Anyone ever heard of anything like this?

[JusBeinANur]

I work in a LTC facilty, at our last staff meeting our administrator and DON announced that they would be reporting people for neglect & abuse, would call the police and have them arrested. Here is the part that caught me off gaurd.... The Examples they gave are as follows... (1) If one CNA reports that a fellow CNA failed to change their patient(s) that is considered neglect (2) Nurses and/or Med Tech's.. You have a resident that falls and they wear a body alarm, it is found that the body alarm wasn't on them or working properly that is considered neglect/abuse (3) You fail to follow-up on PRN meds, or a patient reports that they are still having pain and you do nothing to try to manage it, ie., you have given all scheduled pain meds and prn meds and pt is still reporting 2/10 on the pain scale and you don't follow-up with Dr., etc it is neglect/ abuse.. They then proceeded to tell staff that if anything like this came up they would be calling the police, would have them arrested, the employee would be suspended and a investigation would follow, and they would report you to the state and the prosecuting attorney..

Since this meeting ( which has only been a few days ) Our staff is not showing up for work, quitting,etc..

This, of course, leaves us short staffed and creates many problems. Over the weekend we also found out that our facility had the long-distance suspended on the phone lines, staff was not informed of this by the admin., It was discovered when trying to place a call to hospice. We have also had numerous theft's in the bld., including a office door trying to be kicked-in, the facility threatned a "sting-operation" but failed to make a police report on the incident.

We were also given documents from corporate that state the procedure for reporting neglect abuse is as follows

(1) notify the victims family or Rep.

(2) Call the police

(3) Call the Admin., DON

The Administrator proceeds to inform us that SHE IS TO BE CALLED FIRST..

I am thinking this situation is very strange but since I haven't worked at very many places, I am in need of your Advice, comments, and suggestions.

Thanks!

[Psychtrish39, BSN, RN]

:crying2:Thanks for All the input... I am starting to wonder if I even care if they take my license... HOWEVER, the thought of having to go to jail or court,etc. scares the crap out of me!! I really need a job right now and the employment options in my area are SCARCE! HOWEVER, I don't know if all the stress is worth it..

Just leave its not worth it and they will try to burn you sounds like a place out here in the NW the state shut down . I have had bad environments that I took positions at but when I found out the places were bad I left with no notice. Sometimes you have to for your sanity and your license but I have never dealt with anything like that but its not worth your license. That place is sick and you call the state on them for threatening health care workers . The Department of Labor might be interested in that in your state.

Gosh the poor residents there though but you cant do good work if there are not others there to work with you. I would leave only Nazis would threaten health care workers with the police. Take care and run you will find another job that is a hostile work environment.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

Seriously: get OUT of there while the gettin's good. I've worked for a couple of psychotic administrators, but I'd work at Wal-Mart before staying on the job at a facility like you've described. It's soooooo not worth it. Go while you still can!

[Caffeine_IV]

I would get out of there so fast with no notice.

It's so not worth it..not to mention you will be working short staffed since so many have already quit.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I've taken some time to mull this one over, and I don't see any advantage to staying there. Leave now, and explain to your next employer why you had to get out ASAP. Bring a copy of the latest memo....you are getting out before the whole place falls down on top of you.

[JusBeinANur]

"that place is sick and you call the state on them for threatening health care workers . the department of labor might be interested in that in your state. "

i wonder if this is against the law, and how could i find out?

[Simba&NalasMom, LPN]

"that place is sick and you call the state on them for threatening health care workers . the department of labor might be interested in that in your state. "

i wonder if this is against the law, and how could i find out?

do a google search for your state's labor board and give them a call. also, like another poster said, if your building is corporate owned, call the complaint hotline (although i have to say sometimes that doesn't do much).

i am 110% in agreement with everybody else here, though....get out now. it sounds to me as if they may already have the state crawling up their a$$ for reported violations and are looking for staff to hang. you do not deserve to take the fall for a poorly run administration.

[Psychtrish39, BSN, RN]

"that place is sick and you call the state on them for threatening health care workers . the department of labor might be interested in that in your state. "

i wonder if this is against the law, and how could i find out?

the department of labor could help and also i don't know if your state has a dept of labor and industries but someone at either of those departments could help you or guide you where you need to go . it is against the law to threaten anyone with making a police report that is heresy and torturing employees with it. you could call a lawyer also who specializes in employment law. thats what i would do. it may not help you right now but there is something wrong there and the adminstration will go after whoever is left thats how bosses like that operate and it also disrespectful to you as a nurse. i would be mad myself and out to save myself and anyone that came after me. i would call the state too to try to protect the vulnerable adults there just explain what is happening there the state needs to know that.