Not showing up is NOT abandonment! Know your BON Statements

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.

I usually don't participate in facebook, but I reactivated my account during the Hurricane because I wanted to utilize all avenues of communication to be able to speak with family and provide updates. As they are worried about me I felt it prudent.

But I have also seen some posts from coworkers and peers that bear addressing.

A brand new nurse who I've worked with for years (when she was a tech) has posted an update that she was mandated to report to work or else be terminated (hospital policy) and reported to the board of nursing for abandonment of patients.

While I only opened FB to speak to family, I could not resist engaging her and giving her the truth.

http://www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/nursing/PStatements/patientabandonment.pdf

The link above is for the SCBON position statement of abandonment.

She feels better now that she is armed with knowledge, but it is frustrating that some basic terms and understanding are not clear.

I'm sure many have been swindled and guilted into working because of the lie she believed.

Please inform yourself, know your scope of practice and your BON requirements. Protect yourself and your license!

And get !

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Not showing up is not abandonment of patients, but it MAY be viewed as job abandonment. Especially during major weather events.

Specializes in Hospital medicine; NP precepting; staff education.
Not showing up is not abandonment of patients, but it MAY be viewed as job abandonment. Especially during major weather events.

Exactly. When we were hired at our organization, this policy was reviewed during orientation. It is reinforced every time we anticipate inclement weather. This time last year it was the "1000-year flood." The year before in January it was a rogue ice storm that made many roads impassable. At least with hurricanes we have enough forewarning thanks to modern science and technology. Now we can be prepared and make plans, or try to.

Specializes in Critical Care.

It's not abandonment, which my state defines as handing off a patient without confirming the receiving nurse has received and understood report, but that doesn't it can't affect your license. The BON in my state regularly posts reminders that failure to show up for work during an officially declared state of emergency can result in action against your license.

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