Abandonment

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · Mar 24, 2020

If you drove yourself home, let's be honest...you were well enough to give report.

If you didn't go straight to the ER, you weren't that sick.

It meets the criteria and yes, they should pursue it. It doesn't really sound like you had permission to leave either.

I had to go to the ER once when I still worked the floor and my manager came down and took report from me on my patients.

sevensonnets · Mar 24, 2020

I agree with you Jory. If someone's that sick that they leave the floor midshift without giving a report, they had better be headed to the ED. I've never heard of a digestive upset that would render someone speechless.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2020

If you are vomiting or having terrible pain or diarrhea, you aren't going to do too much talking.

OP, glad it worked out well. How did that happen?

I agree it would have been smart to go to the ER.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2020

On 3/19/2020 at 11:39 AM, kp2016 said:
I suspect there are actually 3 issues here, patient was
"very critical",
"I had nothing charted"
"unable to give report"
I agree it's harsh to throw you under the bus for getting sick at work. I'm guessing if the patient's condition declined or a complaint was made by the family management might think they would have a hard time defending the care he recieve and that notion that "their facility" didn't fail in its duty of care therefore contributing to a poor outcome.
Is there perhaps a bigger problem like maybe a poor outcome or a family complaint?

Did you see that she charted the admission assessment? Why focus only on what she couldn't do instead of acknowledging that she did her best?

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Mar 25, 2020

7 minutes ago, Kooky Korky said:
Did you see that she charted the admission assessment? Why focus only on what she couldn't do instead of acknowledging that she did her best?

Most places I’ve worked at give you a 24 hour timeframe to complete an admission assessment. I would much rather actually get report on a critical patient drips running rather than have their admission assessment complete.

Nurseynurse1418 · Mar 25, 2020

OK everyone. I should clarify. I charted the admission assessment and a few other things. But was not completely caught up with charting. I also told the oncoming nurse what drips the pt was on and left a written report that I wrote while on the toilet (TMI, but at this point it needs to be said). After that, I left. I did not give a full verbal report. The only verbal report I gave was the drips, the rest was written. I quit that job after they threatened my license and got a new job the next day. It all worked out. I realize I was mostly in the wrong. I also did not drive home right away. I had to make multiple bathroom stops on the way out of the building and sat in my car with a bag to throw up in for about 20 mins before I left the parking lot. I made it home before I spent the night on my bathroom floor. I was sick with N/V/D and a fever for 2 days. I returned to work a day after I felt better and that's when they threatened my license. I quit the next day. I applied for a new job the same day I quit and had an interview the following day. Two after after the interview, they called and made me an offer. I have been a nurse for 4 years, have my CCRN,FCCS,ACLS,PALS,CVVHD certifications. By no means am I a lazy nurse and I have never had disciplinary action before. This was a one time occurrence that I should have thought out differently before I clocked out. Thank you all for the input.

Sour Lemon · Mar 25, 2020

2 hours ago, Nurseynurse1418 said:
OK everyone. I should clarify. I charted the admission assessment and a few other things. But was not completely caught up with charting. I also told the oncoming nurse what drips the pt was on and left a written report that I wrote while on the toilet (TMI, but at this point it needs to be said). After that, I left. I did not give a full verbal report. The only verbal report I gave was the drips, the rest was written. I quit that job after they threatened my license and got a new job the next day. It all worked out. I realize I was mostly in the wrong. I also did not drive home right away. I had to make multiple bathroom stops on the way out of the building and sat in my car with a bag to throw up in for about 20 mins before I left the parking lot. I made it home before I spent the night on my bathroom floor. I was sick with N/V/D and a fever for 2 days. I returned to work a day after I felt better and that's when they threatened my license. I quit the next day. I applied for a new job the same day I quit and had an interview the following day. Two after after the interview, they called and made me an offer. I have been a nurse for 4 years, have my CCRN,FCCS,ACLS,PALS,CVVHD certifications. By no means am I a lazy nurse and I have never had disciplinary action before. This was a one time occurrence that I should have thought out differently before I clocked out. Thank you all for the input.

They can still file a complaint against you, even if you no longer work there. Hopefully, they won't. It sounds like you did the best you could do in a bad situation that you had no control over.

bluescrubs, ADN, ASN, RN · Mar 25, 2020

I hope it all works out. Some employees and upper management have no compassion towards these things. I remember at an old job (non nursing related), we were getting slammed with customers. It was that time of the month and I felt light headed, had terrible cramps and I honestly felt like I was going to pass out. I took a midol 30 min before and still was feeling light headed. I told my boss and they kept saying can't you stay? Did you take anything for it? They were fake concerned ?. Even a coworker said it wasn't fair that I got to go home when we were already short staffed and extremely busy. In all honesty I do not feel bad for leaving. God forbid anything happens to us workers they will just replace us anyways. A job I can always get, but your health is priority. Did they expect you to chart and give report from the toilet? Maybe you could of gave report over the phone on the way home but I know when you are feeling unwell you just want to curl up in bed and pass out. Finding a job won't be hard in these times since you have ICU experience. I heard travel nurses are making great money now.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2020

On 3/24/2020 at 10:22 PM, Nurseynurse1418 said:
OK everyone. I should clarify. I charted the admission assessment and a few other things. But was not completely caught up with charting. I also told the oncoming nurse what drips the pt was on and left a written report that I wrote while on the toilet (TMI, but at this point it needs to be said). After that, I left. I did not give a full verbal report. The only verbal report I gave was the drips, the rest was written. I quit that job after they threatened my license and got a new job the next day. It all worked out. I realize I was mostly in the wrong. I also did not drive home right away. I had to make multiple bathroom stops on the way out of the building and sat in my car with a bag to throw up in for about 20 mins before I left the parking lot. I made it home before I spent the night on my bathroom floor. I was sick with N/V/D and a fever for 2 days. I returned to work a day after I felt better and that's when they threatened my license. I quit the next day. I applied for a new job the same day I quit and had an interview the following day. Two after after the interview, they called and made me an offer. I have been a nurse for 4 years, have my CCRN,FCCS,ACLS,PALS,CVVHD certifications. By no means am I a lazy nurse and I have never had disciplinary action before. This was a one time occurrence that I should have thought out differently before I clocked out. Thank you all for the input.

kind of hard to think clearly when sick

glad you are feeling better, glad you got another job easily

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2020

On 3/24/2020 at 9:55 PM, JadedCPN said:
Most places I’ve worked at give you a 24 hour timeframe to complete an admission assessment. I would much rather actually get report on a critical patient drips running rather than have their admission assessment complete.

Most shmost

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Apr 13, 2020

19 minutes ago, Kooky Korky said:
Most shmost

Not sure what the point of your post is? I didn’t say most places in general, I said specifically most places that I have personally worked at.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2020

While this is all fresh in your mind, write it down on an 8x11 notepad or journal or something that cannot be altered (like they'd see if pages were ripped out). Sign it like a nurse's note and keep it. Just in case.