Nurse in trouble for complete nonsense.

[sicushells, RN]

A little backstory, and then I'll get to the point, so please try to be patient with me. :typing

Most of my patients are post-ops/post-intubation, so they have dry throat usually for a day or two. Some can't drink because they've had abdominal surgery and need bowel rest, sometimes for weeks or months. Instead of offering them ice chips/sips (bad), we can offer them mouth swabs, which are sticks with these little green sponges on the end that you can dip in water. I hate the mouth swabs because they don't really make people feel better, they just have something else to complain about (not getting the swabs dipped fast enough). But enough about the freakin' mouth swabs.

One of my coworkers was working overtime the other day. During report her patient waves the mouthswab in the air and says "DIP IT!!!" To which my coworker responds, "I'll get to it in a minute, but we need to do report first." The nurses do report, the patient gets her mouthswab, everyone's happy. We had multiple transfers/admits the usual craziness. She transferred that patient from the ICU to the Floor early in the day, got a patient from the OR, had lunch, everything was going okay for her. 8 hours in to the 12 hour shift, our nurse manager comes up to her says, "Get your stuff and come to my office." In front of other nurses, which upsets my coworker.

Turns out the patient who went to the floor told her daughter that my coworker called her a "stupid old *****" to her face. The daughter and patient were crying, the NA found them, and followed up with management. (makes sense, I would do the same) So my coworker gets sent home, and suspended for the rest of the weekend.

After my coworker goes home, the nurse manager calls her back and says, "I talked with the nurse you gave report to, and she says you didn't call her that, so you can come back for the weekend afterall."

My question for you guys is, what on EARTH does my coworker do to follow up with this? It doesn't seem like that's nursing management policy, but who does she talk to to get an unbiased opinion?

Thanks in advance.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Just seems like really poor management to me. Why wouldn't the manager have found out a little bit more and gathered her evidence BEFORE sending a nurse home and humiliating her in front of the other staff. If she had just confirmed the facts first, then none of this would have happened.

Having said that, I would have dipped the woman's thing when she asked. It would have only taken a second, and all of this would have been averted!

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

A sad commentary on the place you work. The manager should have gotten all of the facts prior to speaking with this nurse. I think this nurse needs to file some sort of letter of complaint in her HR file regarding unjust treatment, embarrassment, and lack of professional attitude on the managers part. Ofcourse, when she does this, she will be a target, but down the road it may come in handy.

She needs to keep a copy of the statement too. She needs to start a diary of assignments, interaction with this manager on any issue, and other staff.

Personally, I would start looking for another job. Unless she has too much time and benefits to look elsewhere.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

It is unfortunate, but many patients will exaggerate and even actually lie because of some unforseen reason. While I believe the nurse could have 'dipped and swabbed' at request, hey, she was tired, having done overtime, and did something different. I can think of a few incidents that caused no harm, but did agitate a patient, and on afterthought, I realize that I could have handled the situation differently. But, hey, there was no malice originally.

I do suspect that if your collague files a complaint, that she will become a target. Maybe if there is a union, have them to intercede or speak to the manager privately? She surely jumped the gun, and not only did she make this particular nurse gun-shy, I am SURE that everyone would be totally uncomfortable with this manager.

[chenoaspirit, ASN, RN]

If I were that nurse, it would be hard to work the weekend after being sent home. I would definitely have to have a talk with the manager about this so that there are no future episodes like this. I would politely ask the manager to find out all facts before reacting in such a manner again. AND I would expect some type of apology. That doesnt include the embarrassment in front of her fellow coworkers that she had to endure. Thats a shame and bad management.

[Bluehair]

Bad management here - sounds like the manager succombed to the pressures to make all patients thrilled with care no matter what. Manager may have had bad 'guidance' from someone higher up, instead of stopping and thinking it through.

Hopefully she/he learned their lesson and will be more professional in the future.

[Bluehair]

If I were that nurse, it would be hard to work the weekend after being sent home. I would definitely have to have a talk with the manager about this so that there are no future episodes like this. I would politely ask the manager to find out all facts before reacting in such a manner again. AND I would expect some type of apology. That doesnt include the embarrassment in front of her fellow coworkers that she had to endure. Thats a shame and bad management.

:yeahthat:

[ktwlpn, LPN]

After my coworker goes home, the nurse manager calls her back and says, "I talked with the nurse you gave report to, and she says you didn't call her that, so you can come back for the weekend afterall."

My question for you guys is, what on EARTH does my coworker do to follow up with this? It doesn't seem like that's nursing management policy, but who does she talk to to get an unbiased opinion?

Thanks in advance.

I would NOT go back in for the rest of the weekend,I would be just too upset :stone Then I would schedule a meeting with the nurse manager and HR to discuss policy and getting paid for the time....

[soulofme]

Oh HE!! NO! I would have had myself a nice WE off. Screw her...let them look for a replacement because of her "mis-management":nono:

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

I would state that I am too upset by what happened and take all the days off that the suspension was originally for. Unfortunately if your friend does anything but pretend that none of this ever happened she will make herself a target by management.

A sad but true indictment of the way things are.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I wouldn't go back to work the same day -- saying that I was too upset and that I had in the meantime made other plans, etc. However, I would go back the next day.

I would make an appointment with the appropriate person in Human Resources and put my concern for the poor management practice in writing. I would ask to be paid for any work time lost and ask that a written apology be placed in my file.

If I got those things I would then be gracious, but cautious and reserved about it. I wouldn't stir the pot any further as that might backfire on me. The Manager would be on notice that she needed to be more careful and fair with her staff. She would also know that the documentation in my file gave me some protection if she were to treat me unfairly in the future.

I'd give it a chance to blow over before giving up an otherwise good job. Give the manager a chance to learn from her mistake. Yes, it was a mistake. Yes, the manager needs to apologize. But to not "move on" after an apology is given is only asking for trouble. Just as we want the management to give us a 2nd chance if we make a mistake, we need to give them a 2nd chance sometimes.

[Jolie, BSN]

I agree that the nurse should take the weekend off.

I would not return to work without a written apology.