I am an RN and have been working in a hospital med-surg unit for 4 years.
Recently one of our nurses was precepting an RN student who is about to graduate. I was getting report from the student 2 times, and each time the student was handing me a chart with new orders saying she didnt have the time to look at them. She also did not follow the post-sedation protocol and did not do post-op vitals of a friesh post-surgical patient. She left a patient on the bedpan, and when a CNA and I went to change the patient, she had imprints on her skin from being on the bedpan for too long. Because it happened more than once, I said to her "This is something you need to know when you give the report". I understand that she probably did not like to hear that. However I felt that I addressed it in a neutral way, and did not go over board.
Apparently the nurse who was precepting the student went to talk to the manager. I dont know what exactly she said to her.
The manager called me at home and said she is conducting an "investigation" about my interaction with the student. I couldnt make sense how could me saying a single sentence "This is something you need to know when you give report" could warrant an investigation. Considering the big picture that as nurses we daily take care of critically ill patients, sometimes have to make critical decisions when faced with life and death situations, communicating with patients families during difficult situations, doctors, constantly changing policies etc. Every nurse who is working is such setting knows what I am talking about.
I met with the manager. When she started reading to me the statements of the student and that nurse, my jaw dropped. Apparently the student told my manager that I was so "angry, raising the voice, tapping on the chart with my pen, and then said to her "You are never going to make it as a nurse". This was the most horrible lie I've heard in my whole life. Especially because it came from a person who is about to become an RN.
I've always thought highly of nurses. This whole situation is totally unbelievable to me.
Our union representative said to me "People will say anything to divert the attention".
The manager is not willing to give me a benefit of the doubt. I said to her that I've been working for this organization for 4 years, and why is she giving more credibility to the student than me? I said I would like the student to be present at the meeting and I would like to see her repeating her statements to my face. The manager raised her voice at me and said "Lets not even go there". I dont see a way to prove to her that I never said those things.
It really bothers me that the student is probably feeling happy that she lied so shamelesly and got away with it so easily, and I am the one being punished.
I also started realizing that I am deeply disturbed by the way the manager talks to me such as showing her frustration and raising her voice at me. I feel that for the hard work that I do just as my colleges nurses I deserve better than that. Sure, I could have not said anything to the student, and there are number of ways to address the same situation, however I feel that this is a harsh punishment. What about thousands of things that I've done right, when I went above and beyond my duty, when I work without breaks and stay overtime unpaid, and never hear a word about that from the manager, but do one thing wrong, and will be immediately punished and treated as I am not a good person and a nurse.
I am looking to apply to a different unit. I dont want to work under somebody who treats me like crap.
