An RN friend being set up at her job, are even threatening her license; need advice

[mondkmondk]

I have a friend who is an RN who just got out of a psychiatric hospital. She has problems sleeping and today was supposed to work and did try to go to work although she was very groggy. She tried to call in and was told she would lose her job if she didn't come in. So she went in and said she felt very dizzy and laid her head down on the nurses' station for about 10 seconds...however, another employee saw her and told everyone she was sleeping. The nursing manager shows up and gives her a drug screen, she passes, but they place her on suspension anyway and are threatening to call her BON and get her license revoked. Doesn't she have any rights at all in this matter? I want to help her in any way I can...

Please advise!

Blessings, Michelle

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

There's a difference between being tired but able to function safely, and being so exhausted that you're not capable of fuctioning safely. I'm sure you can understand the difference: after all, you did just start your own thread about how you didn't feel safe to work because you were so sleep deprived...well, the same could be said for the OP's friend--if she didn't feel safe coming into work due to being dizzy and tired, then she should have stood firm about calling out and cited patient safety.

And the BON's priority is patient safety. If the BON feels the behavior of the OP's friend is a valid safety concern, they're not going to drop the matter just because her UDS was negative...though in this case, it apparently wasn't.

Sorry to put you and your thread on the spot, but it did make my point perfectly about how fatigue can impair a nurse's performance to the point that she/he may not be safe to practice. And a tip: melatonin and earplugs helped me when I first adjusted to nights--after a while I didn't need them anymore and could sleep anywhere anytime.

...but there is a difference between being exhausted for a SHIFT and needing formal disciplinary action by the BON.

This is a case of threats being made against the OP's friend because she laid her head down and closed her eyes for a few seconds? No one here knows how her unit is...I have seen that more than once from pretty much everyone that I work with because we work on a closed unit.

The BON isn't going to be interested in that...again, what are they going to write in the complaint? That the OP's friend was tired and took a 60-second break????

Seriously...it is almost laughable that they are focused on that.

Ever read the complaints of who gets disciplined in your state? All of the paperwork is public where I live...if you read through it is NEVER over something minor it's always something jaw-dropping that someone did to warrant action.

[ukstudent]

BabyLady it is nice that you work on a unit that everyone sleeps at one time or another while at work. In most places sleeping on the job, while not on break, is a firing event. If you have not given your patients to another nurse to look after while you put your head down for a nap then it could be called patient abandonment, which is reportable to the BON.

However, every thing written on this posting is speculative. The OP does not know what happened as she was not there. She only knows what was said to her from her friend. Not saying her friend is lying, but I have been dead tried before, closed my eyes for what seems only seconds to find out that I was sleeping for several minutes. But again, this is all very speculative.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I don't know. Sounds like they wanted her gone before this most likely and are grabbing this up as a way to get rid of her.............

[AlabamaBelle]

Ambien may "just" be a sleeping pill, but can give you amnesia even after waking, I went to work, assisted in the OR on a procedure and do not remember even going to the hospital that day.

I'm sure that doesn't happen very often but it happens enough that "Ambien sex" is even joked about on tv.

Just saying, maybe she doesn't know the whole story....

From personal experience, I can attest to "ambien sex.":D DH had taken his, got frisky and we had a great time until he briefly fell asleep on me (literally). He woke back up and the deed was done. The next morning he was very embarassed and confused, asking about events of the previous evening.

Love teasing him about it.

[BabyLady, BSN, RN]

BabyLady it is nice that you work on a unit that everyone sleeps at one time or another while at work. In most places sleeping on the job, while not on break, is a firing event. If you have not given your patients to another nurse to look after while you put your head down for a nap then it could be called patient abandonment, which is reportable to the BON.

However, every thing written on this posting is speculative. The OP does not know what happened as she was not there. She only knows what was said to her from her friend. Not saying her friend is lying, but I have been dead tried before, closed my eyes for what seems only seconds to find out that I was sleeping for several minutes. But again, this is all very speculative.

First of all, your sarcasm is noted.

Just because someone has their eyes closed for a minute or so does not mean they are asleep...seriously...do you REALLY believe that?

I never stated that I nor anyone else slept on the job nor did the OP.

Your comment was so far off the mark and your response was nothing more than for shock value.

Wow...talk about assumptions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[enchantmentdis, BSN, RN]

You may have some protection under Hiipa or employee privacy laws, however pt's must be top priority in hospitals. Is this the first time you've been under the care of a psychiatrist? By any chance did you have a glass of wine/beer with the psychotropics?

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

The BON isn't going to be interested in that...again, what are they going to write in the complaint? That the OP's friend was tired and took a 60-second break????

Seriously...it is almost laughable that they are focused on that.

Ever read the complaints of who gets disciplined in your state? All of the paperwork is public where I live...if you read through it is NEVER over something minor it's always something jaw-dropping that someone did to warrant action.

It may be almost laughable to you. I don't think the BON takes patient safety as lightly...I would hope they don't, anyway.

I have read the BON's decisions (it really makes for good "I'm bored" reading), and most of the actions my BON takes are on...I would have said "mundane" offenses, but that's not the right word. I guess I'll just say most of the decisions they take action on are "not jaw-dropping" offenses. You'd be surprised what my BON will sanction/suspend a person for.