Mistakes

Barbara Rose · Jul 2, 2001

While I am not on any list for my mistakes, I can tell you that I have made a few. And, I am on some do not hire/use lists because of my politics and voice rather than my skills. This is not unusual. If you made a mistake, fine, you have to correct that behavior, live with the mistake and move on. Don't worry about the petty people who can't forget, move on, or move forward.

sharann, BSN, RN · Jul 2, 2001

Nope, never ever made a mistake. I am PERFECT, just like everyone else here. Oops, sorry,I meant to say HUMAN. We all make mistakes. The difference between a good nurse and a poor one is that the good ones LEARN from their mistakes, as to avoid them in the future. A med error is a mistake(albeit a lousy one), but hitting a patient in the mouth because they are a jerk is not a mistake...tempting at times, but is poor judgement and bad behavior. I've made plenty of them in my first year. None med errors(thankfully) and none that harmed anyone, but I still made them and learned. Is this what you mean?

HaveOrNot · Jul 2, 2001

Every nurse has made mistakes, whether they admit it, or even REALIZE it!! Perfection doesn't exist....we're human. As far as the "facility do not use list", as a former LTC Unit Manager, and now a staff nurse (hated that damn beeper!!) if we put someone on our "list" it was always for a VERY good reason. It's amazing how the list grew! Many different reasons, some examples were signing out meds or treatments as done when they were not, serious errors that showed a total lack of judgement, insubordination, refusing assignments (ie. "I won't work 4th floor, I don't like it"), several "no call, no shows", abuse, neglect, etc. One BIG reason to get the honor of being on our list.......walking out in the middle of a shift! No matter how overworked you feel, there is NO EXCUSE for patient abandonment!!

Norbert Holz · Jul 5, 2001

Does a facility that maintains a do not use list also maintain the reason for being on the list?

How long are they on the list?

Can a nurse be put on the do not use list because of a medication error?

Can the nurse be put on the list because they did not have the time to completely document?

Does your institution allow for "late" entries?

Can witholding a treatment or medication for a "valid" reason be grounds for dismissal or termination?

What "mistakes" demand termination?

Is there any forgiveness for nurses at your institution?

Can actions within the circumstances of the situation at the time be justified or will review at a later time be considered more valid.

Barbara Rose · Jul 5, 2001

Norbert,

Sounds like you want advise on a specific incident or situation rather than in general. These questions can't be answered without additional information. The facilities in my area don't have any official list; it is more of a "known" because this is a small town and we all know each other. Most of us have worked together or schooled together at some point, and of course, we all shop at wal-mart! Larger hospitals and cities might be different, but for a real list to exist makes the company/hospital at risk as this could be "discovered" in a discrimmination suit or other EOC actions, etc. Usually the personnel file will contain a reason for termination (if it was termination) along with a statement about rehiring. Just because the not eligible for rehire box is marked doesn't mean someone who has no record of wrong doing will not be hired back. Remember, personalities also enter into this area and most employers are well aware of this. Mistakes and disciplinary actions on the other hand can prevent rehire as this puts the facility at risk for unsave practice. You have a right to review your personnel file. Check it and see what in there. Now, if you resign, that can change the situation again depending on where you practice. And, employers are resticted on what information they can release about ex employees and you have to give the "new" or "inquiring" company permission to check with them. So, you can see that the questions you are asking are much more complicated than on the surface. Without knowing more detail I am afraid we can only offer generalities once again.

2LTCnurses · Jul 6, 2001

Our "do not use" list was an "actual" list. It's different from the "not eligible for re-hire" list used for staff nurses. You CAN have an actual list for agency nurses because it is entirely the facilities choice as to using certain nurses or not. While it does sound like you have a certain situation in mind, I can give some examples of our facility. I'm sure if any place has a list, it's different in that each place has certain things they will and will not tolerate.

Med errors would only count if there were several, showing a pattern of being careless. Late entries are allowed for documentation. Withholding meds or treatments for "valid reasons" is not what I was speaking of.....however if this is done, the doc must be notified, etc.

I have the perfect example......the other day I worked with an agency nurse...left a trach patient with an empty O2 tank for 2 hours (thank God she was getting air exchange, she's being weaned!!) because she "didn't know how" to change it...didn't give a seizure patient his phenobarb because she "couldn't find it"

(in the controlled drug box)....didn't apply the correct treatment to a wound because she "couldn't find it.....I just slapped this other cream on":eek: I found this stuff out at the end of her shift....had to go back and fix everything, re-do tx's, was an hour late getting out, had to write up the med error,notify MD and family and mind you she NEVER told me she couldn't find or didn't know how to do anything!! She walked around all day saying how "easy" my floor was!!! If you actually GIVE the correct meds, tx's, therapies, etc. it's a tiny bit harder!!! SHE IS ON THE LIST!!!!!

-jt · Jul 6, 2001

If youre agency, the hospital can decide whether it wants to use you again or not no matter what the reason.

Just an aside: striking nurses in Minnesota last month apparently were black-listed in their community by their hospital which allegedly may have asked other facilities not to hire them and some of those facilities did not hire them. Even in cases where the nurses did not say where they worked & only gave their names, the facilities knew they were nurses from the striking hospital & told them they couldnt let them work at their place. So it would seem that a list of names of nurses not to be hired may have been circulated. The nurses & their state nurses asscoiation (union) have filed unfair labor practice charges against their hospital for black-listing them & the others for not hiring them. Hopefully, they will win lost wages which they would have earned for the times they could have worked and the hospital didnt let them.

If youre being black-listed in the community or feel you are being treated unfairly, you might want to talk it over with an employment /labor lawyer.

check out:

http://www.prairielaw.com/messageboards/board.asp?channelId=20&mbId=14

and

http://www.prairielaw.com/

good luck.