Contract cancelled, now company says I can't work for them.

[acuriousLPN]

I have been a traveling nurse for a little over a year now, on my fourth assignment. This assignment has come with many obstacles. The facility is LTC and very large, 254 beds. When I interviewed I was told that I would be primarily on one unit due to the facilities size. When I arrived to the facility I was floated to every unit, no complaints from me and just kept my head down and did my job. Weeks had gone by and I found that the facility is extremely unorganized. The NP/PA yelling at nurses, the facility calling my company stating I no called, no showed on my scheduled days off. I had a unit manager get in my face and yell at me for calling and asking who the other nurse was when we weren't sure who was working on the unit. Then again when I assisted a patient into a straight back chair this same unit manager started yelling things at me from down the hallway because I didn't clear the transfer with her first . I had reported these things to my company and they acted appropriately.

Yesterday I was scheduled to be on a rehab unit with 20 patients, 4 large dressings, 2 admissions and having worked on that unit many times before I knew that it would be an unsafe situation for only one nurse to be on the unit. Also, there was no management in the building to assist with anything if a situation occurred. I felt that taking that specific assignment it would be unsafe and would put my nursing license in jeopardy as well as patient care and safety. I went to speak with the supervisor telling her I felt it was unsafe and that I wanted to be switched to another unit or she could send me home. She told me if I refused to take the assignment she would report me to the board of nursing and make sure I lost my nursing license among other things. I asked to talk to the DON and was also met with much resistance. She absolutely refused to allow me to speak to anyone in management. I called my recruiter and company where no one was available because the company was closed with no emergency contact. The supervisor ended up taking the other cart and I stayed for my shift.

Today I called out of work related to a personal matter. I was contacted by my recruiter who read me a statement made by the DON of this facility. The statement said that I left mid shift (I stayed well past my shift tying up loose ends), that I told other staff to not work there (which is untrue), and that I said I would not be coming back (I did say that out of anger after the supervisor threatened to call the BON and make sure I lost my nursing license). I explained this to the recruiter and called the DON to see why she would say those things. The DON and I had a good conversation, she said I'm a good nurse and she thinks the facility could be too large for me. I explained that I think the facility it too unorganized. She stated that is how ICU and acute care hospitals run however, LTC is different. The conversation ended fine and she said she would contact my company and let them know I did in fact finish my shift. I called my recruiter who told me that if they cancel my contract (I have two scheduled shifts left) I would be unable to work with that company anymore. I haven't heard anything back from my recruiter who told me to sit tight and we will see what comes of it. Now i'm worried I can't travel anymore because of this. I can only be responsible for myself and do not feel that I did anything wrong with sticking up for myself and protecting my license.

[Wolf at the Door, BSN]

What facility is this? For the future don't put up with toddler behavior.

[NedRN]

Your license is never in jeopardy from taking an unsafe assignment, only from carrying out an assignment with poor to bad nursing judgment in response to prioritizing tasks (which cannot all be done) or skills you don't have versus an average nurse in that situation with your training and experience.

You also may not be dinged for patient abandonment for refusing an assignment, only if you accept the assignment and then go home. Clearly that did not happen. Nothing of what you describe would be grounds for a BON report to be sustained with sanctions.

The allegations by the facility are enough for the agency to suspend you due to their own risk management policies though. Don't take it personally but move on (actually happened to me under far less compelling circumstances than you have experienced and without threats of BON reports or judgment issues). Lots of agencies. Do not report this assignment on your work history. If you are not already doing so, get your own independent written references from each assignment. Having one in hand at this last assignment would have made a defense from a BON report easier.

I might suggest asking the DON for a reference, if she is willing to provide a neutral one. Something along the lines of showing good work ethics or judgment under a difficult (or challenging) work environment. It doesn't sound like you are going to be reported to the BON (could be some hussy from the facility HR), so you don't need it for that. But it will help salve your feelings and give you the option of putting this assignment on your work history.

[acuriousLPN]

I don't want to put the facilities name out there but, it is in Massachusetts

[acuriousLPN]

Thank you, I will do that. Like the post says the DON and I had a very nice conversation today so, we will see. I will be touching base with my current recruiter tomorrow and will get the final say on whether I can no longer work with that company or not. I should have taken the out earlier in the assignment instead of trying to stick it out. I now know next time to leave when I see problems that are effecting me and my ability to do a job.

[NedRN]

Your choice but prolonging breakups just prolongs the heartache. In my case, trying to mend wounds to demonstrate loyalty simply hurt me worse.

I would recommend talking to other agencies now to ensure you have options available to you. Consider also filing for unemployment as it might take a couple months to get back to work (worst case). Your agency will fight it, but you didn't end the contract and most such claims are sustained.

If you have access to your timecards or records, copy them - I copy all mine routinely every week and save them on my laptop because they can come in useful for all kinds of things. In your case, it could refute their claim of abandonment should they make one for the day you stayed late.

[Aromatic]

sounds like there is a reason that place uses travel nursing, as long as the story provided to us is fully true

[Wolf at the Door, BSN]

I don't want to put the facilities name out there but, it is in Massachusetts

Your post is eerie similar to another travel nurse who was in Massachusetts this year complaining exactly similar to what you have just written. I think it was at Kindred. I can't locate the thread because something is going on with this website threads and post archive of 2016. I can't see any of my post from 2016 except this month.

Anyways there are 1000 plus travel companies out there.

[acuriousLPN]

It wasn't a kindred facility but, yes I know and I'm looking at this as an opportunity to work with other companies and recruiters with other options. I've already applied to two new companies, now it's a waiting game