say "yes". I should mention the lady died within 2 wks of this incident.

Some of these place are totally ridiculous and they WILL write you up for everything and anything. You have to cover your @$$.

A friend of mine, was written up because they found an insulin syringe with insulin still in it. However, no one gets that amt of insulin on his shift. There was a Rt who has an order for that insulin on the previous shift. One particular nurse has it out for him (she thinks he doesn't embrace his nationality) and just wanted to find ANYTHING to write him up for.

Specializes in Med-Surg/DOU/Ortho/Onc/Rehab/ER/.
I was written up for buttering toast wrong. The patient felt humiliated because I didn't spread the butter out to the very edge...I left a small edge dry. I was given toast training so it didn't happen again.

I was written up because I only gave a little girl one sticker in the ER (even though it was an unwritten rule that we only gave one.)

I was written up for not helping an ER patient when I was an ER patient myself.

I was written up because a patient thought I had tapped her phone so I could listen to her personal conversations.

my hubby always gets ****** off when i do that! LOL

Specializes in Critical Care.
I was written up for buttering toast wrong. The patient felt humiliated because I didn't spread the butter out to the very edge...I left a small edge dry. I was given toast training so it didn't happen again.

Not Humiliated.. LOL

No...I don't work there anymore.

The patient felt like I was treating her like a child by not spreading the butter and jelly clear out to the very edge. She felt like I was saying that she couldn't keep her hands clean and that she would make a mess. If she hadn't been discharged, I would have been expected to apologize for buttering her toast in such a manner.

The sticker thing was just weird...we were all directed to give up to three stickers after that.

The ER patient complained that I was rude to her...she lied and said I used a bunch of profanity when I told her I was sick and could not help her. I did tell her to go back to her room and leave me alone (I got dizzy coming back from the bathroom and was sitting on the floor). Apparently, she thought that a gown and sweats were the latest uniform or something because she said she thought I was on duty (frequent flyer...knew us all).

As far as the phone tap incident...I had testified against a friend of hers in a child custody hearing. She didn't like me way before she was admitted to the hospital. She accused a bunch of other nurses of nonsense too. A nurse stole her glasses and was wearing them, a nurse ate off her meal tray, and a nurse tried to steal her car. All obviously nonsense, but all written up...we must have done something to her to cause her to say such things.

Specializes in wound care.

this is the best thread ever, good advise too

Specializes in Home Health.

If they don't like you they will do everything in their power to get rid of you. That is what a 'write-up' is all about. I too have refused to sign them.

When I worked in the business field for 13 years before becoming an RN, there was no such thing as a 'write-up' as common as it is in the medical industry. I can say treatment in the business field was far more professional that it has ever been in the Nursing field.

Specializes in Home Health.

Would like to add, if RN's would stand up and demand respect, maybe we'll get some respect!

Specializes in Med-Surg/DOU/Ortho/Onc/Rehab/ER/.
If they don't like you they will do everything in their power to get rid of you. That is what a 'write-up' is all about. I too have refused to sign them.

When I worked in the business field for 13 years before becoming an RN, there was no such thing as a 'write-up' as common as it is in the medical industry. I can say treatment in the business field was far more professional that it has ever been in the Nursing field.

I totally agree with you. A bs or bogus write up is a way to get rid of you! It might take the company to lie and backstab but that's their goal, that way hey can deny your unemployment after a few write ups

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