Abandonment?

[msnurse]

We had a nurse that was called into the nursing managers office. When she arrived she was presented with a letter that was written by one of her co-workers. The contents of the letter upset the nurse and she told the nursing manager and supervisor that she was clocking out and leaving for the day. She had not patients in her care at the time. Would this be considered abandonment?

[mattsmom81]

My guess is this is not abandonment. I understand abandonment to be leaving AFTER accepting a patient assignment, without securing another nurses' care for them.

[cannoli]

Each state (BON) may define abandonment differently.

I know a nurse manager that would threaten to report a nurse for abandonment for that but according to my state it is not, she did not receive report and was not responsible for any patients.

What was in the letter!? I'm glad I don't work in a place like that, with those kind of co-workers, unless it concerned something life threatening.

[Talino]

This is a case of:

"The employer-employee relationship is ended without providing the employer with a period of time to find a replacement."

Patient abandonment? No!

But Employer abandonment, maybe!

In New York, it can be construed as employer abandonment. However, "in which patient care is not seriously impaired, would probably not alone subject the nurse to disciplinary action by the State Education Department."

Check your State Education Dept. Office of Professions or the BON.

[jemb]

Unless the nurse that left was you , why would you care?

Has your employer threatened to report you to the BON for abandonment, or is this another rumor started by a co-worker?

[Teshiee]

I did the same thing to a boss who left me with unadequate staffing. The next day I gave my resignation and he threaten me with abandoment, yeah right on my day off? I understand that abandoment is when you leave the floor after taking report, not notifying your supervisor and there is no coverage. It must have been something pretty raw in that letter to make her quit like that!

[cannoli]

That's funny, threatening abandonment for handing in a resignation, on your day off or any other day. What an idiot, but that sounds typical.

[Gerinurse101]

Can just quitting without notice be considered abandonment? I know it is not the wisest thing to do, but would it also be considered abandonment?

[cannoli]

In my state, that would not be considered abandonment, it would be considered an employment issue. Of course, I suppose they could report it to the BON, just to be vindictive, but since they don't consider it abandonment, I don't think they would or could do anything about it.

My state BON has a website and I'm sure I saw the definition of abandonment on the site.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

She did not accept an assignment and didn't have an assignement at that time. So I doubt it was abandonment. Here I'm pretty sure it's only when you have patients in your care, or have accepted an assignement.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Gerinurse101

Can just quitting without notice be considered abandonment? I know it is not the wisest thing to do, but would it also be considered abandonment?

No it would not. This is still America, we can still quit our jobs. Just not while we have a patient assignment.

[sjoe]

If she had not accepted a patient assignment (i.e. taken report), then she cannot abandon patients. Simple as that. She may be insubordinate, have abandoned her JOB without notice, pissed off her boss, or maybe even took leave of her senses, but she is NOT guilty of PATIENT abandonment.

Similarly, if you have a particular patient load and are "given" an addition patient, if you refuse the addition, this is NOT patient abandonment.