Abandonment?

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I walked into work, clocked in, went to huddle(to discuss business/ be assigned a team). Walked out to the floor and looked at the charge nurse and said "I quit.” Then left.

I won't go over the reason, but is this abandonment?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

If you took report and did not do a handoff report when leaving, then yes, it may be considered abandonment.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ER and Administration.

Did you take report on any patients? If you did and did not report off on those patients, then this would be abandonment. If you did not take report on patients, then it is not abandonment.

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Regardless, it was a douche move; one that left your former team mates in a lurch.

Although I get the impression you just don't care.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Many people think if you didn't take report it's not abandonment, but actually clocking in shows an intent to care for a group of patients that have been assigned to you and it is abandonment regardless if you took report or not.  

The circumstances might be that are you in the right but the case can be made against you.  

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You clocked in, but you didn't intend to work your shift? I hope you already had another job lined up. There was obviously a problem before this day. How did your manager respond?

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Specializes in ED & Critical Care CEN, TCRN, CCRN, CFRN, CTRN.

Everyone has their "opinion" but your STATE Nurse Practice Act defines abandonment. The language is clear in your practice act, just look it up. Just showing up, punching the time clock, the deciding to clock out without accepting an assignment in my state DOES NOT constitute abandonment. If I take a report, I have to "refuse" the assignment. If I take the report and don't refuse, then I'm assuming care. 

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