Shocked At Nurses Actions Tonight

Nurses General Nursing

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I work part time at a local SNF / rehab faciliety. On PM and NOC shift it is staffed with 3 or 4 LPNs and one RN charge nurse (tonight it was me). One of our LPNs is a sweet young girl from a very small town near by. She is in a BSN program to become an RN as well. She was late to work and I assinged her to care for a new admit who is recovering from a serious MVA. She took report and went to meet her patient. She came back out of the room about 5 min later very upset. She demanded to know why I hadn't told her the patient was a muslim in report. I asked her why it mattered. She said that "those people are all trying to kill us!" and she couldn't understand why the patient was even admited or even given medical care in America! She flatly refused to provide care for this person. Nothing I said to her had any affect on her. She actually got angry at me for trying to explain why this person needs and deserves nurses care.

I ended up sending her home without pay and doing to work myself. I am only part time at this place and while I supervise LPNs and CNAs I am not their boss with the power to hire and fire. I did write a letter to the DON explaining the stuation and recomending that the LPN be fired. I also intend to inform our state board of nursing of her actions. I had another LPN who heard the whole thing write down what she had heard and submit it to the DON as well.

I consider her to have abandoned a patient that she had taken report and accepted responsibiliety for.

I understand that she is from a small, all white town and know from previous conversations with her that she has never so much as had a conversation with an african america person or any other minority except the Amish (many in this area). She aslo claims to be a very devout christian and is very involved in her church but I think her attitude is not compatable with nursing.

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
Sending someone home for a whole weekend is not a minor disciplinary action.
Those who have been in supervision and management would tell you that the bad behavior of an employee who needs to be sent home or who walks off the job is not all that different from having someone call off sick. Like any other procedure in nursing, there is a way each facility deals with these situations. Anyone taking a supervision position needs to know what these procedures are. If the DON has failed to tell them to you, then you need to ask. The time to learn what they are is not at the time that an incident happens. Nurses prepare for patient emergencies; supervisors prepare for employee emergencies. Just like nurses have criteria for calling doctors, supervision staff also have criteria for calling off-duty administration.

Yes it would be nice to wait till Monday but I agree that sending someone home and preferring they not come back.....Call!!
And the reason this couldn't wait a few more hours until the doors open on the next day of business is because. . .?
Specializes in Critical Care.
Those who have been in supervision and management would tell you that the bad behavior of an employee who needs to be sent home or who walks off the job is not all that different from having someone call off sick. Like any other procedure in nursing, there is a way each facility deals with these situations. Anyone taking a supervision position needs to know what these procedures are. If the DON has failed to tell them to you, then you need to ask. The time to learn what they are is not at the time that an incident happens. Nurses prepare for patient emergencies; supervisors prepare for employee emergencies. Just like nurses have criteria for calling doctors, supervision staff also have criteria for calling off-duty administration.

You might be right, but this particular issue has legal if not 'political' ramifications.

I don't mean politics like if you are a rep or dem: I mean these types of issues, as evidenced by the number of post to this thread, have lots of dangerous undertones. It sparks lots of emotions.

Sending someone home might be routine, but this particular disciplinary action isn't routine because of the issue involved. I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of being blamed for the fallout.

A simple phone call in this case is an essential CYA. I know enough about management to know that looking for fall guys goes downhill. I and most of those posting believe that the OP is absolutely correct.

However, the right thing and the expedient thing is not always the same. I can't say that I can see a negative consequence for this disciplinary action, however, it creates enough issues in my mind to be concerned enought to take it up the chain, even on a holiday weekend.

The DON will get over the phone call. I wouldn't have wanted to bet that she would get over not being notified IF this turns into a can of worms.

~faith,

Timothy.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
Those who have been in supervision and management would tell you that the bad behavior of an employee who needs to be sent home or who walks off the job is not all that different from having someone call off sick. Like any other procedure in nursing, there is a way each facility deals with these situations. Anyone taking a supervision position needs to know what these procedures are. If the DON has failed to tell them to you, then you need to ask. The time to learn what they are is not at the time that an incident happens. Nurses prepare for patient emergencies; supervisors prepare for employee emergencies. Just like nurses have criteria for calling doctors, supervision staff also have criteria for calling off-duty administration.

And the reason this couldn't wait a few more hours until the doors open on the next day of business is because. . .?

.....because the employee was working this weekend and dealing with racism, dismissing an employee from your shift, and thinking about calling board is an issue that needs to be brought to the attention of the management ASAP, in my opinion. The op did a good job in taking matters into her own hands as a good supervisor would, but now has the DON backing her up in not allowing her to work until seen by the DON on Monday.

My many years as a charge nurse has taught me to give the manager a heads up on these things. Many times I've handled things myself only to get a call first thing Monday morning "why didn't you tell me such and such?". I've also called with similar matters and got a curt "thanks, but this could have waited, sounds like you handled the situation".

Sometimes your danged if you do and danged if you don't. Err on the side of caution I say that way fussy difficult to please management can make up their own minds and it's off my chest.

Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

I would go on the supposition that "something" could happen between the shift in question and Monday morning when the DON returned.

That "something" could be anything from an angry phone call or letter from the LPN to something as tragic as going postal.

Believe me it can happen. Our State departent of social services had a client come in and shoot several people because of perceived wrongs. Passing this up the chain of command is the best, in fact the only way to handle this.

I would have torn your head off and put it where the sun don't shine if you'd done something like that with me. Work issues need to stay at work. My time at home is my time unless I instruct you otherwise. I am sorry that is not a verry supportive or appropriate response. Yes, you do deserve your off time. If that was the DON was OOT, then an administrator on call should have been taking the calls fo the DON. The nursing supv. has to have someone to go to. This is pretty bad. If for example, a newspaper got hold of this story, then if the DON was in the dark, she could have had a new place where the sun doesn't shine constructed for her by her superiors. If there was another admin. on call for the DON, then by all means go to that person. The OP doesn't need a nasty attitude from her DON, she/he needs some help and support. Did the patient actually say anything to the LPN? I have been called derogatory names by a patient before, etc. and then asked to switch. As a much younger nurse, I was repeatedly invited to get into bed w/ a sleaze ball drug dealer. I told my charge nurse after three days w/ him, I would not accept a fourth. That is quite different than this prejudice of refusing a patient d/t religion, race, etc.

I am amazed in this day and age that a nurse would do this. I am not surprised. My daughter has told me a lot of people are very prjudiced where she goes to school. Her school sounds like it is in an area much like where the OP is. One guy in her class wouldn't want an African-American patient, etc. He sounds like he is just a jerk. Twenty years ago where I went to school, he wouldn't have lasted an hour. I am sad for this nurse that she is so out there w/ her beliefs. She needs education, but for their own sake, I don't see how the facility can possibly keep her on.

I'll remember your comments when DH goes to get fitted for his prosthetic. Get over yourself.

In my opinion: Stating that you will not care for a pt because THIS IS THE PERSON WHO shot/stabbed/raped/bombed a loved one of mine is understandable and allowances should be made if possible.

Stating that you will not care for a pt because THEY ARE OF THE SAME RELIGION/ETHNIC GROUP OF A PERSON WHO shot/stabbed/raped/bombed a loved one is totally different and no allowance should be made.

My cousin was sexually abused to the point where she can't have children by someone who was a deacon in a Christian church, I still care for Christians, heck there are some Christians I'll even invite to my home and sit down to dinner with.

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

My many years as a charge nurse has taught me to give the manager a heads up on these things. Many times I've handled things myself only to get a call first thing Monday morning "why didn't you tell me such and such?". I've also called with similar matters and got a curt "thanks, but this could have waited, sounds like you handled the situation".

Sometimes your danged if you do and danged if you don't. Err on the side of caution I say that way fussy difficult to please management can make up their own minds and it's off my chest.

:yeahthat: :yeahthat: :yeahthat: Exactly.

My thoughts are always that if they don't want to be bothered they shouldn't be in management.

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
I'll remember your comments when DH goes to get fitted for his prosthetic. Get over yourself.

Everyone deals with emotional pain in different ways. It may be that Sharon is going through a rough time right now and we should try to be understanding of her. Posting in an attempt to educate her and hopefully getting her to see that not all Muslims are bad just as all Germans didn't kill the Jews is the right thing to do. Blurting out insults is so wrong it just furthers the hate we're trying eliminate.

I think that you did the right thing. If she really had such a problem with treating this person, she could have handled it differently with you.

Always get someone - ideally another nurse - as a witness and both of you immediately write everything down.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
You have no idea what you're talking about. How many muslims have you happened to know?

Plenty. I have also cared for many as a nurse. And as I wear religious insignia occasionally, some know that I am a Jew.

A patient is a patient. If they refuse my care (and to my knowledge, none of the muslim ones have), then that is their perogative.

PS: I HAVE had Christians ask for a CHRISTIAN nurse to take care of them (not against me but refused to let a veiled coworker care for them), but not a muslim patient refuse care from a nurse of another religion. As well as gotten anti-semitic comments, from those that did not know my religion. I have also Christians try to convert me.

Many of us DO know what we are talking about. And it is quite rude to assume that we do not.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

I didn't choose anyone for any religious purpose, just put down "ask me first" on scenereos like giving chemo drugs to a pregant person (especially if that is being done for abortion),

It is rare to give chemo specifically as an agent for an elective abortion. It is more often done for incomplete miscarriage/abortion, intrauterine fetal demise, ectopics and hyditoform (?sp) mole. As such, the damage is already done. But honestly, chemo shouldn't be given by nurses not educated to its use.

And there are quite a few cases in which chemo can safely be given to a pregnant woman, and still preserve the life/health of the fetus. It is not optimal, but appropriate in some cases.

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