Being written up

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I was written up for something that happened over a week ago. One of my patients who suffered a stroke and is not able to move her arms and legs very well and has difficulty with speech asked me call her husband one night. I dialed the  number for her like I've numerous times before.  They video chat. I stayed a little bit because I had to hold the phone for her. I could not understand what she was saying to her husband. After the conversation ended, the husband called the facility  saying his wife said she was punched in the mouth by her aid. I reported it to the supervisor and it was investigated and the CNA was suspended but has since returned to work. I initially said I was not in the room during the phone call which I  was. I was wrong for lying. Now they were accusing me that I am the one who put the idea in the patient's head and that the family confirmed. Those are all lies, I never said such things. I was with the aid when she was providing care to the resident. I know nothing happened. I know it looks bad when I said I wasn't in the room during the phone call with the patients husband.  I just meant that I didn't stay there long because I put the phone in the patient's hand so she can continue talking with her husband. I then left the room. I explained that to the DON and Administrator.  However a week after the fact. I was called to the office and written up for not being truthful.  I understand that but why did they take so long to decide to write me up. Why did they not write me up when it first happened if they felt I deserved it. Why wait so long. It doesn't make sense to me and seems a little fishy. Maybe I am exaggerating, I don't know. Please any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks again. Sorry for the long post.

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If you want to know why they waited a week to write you up, you have to ask them. If I felt like I had been written up unjustly, I'd probably start looking for alternate employment.

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6 hours ago, Springdaisy04 said:

Now they were accusing me that I am the one who put the idea in the patient's head and that the family confirmed.

You gave them room to imagine what else your involvement might have been when you chose to lie.

Imagine if you had relayed from the outset what you told us here--that you were there holding the phone for the patient. You would have also been able to comment that you're surprised at the detail of the husband's report since it was difficult to understand anything the patient was saying.

I have seen a number of petty write-ups posted here but honestly in this situation I am not surprised they are perturbed enough to have disciplined you. They would have had to go through the steps of investigating this after the husband's phone call one way or another, but it might have been much easier to get to the bottom of it if you had been forthright.

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7 hours ago, Springdaisy04 said:

I initially said I was not in the room during the phone call which I  was. I was wrong for lying.

 

7 hours ago, Springdaisy04 said:

Why did they not write me up when it first happened if they felt I deserved it. Why wait so long. It doesn't make sense to me and seems a little fishy.

I am seriously confused here.

You lied.  

You were disciplined for lying.

Your'e concerned about the amount of time it took them to write you up?  

7 hours ago, Springdaisy04 said:

I know it looks bad when I said I wasn't in the room during the phone call with the patients husband. 

Of course it looks bad- you are a liar.  I don't mean it as an insult, or even a criticism, I mean it literally.  What this means is that any reasonable person will be skeptical about what you say.

You have lost all credibility in this current situation, and will need to earn it back.  In the future, do not be surprised if your truthfulness comes into doubt.

My advice is to stop focusing on the fishy nature of how your bosses are handling this and focus on what you can control.  What you can control is how you manage difficult situations in the future.  

 

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If it took them a week to decide to write you up perhaps it took them a week to decide to start a paper trail. I would seek work elsewhere if I were you.

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The phone call is not the issue.  The alleged assault is the issue.  You reported the issue and  followed procedure.

 You were written up, because the powers that be are throwing you under the bus for the incident. 

Get outta Dodge.  

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Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.

It was probably being investigated which is why it took awhile to be written up. There are always a lot of factors when a family or patient reports something. This is especially true if things aren’t adding up with an employee’s work record. Then there are other factors added like management, etc. If you feel like your job is in jeopardy, I would leave while you can.  

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Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

To say that post-CVA patients can be a little wonky is an understatement. And I have found that most family members will support this wonkiness because they may not want to acknowledge that "Aunt Matilda" is a little altered. I was once accused of not shaving a patient, even though we shaved him every time he complained. He was completely clean-shaven, but the family chose to believe his complaints, including one who was a co-worker on a different floor. Cause a lot of hard feelings. But they are not writing you up for "putting ideas" in your patient's head, they are writing you up for lying. This is not the end of the world. Not sure why you lied, but if you have a reasonable excuse, I would ask to document it in the paperwork. My theory is that there may be people on the floor who hold you responsible for the CNA being disciplined. They will find out you have been written up and consider it justice. I think they "lying" offense is lighter than the "influencing a patient in a negative way" would have been. Perhaps they see it as going easy on you. Say no more about it. 

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It may be that the local mgmt wasn't going to write you up but was directed to by higher management.  By lying, you put yourself in a suspicious light in an uncertain situation.  They don't know who to believe. 

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Specializes in oncology.
On 9/27/2020 at 10:22 PM, Springdaisy04 said:

I was with the aid when she was providing care to the resident. I know nothing happened.

 

On 9/27/2020 at 10:22 PM, Springdaisy04 said:

After the conversation ended, the husband called the facility  saying his wife said she was punched in the mouth by her aid. I reported it to the supervisor and it was investigated and the CNA was suspended but has since returned to work.

Did you realize the aide was innocent of the charge, was suspended, probably there was financial loss and loss of reputation?

 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Let me get this right - you lied. You admit you lied. And all you're worried about is why it took admin/mgt some time to write you up!?!?

No remorse. No apology to the CNA to whose character assassination you contributed.

Unless there is something else here, I'll be very frank - I don't think I could EVER trust working with you. And I don't think you'll garner much support and trust from your coworkers at your job.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall when this all transpired!

hherrn - my post pretty much echoes yours. 

Been there, done that  - I may have misread your post, but I don't think she's being unjustly thrown under the bus. Looks like cause for the disciplinary action is very legit.

 

 

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
On 9/27/2020 at 10:22 PM, Springdaisy04 said:

I reported it to the supervisor and it was investigated and the CNA was suspended but has since returned to work.

On 9/27/2020 at 10:22 PM, Springdaisy04 said:

I was with the aid when she was providing care to the resident. I know nothing happened.

Wait, WHAT????

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