An RN friend being set up at her job, are even threatening her license; need advice

Jolie, BSN · Apr 11, 2010

I'm sorry for your friend's troubles. We can't offer legal advice here.

But there is one point I'd like to make. If a nurse believes she is physically unfit to work, she is ethically bound to cancel her shift. Even if an employer threatens disciplinary action for excessive absence, that is a far better position to be in than to go to work and be accused of working impaired by illness, medication or lack of sleep. A nurse who call off has only her employer to answer to. A nurse who works impaired has the BON to answer to.

I've never understood why nurses allow themselves to be bullied into "coming into work."

If her inability to work is related to a medical or psychiatric condition, she may benefit from using FMLA time.

Peetz, BSN · Apr 11, 2010

She should have not went to work and the nurse in charge should have known that if she was having issues. A license cannot be taken for laying your head down on the job. They have to jump through lots of hoops to take a license and it is up to the nursing board not the charge nurse or hospital personel. Sounds like your friend needs to learn to say NO to coming in when she feels she is not physicaly or mentaly up to par, patient safty is paramount. The rules are in place to protect the client not the nurse, so if your friend was missing work due to lack of ability to care properly for patients, she was in the right not to go to work, is it her job as an RN to put her patients first, not her boss.

They can treaten all they want, as a matter of fact that is not a good practice, and they can get in more trouble for that than she can for laying her head down, or falling asleep.

April, RN, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2010

For what reason are they suspending her from work and threatening to revoke her license for?

mondkmondk · Apr 11, 2010

I just got off the phone with her; she is already notifying an atty who is a friend of her parents'. She says she has never had any action taken against her license of over 20 years and cannot believe this is happening to her. They are threatening suspension and revocation because she came in "over-medicated" and this made her "unsafe" to care for her patients. She also said she wasn't even there one hour and made no errors while there, no one fell or got sick or anything while she was there. She said she was simply dizzy and laid her head down so as to not fall down and hurt herself on the floor...she said that was a mistake, she thinks now, but doesn't feel she should lose her nursing license over it.

Thanks for all the advice so far...I feel really bad for her, I've known her a long time and she is an excellent nurse.

Blessings, Michelle

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 11, 2010

I agree with the above posters: she should have not gone in if she was feeling so sick. People think of "impaired" nurses as being only those who are drunk/stoned when they're on the job...but if she is not in a condition to care for patients for any reason, even if it's from illness and/or prescribed medications, that is considered as being impaired. She shouldn't be there because that does jeopardize patient safety.

As far as all the drama, while I agree that they do have a valid concern about patient safety, I can't believe that they're getting that worked up over 10 seconds of dizziness. It sounds like there's more to this story than we're being told...perhaps maybe even more than YOU'VE been told.

Best of luck to your friend.

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Apr 11, 2010

For them to say she came in to work "overmedicated" is a very serious allegation...if things went down as you say, what was there basis for that? A person can be tired or dizzy without it being caused by taking medication.

I agree, something else had to have happened, there has to be more to this story. Even for a coworker to "tell everyone she was sleeping," how would they have the chance to assume that in a matter of seconds?

This doesn't make a lot of sense, overall.

mondkmondk · Apr 11, 2010

Well, I know she takes Ambien CR and they've given her static over that in the past. I think the place she works wants healthy hearty nurses on NO meds at all. I know another nurse who used to work there too that was on Paxil and Xanax and they railroaded her too. It is so sad that in this day and age, mental illness still carries such a stigma, especially with health care professionals, who should be the most understanding!

My friend was told that since she is only "prn" that she should never ever call in unless death. She has only ever called in once and has worked there like 5 years. Then this happens to her. I personally don't think it's fair. My friend is very honest and has no reason to lie. I believe her; I know you all don't know her like I do so it is easy to assume there is more to it. Basically, my friend is an awesome nurse and "everybody's friend" and someone there has it out for her.

Blessings, Michelle

cherrybreeze, ADN, RN · Apr 11, 2010

Well, I know she takes Ambien CR and they've given her static over that in the past. I think the place she works wants healthy hearty nurses on NO meds at all. I know another nurse who used to work there too that was on Paxil and Xanax and they railroaded her too. It is so sad that in this day and age, mental illness still carries such a stigma, especially with health care professionals, who should be the most understanding!
My friend was told that since she is only "prn" that she should never ever call in unless death. She has only ever called in once and has worked there like 5 years. Then this happens to her. I personally don't think it's fair. My friend is very honest and has no reason to lie. I believe her; I know you all don't know her like I do so it is easy to assume there is more to it. Basically, my friend is an awesome nurse and "everybody's friend" and someone there has it out for her.
Blessings, Michelle

How and why does this employer know what medications their nurses take? It isn't any of their business.

If she does, and did, take Ambien CR, is it not working that her sleep troubles persist? (I am honestly curious about this). It sure would seem not, if her lack of sleep was that evident that day, and she felt that she could not work because of it?

You are right, it is certainly possible that someone has it out for her....stranger things have happened, no doubt. It's also true that oftentimes, you only get part of the story from someone (not saying about your friend in particular, just in general). I do wish her the best....IF she loses this job (which I hope not, unless she'd prefer to!), she should not tell her next employer about her home meds.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 11, 2010

I believe her; I know you all don't know her like I do so it is easy to assume there is more to it.

With all due respect...unless you ARE her, you really may not know the whole story. She may be telling you the truth...but she may not be telling you everything. Again, something doesn't add up in all of this, which is why some of us see this--the "more to the story"--as a valid possibility.

The best thing she can do right now (and which she already did) is get a lawyer. The best thing you can do right now is be there for her when she needs you.

caliotter3 · Apr 11, 2010

She needs to find a new job and follow the advice of her attorney. And she needs to learn from this. Don't walk into traps set by a vindictive employer. Sounds as if they had her in their sights for quite some time and she fell for it.

mondkmondk · Apr 11, 2010

Ugh. In response to the meds being their business question, most health care facilities in our area do a drug test upon hire and random ones they feel as necessary. I know Ambien and Xanax would come up as a benzo...however, I don't see how they could hold that against you if you had a valid prescription for it and could bring your med in as proof or a written note from your doc. Just a thought....

Blessings, Michelle