Filed 2 complaints with Corporate. What is the next step?

Nurses Safety

Published

Our Mental Health facility continues to accept patients that are non-weight bearing, requiring wheelchairs and assistance with transfers. Yet we DO NOT have any mechanical lifts available at our facility. I filed a complaint with our facility management and I filed a complaint with corporate compliance. No resolution to the issue.

Since filing the complaints back in 2015, we have had multiple patient falls and one nurse severely injured her back (corporate is refusing to pay for worker's comp for her). Again, I have filed a complaint with corporate regarding this issue. No response.

Any advice on what else I can do to resolve this patient and employee safety hazard?? Any suggestions on who to talk to next? (JCAHO, OSHA, etc.)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Well you will likely not get any resolution from the corporate office as they usually don't care and wont until there are enough serious falls to warrant a complaint to state and federal regulatory agencies. As you know Medicare will not cover the cost of treatment that is the result of a preventable fall (CMS considers all falls preventable). As for your friend - if she was hurt on the job and the incident was properly reported and she was sent for immediate exam at an industrial health clinic. She is entitled to workman's comp. If the employer is denying this your co-worker needs to hire a personal injury attorney.

Hppy

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Is there an Ombudsman you can report to?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

You probably will have little influence on corporate responsiveness....

i would seek seek alternative work environment...

best wishes

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Your state health dept. (or whatever agency licenses facilities in your state) will likely be more responsive, especially if you have specific dates/times/incidents to report.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

OSHA Worker Rights and Protections - How to File a Safety and Health Complaint

Here ya go. I'd do it yesterday.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Brush up your resume. You will likely be fired. As someone else suggested, go to the regulatory agencies. They can light a fire under your reluctant bosses. Best for you if your coworkers band together with you. Good luck.

An employer can fight having to pay workers' comp, but an attorney might be able to get them to pay.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

We are our companies' worker bees. We are easily replaceable cogs in the machine. We are not important as individuals. There are always other warm bodies willing to take our spots. Nobody takes us seriously, and that's one of the things that really sucks about being a nurse. As individuals we have exactly zero power to change things. I very seriously doubt you are going to be able to get anything done on your own.

I would report to OSHA and get out of there. Honestly, I'm wondering why you're still hanging around in a place that obviously cares nothing about you or your safety. It's admirable of you to care about your patients' and coworkers' safety, but just report and leave.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment