How likely is termination?

[bbcfan]

My boyfriend, also a nurse, has always had great evaluations but he made a big mistake. For reasons that he admits were due to his misunderstanding of something the nurse who replace him said, he failed to give a give the verbal report of his patients to this nurse or to the charge nurse. They could not reach him for three hours to get the report as he was traveling and turns his phone off when he is driving. He called when he got the message. As the HR person who handles this sort of thing was on vacation, he got put on paid administrative leave until she returns. He has never had any issues before at all. We are very worried he will be terminated over this. Totally ruined our holiday and he is very depressed. He is a perfectionist an the insecurity about whether or not he will be terminated is getting him down as well as his anger with himself for making such a mistake. (He really is hard on himself.) This limbo is hard on both of us. What do you think his chances of being terminated over this are? And do you have any suggestions as to how I can help him get through the week until he is able to talk to someone in HR? Thank you.

[schnookimz]

Has he called HR? Doesn't he have an option to appeal the termination?

When this happens at my old hospital, a board heard the case if an employee appealed it.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

I still don't understand how he thought it was ok to leave without giving some sort of report to someone?? I understand he didn't want to wait, but you have to tell someone what's going on with your patients.. I don't think he deserved termination, but what he did was not safe for the patients. The nurse coming on should have taken report first unless this patient was critical.

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

I am surprised that no action was taken against the oncoming nurse who walked away from him instead of taking report.

My thought too! Seems to me like it was a "comedy of errors" so to speak. I know at the facility where dh works something similar to this happened. It was a staff nurse that was getting off and an agency nurse replacing her -- the hospital terminated her and said she would be reported.

Two years later and she has never heard from the BON about the situation. She took a job at another facility - she was really apprehensive waiting for a call or paperwork from the board - but it didn't happen.

Not saying this will be the case for y'all, it could be. Not trying to violate TOS - but I wouldn't put my professional career on hold indefinetly. Do some searching for a new job - just waiting seems like it would compound the stress.

Good luck to your bf - let us know how it goes.

Anne, RNC

[monkeybug]

Our state does not allow unions for teachers, nurses, policemen, firemen, etc. And this WAS his first infraction. Hospital was recently acquired by another and I think the interim director is trying score points. Our concern now is his license. The director says this was technically patient abandonment and withholding information. He had started to give the info to the nurse but then she took off. He understood her to say she was going to admit a patient and was good to go. His license will be flagged if the board considers this risking public safety. The director said that since he assumed, she no longer felt it was safe for him to work on the floor. To me it sounds like a personal vendetta. Sounds like she putting her own spin on things. Best not to work under people like that. He has to travel to the state capitol to pick up in person any papers filed. But we will do that. Now if we had a union, we wouldn't be at the mercy of those looking to make themselves look good. Most nurses can't afford lawyers. We are lucky to get advice from several of his family members who are attorneys. So at least we know to get involved in the process at the beginning. My fear is that he is a male nurse and here in the bible belt some make assumptions and let their prejudices cloud their environment. I am female so their assumption would be wrong but that shouldn't matter. Just my feeling at this point. Not saying this is the case. I am in my disappointment phase.

This is why it is so important to carry malpractice insurance. It's incredibly affordable, and they will provide an attorney (with most policies) if you have to go before the board. It's too late for this event, but he should definitely consider getting a policy for the future.

And I've seen nurses with much bigger issues with the Board than this go on to have successful careers. Unless he just really wants to quit nursing, he shouldn't throw in the towel now.