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I was fired for refusing to give injections incorrectly!



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Jan 05, 2005 02:12 PM

I was fired for refusing to give injections incorrectly!

by katlpn6

Hello, my name is Katherine. I have been an LPN for 10 years. I am an experienced clinition and have won awards for my excellence in clinical practice. I worked in an office for 10 years which gave me a vast amount of experience, from family practice,internal medicine,pre-op teaching,pediatric nursing to urgent care. I take pride in my skills and am dedicated to doing it right for the benefit of my patient. I loved my job but felt it was time for a change so I took a new job in a pediatric office, this office served patients from birth to 18 years old. When I discovered the nurses in this office were giving IM injections with a 5/8" needle I requested that they order some 1" needles, which they did. When the nurse who was orienting me told me that she "tapes syringes together" to give immunizations I almost fell over! I told her that was not clinically appropriate and I would not be doing that. I worked there for two weeks and was brought into the office managers office after work one evening and told that it wasn't working out and they would have to let me go. When I asked why she told me it was because I was too set in my ways and obviously was not willing to do things their way. As difficult as this has been for me, I feel proud that I stood my ground and refused to do it wrong to just keep my job. From what I understand the department of health got word of this and has since gone in to correct the situation. Unfortunately it was at the expence of my job but at least I know the children are being properly immunized because of my sacrifice. Now I'm off to the trenches again to find a job that appreciates a skilled and dedicated nurse!


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67 Comments
No. 1
from z's playa
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:20 PM

Good for you! You're a great example of the kind of nurse I want to be. One that won't back down but why don't they give you your job back? Is this legal for them to do that especially after they were proven wrong?

This is why I get scared sometimes. It seems there isn't enough protection for nurses! Doctors stick together but it seems nurses are encouraged to "snitch" on each other. Am I alone by thinking this way?

I'm sorry to hear about tis.

Good luck. Your next position will be lucky to have you.

Z
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No. 2
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by katlpn6
Hello, my name is Katherine. .... When I discovered the nurses in this office were giving IM injections with a 5/8" needle I requested that they order some 1" needles, which they did. When the nurse who was orienting me told me that she "tapes syringes together" to give immunizations I almost fell over!
Good for you! but you are not done.

Their practice is not only stupid and clinically incorrect, it is dangerous.

You have attempted to let the front office know, and they ignored you. The practice continues. You need to contact your BON and let them know your experience and what you did, and what happened to you, very objectively (no feelings or background info).

And you need to find a different job. Good luck to you!
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No. 3
from cannoli
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:37 PM

What do you mean, she "tapes syringes together"?

Good luck in your job search.
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No. 4
from TracyB,RN
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:37 PM

so, when you say they taped syringes together... are you saying that 2 syringes are taped to give 2 injections at one time? Just trying to get a clear picture of this....
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No. 5
from z's playa
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:41 PM

Freaky stuff......even if they tape them together to administer one dose...the meds are only coming through one needle so I don't get it either.
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No. 6
from katlpn6
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by cannoli
What do you mean, she "tapes syringes together"?

Good luck in your job search.
When she gives immunizations such as DTaP and say Hep B....she tapes the syringes together to give two injections at the same time. This makes it so two injections are given less than a 1/2 inch apart...clearly inappropriate landmarks.
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No. 7
from cannoli
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by katlpn6
When she gives immunizations such as DTaP and say Hep B....she tapes the syringes together to give two injections at the same time. This makes it so two injections are given less than a 1/2 inch apart...clearly inappropriate landmarks.
I've never heard of such a thing!
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No. 8
from z's playa
Old Jan 05, 2005, 02:57 PM

She should be fired. Is there any way to find out if she gets fired? I would think that after the investigation the ones clearly not abiding by proper protocol would have the book thrown at them. Now I'm upset.

what's next? ....taping two foleys together if she can't find the right size?
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No. 9
from nursemike
Old Jan 05, 2005, 03:04 PM

Okay, so I've been sitting here for a while, trying to figure out what kind of utter moron thinks it's faster to tape two syringes together than simply to give two injections. Then it finally dawned on me--peds. They only want to stick the kid one time. I'm not saying it's even remotely right, but at least it makes some semblance of sense.

Anyway, congratulations on "not fitting in" with their way of doing things. That's the great thing about life--there are a million ways to do it wrong, but usually far fewer to do it right.
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