Suspension

Sour Lemon · Apr 23, 2018

In Texas we have something called SAFE HARBOR which protects your license in unsafe/inappropriate staffing situations and makes you not have to be an absolute (insert words here) to your coworkers. Look up the laws in your state, there is likely something like Safe Harbor where you are. If you feel as though you are being assigned an inappropriate patient population to you or staffing is so unsafe that it risks your license, BEFORE accepting your patient load notify your supervisor that you would like to declare Safe Harbor. This protects your license should something happen during your shift and you made every reasonable effort with the situation you were given. Declaring Safe Harbor triggers a process all the way up to administration/corporate depending on where you work. Haven't seen it happen a lot but when it does, magical things happen like DONs/supervisors working the floor, administration showing up. They will do a lot of things to avoid Safe Harbor.
Absolutely what you did was unprofessional and inappropriate. Declaring your state's version of Safe Harbor would have been the appropriate response. You deserve to be fired. Think of the horrible day your coworker... and your patients... had that day. Even if you aren't fired get another job. No one in that facility will be able to let go of what just happened. Reputations in nursing are everything and yours will follow you. I hope you are able to successfully get a fresh start somewhere else. Good luck to you.

Haha ...our managers and directors never worked when safe harbor was called. They just pulled staff from a different unit leaving that unit dangerously understaffed instead. Squeaky wheel gets the oil and whatnot...

I remember it being a lot of paperwork, too. Or maybe it just seemed that way when the sky was falling and it was one more form to fill out.

audreysmagic, RN · Apr 23, 2018

I remember it being a lot of paperwork, too. Or maybe it just seemed that way when the sky was falling and it was one more form to fill out.

It's been my experience that being short-staffed or otherwise severely stressed multiplies how long it feels like it takes to do ANY paperwork (if not the actual time it takes) by a factor of at least three.

Kayauhs · Apr 23, 2018

I'm amazed you had to ask if this was wrong.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Apr 23, 2018

Can a DON just suspend a Nurse if they came in 50 minutes before their shift, look at the assignment, the floor is very short staffed, with 2 nurses and 48 patients, 5 aides ,on call is called , no resolution to the situation , it's just basically, it is what it is, the nurse hadn't punch in and asked the oncall to consider this a call in and left back out of the building 10 minutes after entering.. but recieve a phone call later in the evening stating Suspension pending further investigation... what could possibly be being investigated?? Its not abandonment, it's 50 minutes before shift, he hadn't punched in...

You're kidding, right? You honestly cannot come up with a reason why your "friend" would be suspended? If the investigation reveals other morally indefensible actions like this one, the nurse should expect to be terminated. With cause.

Neats, BSN · Apr 23, 2018

Technically it is not illegal however you can be terminated for any reason as long as it is not discrimination. I hear a lot of well, it is just not a good fit. That is a reason.

As a nurse manager I would not only think about termination I would terminate you for several reasons.

1. You are not a good fit, the appearance of coming in an hour early to "just check" out the situation is really bad manners. Why bother, why not phone a friend and ask them? What were your intentions of coming in? I am sure some thought oh good some relief, I am sure some thought where did you go. This makes you look like you are not a team player.

2. When you saw the schedule you knew what the shift my be like yet you called in. I think this shows a lack of good decision making and now I am going to question you and I do not have time to baby sit. To me it is easier to part ways and you can go elsewhere. I have a unit to run and I want this unit like a well greased tire, happy staff and delivery of good quality care. After what I witnessed you do I cannot have this with you.

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2018

Oh Boy,this is a thin ice scenario,where they feel they can abuse/work you like a donkey,and threaten you for whatever they dream up.This is a dicey area,if you had taken shift report on your patients and then left ,yess it is suspension blah blah blah.

If you are on the schedule as staff you are liable,up to a point.If you were prn and didn't take report it is not abandonment of patient but sometimes they use job abandonment.

I left on many occasions as prn when they lied to me about where i was assigned,BUT I had not set a toe into the unit.I believe you are within your rights but you will still have a fight on your hands,get professional advice and look for a different employer. Good luck.

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2018

The unit is not running like a greasy tire,staff is obviously unhappy,there is no quality care in short staffing.

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2018

" if I were that NM, I would make sure everyone knows about your lack of character." Not good to say that,TSK tsk .

psu_213, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2018

" if I were that NM, I would make sure everyone knows about your lack of character." Not good to say that,TSK tsk .

Tsk, Tsk? If I have an friend who is a manager at another facility, and then came to me and said "So and So just applied for an RN job. I saw he worked at your facility. Do you know anything about him?" You better believe that I am going to tell them what happened. It would be 100% the truth--no need to embellish this situation for the other person to get the picture of what is going on.

ETA: I don't even have to be the manager/DON...I could just be a staff nurse who happened to be there when this went down.

Ruas61, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2018

" if I were that NM, I would make sure everyone knows about your lack of character." Not good to say that,TSK tsk .

Silence when asked works really well too.

caliotter3 · Apr 23, 2018

Tsk, Tsk? If I have an friend who is a manager at another facility, and then came to me and said "So and So just applied for an RN job. I saw he worked at your facility. Do you know anything about him?" You better believe that I am going to tell them what happened. It would be 100% the truth--no need to embellish this situation for the other person to get the picture of what is going on.
ETA: I don't even have to be the manager/DON...I could just be a staff nurse who happened to be there when this went down.

I was just another staff nurse at the same facility and got asked about two applicants to my new facility. I told the truth about their job performance and their character. If both had no issues with both their character and job performance, I would have told the truth about that too and would have given them positive recommendations.

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Apr 24, 2018

It's definitely not a nice thing to do to your co-workers. You're going to make some enemies.

Should they suspend you for it? Well... I don't know. Seems like you wouldn't want to suspend people if understaffing is already a problem.

But can they suspend you? Yeah, I think they can.

I feel like you made a statement here. Will the higher ups realize they need more floor staff when nurses just go "nope."? Or will they just whip staff harder? Sounds like they just decided to crack the whip on you. Now if you all start doing this, higher ups might start paying attention. This is why we have unions.