Write-Ups & Disciplinary Action

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2006

And Commuter, why would you want to continue to work with peers who appear to want to do you harm? That's a toxic environment and I STRONGLY suggest you get yourself out of it ASAP.

There's been a very recent update, Hollyvk. One of the people who reported me was recently arrested on an 'accessory to robbery' charge and now sits in jail awaiting trial. Not to sound mean or anything, but I feel vindicated. I don't want to work at this place, but my options are limited.

What goes around comes around. Every person's day will arrive.

CseMgr1, ASN, RN · Dec 11, 2006

There's been a very recent update, Hollyvk. One of the people who reported me was recently arrested on an 'accessory to robbery' charge and now sits in jail awaiting trial. Not to sound mean or anything, but I feel vindicated. I don't want to work at this place, but my options are limited.
What goes around comes around. Every person's day will arrive.

Ka-CHING! :yeah: As the Bible says: "Judgment is MINE".

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Dec 11, 2006

As an employee, I've been formally written up only once, but have experienced a few verbal 'counseling' sessions that stung worse than anything else.

That's probably why, as a supervisor, I use the disciplinary process very sparingly and mostly as an educational tool. Usually an informal meeting with the employee is sufficient; I'll make some private notes regarding the conversation to document what was discussed, but otherwise I don't put anything in their file. It's only when the employee doesn't seem to "get it", when the offense is particularly grievous, or worse, purposeful (no-call/no-shows come to mind :angryfire ) that I'll do an actual write-up, listing the infraction(s) and the improvements I expect.

Sometimes I think I give people too many breaks, but then, I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end when a supervisor has had a bad day, or just doesn't like a person.

Miss Ludie · Dec 12, 2006

I have 2 "favorites". One was for using the wrong time clock. I did some research and found the clock number she accused me of using did not exist. The number was a code for supervisor entered missing registrations when the clock on our floor was out of order.

The second was a bit more serious. It was reported that I had programmed a heparin drip for 10,000 units an hour instead of 1000.

The night shift then sent for 2 more bags and they apparently also infused at 10,000 units an hour. The pharmacy dispensed them even though it was to be a one time/ one bag order.

I was fairly sure I had set it right, but mistakes happen don't they?

The patient's surgery was cancelled and PTTs were ordered. Not elevated.

The surgeon came and talked to the staff. Another PTT was checked in case the first was in error. Not elevated.

Surgeon looks at old chart.

Patient is an ex-Nurse.

Patient has been admitted many dozens of times that were finally dx as Munchausen's.

The doc finally determined that if the patient had really received 12 hours of heparin at 10,000 units an hour, then she'd either had massive coagulopathy OR was playing with the pump & or unspiking and emptying the bag. Guess which?

The NM wanted me to sign the write up with her comment that "situation was resolved." I refused.

The surgeon wrote a letter absolving me to be placed in my records.

And I tore up the write up. In my case it ended happily ever after, because I can be like a dog with a bone.......I fear many others just assume they erred and go along with the writeup.

elthia · Dec 12, 2006

1.I was written up for not hanging a second liter of IV fluids on an order that was for "one liter only then d/c". I made sure that one was torn up.

2.I had repeatedly told this same nurse manager in person and in email for 8 weeks that I needed a day off for family court, and I provided a copy of the subpoena. So when she scheduled me to work, and I confronted her, we agreed that I would take family sick leave that day. Two weeks later I was written up for sick leave abuse. The union had that one torn up. The nurse manager didn't seem very appreciative of the fact that I had saved all those emails.

3.Then I was written up for "unprofessional attitude" for the crime of writing an incident report about a HUC and an RN (one of the manager's favs) who both signed off on a stat EKG that was never done, I found the order 6 hours later when I came on shift. The pt ended up going to a tele unit for NSTEMI. I refused to sign that and wrote a refuttal.

4. Lastly, one night I had two patients critical at the same time, different halls. So when one pt was being coded, the CNA came to the door and asked if I or the code team needed anything. I asked the docs and the code team twice if we needed anything. After 2 negatives, I told the CNA to check the VS on the pt who I suspected was going septic and was febrile and recieving a blood transfusion at the same time. (Mind you, I was the ONLY RN who was not in orientation assigned to that floor that shift.) I was written up for "lack of compassion, lack of prioritization, having a staff member leave a code." ( the sepsis pt later was shown to have had + blood cultures, and later developed DIC and acute renal failure.)

Needless to say, I quit that job.

Thedreamer · Jan 4, 2007

Wow all these stories make me wonder. If one day in my career, as its highly probable from this thread, I get written up for something unfounded, what can happen to me if i refuse to sign it? Can they terminate me for refusing to sign something as childish as "Lack of compassion?"

MsLady06 · Jan 4, 2007

very person who is nicest to you is the one running to the boss behind your back.

Always keep close eye to those who put you on a pedastal....lol it never fails they are the ones who would dime you out.

lorster · Jan 4, 2007

one thing i found out the hard way is the people in admin that you think are your friends ,that are behind you 100%...are the people that are holding the pen and paper......to many politics and back stabbing in ltc...

amen!

lorster · Jan 5, 2007

After nearly five years at the same facility I received two write-ups within the space of a few weeks. One I admit I totally deserved; I tried to transfer a resident incorrectly and ended up having to ease them to the floor. I was written up for failure to follow proper procedure.
A lot of other CNAs were telling me I should fight it but I said why? I didn't look at the patient's ADL flowsheet beforehand--if I had, like I should've, I would have seen that the resident's transfer status had changed since the last time I cared for them. I made an assumption, I screwed up and I admitted it. I was quite upset when I got it but I moved on and learned from it.
The other one I guess I deserved but I feel a little more bitter about it. I have intermittent back problems that were caused by working at this facility, in addition to arthritis that I had before but has been worsened by the nature of the work. We had a couple weeks where it rained nearly every day and I was in a lot of pain. One day it was really bad so I called in sick. Not long after that I got written up (first warning) for calling in too many times.
The attendance policy states you'll be written up for calling in three times in ninety days and technically I did, but the first two were within a few days of each other and the third one wasn't until eighty days later. I thought about going to management and trying to argue it but since I haven't seen the doctor about my back or arthritis in months (and I didn't see him that day) I don't have any documentation to back me up.
The attendance one will be dismissed from my record if I don't call in at all for ninety days (and now I'm paranoid about getting sick or my car breaking down or something) but the other one is on my record for good.

What a ridiculous policy!!. This seems strange to me that a place of employment can write anyone up for being sick.

big-chicken · Jan 5, 2007

I'm not a nurse, but my wife is. What is the role of a Nursing Union in the

disciplinary process? I assume you can file greivance for an unfounded

accusation and in a perfect world, the union would push for an appeal or

hearing if necessary. My wife is a union rep and I know she was involved in

one such hearing.

Big Chicken

mamason · Jan 5, 2007

What a ridiculous policy!!. This seems strange to me that a place of employment can write anyone up for being sick.

Had the same type of policy at my last job. Didn't matter if you had a doctor's note or not. They would just write you up. But, different when managment was sick. Then, it was ok to call in. Funny how rules get turned around when managment needs them to.:angryfire

DeLana_RN, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2007

Sorry to hear this happened. I always tried to resolve disciplinary problems orally in face to face discussions before ever resulting to putting something on paper. Once the write-up has been done, the best thing you can do is to sign it and comply with what you are asked to do to remedy the situation. It looks better for you in the long run because these papers get placed in your permanent personnel file at the facility. 10 years from now if anyone takes a look at them, they will see that you owned up to the error and were cooperative and compliant about correcting your behavior. To do anything different will only brand you as a difficult, problem employee. If other similar write-ups follow, then a trend is established and you can pretty much flush any hope of advancement or transfer to other units down the crapper at that point.

But what if the facts are misstated or incomplete (from the perspective of the backstabber who is of course CHA)? Should you not write the facts as you see them as a response to the write-up? Would this label you a trouble maker?

I do realize that any serious disciplinary action (other than the one I once got for drinking coffee :uhoh3: ), no matter what the facts are, probably ends any chances for advancement at the same company; sometimes, it is just pure bad luck.

DeLana