Can someone please help me?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello everyone, thanks for looking at my post. I have been an aide for 2 years. For one of the 2 years i have been working as a pool aide (that is traveling to different facilities around my state). I am currently in nursing school, i will graduate on July 15 with my PN degree. Ok now that you know a little about me i can explain my situation. One night my pool company asked me to cover for a girl who called in at a facility that i had only been to once before, i decided to be the nice person that i am and cover for this girl. When i got to the facility everyone was pleasant (i was workin a 11-7:30 am shift by the way). Anyways i got this assignment sheet that said what cares the residents needed. On this one lady it said she was a 2 person transfer... i highlighted that so i wouldn't forget and went on with my night. About an hour before it was time to get this resident up the aide that i was working with and i discussed who all we'd need to get up together. When i brought up this one ladies name he said "no she's only a 1 person transfer now". I just figured that he didn't want to help me and decided i would ask someone else to help me with that transfer. About 4:55 right before i went to get that one lady up the nurse pulled me aside and told me who i had to walk up to breakfast. This one ladies' name was brought up and i decided to clarify with the nurse by asking "she's a 2 person transfer right?" The nurse said "no she's a 1 person transfer, just make sure to use your gait belt". So i went into get this lady up taking all precautions gait belt, walker, ect. This lady was completely alert and orientated X3. Well as her and i were walking to the bathroom she fell and fractured her ankle.

So now where it starts getting worse: i am currently being investigated by the dia for denile of criticle patient care and neglect (the nurse and the aide denied telling me that she was a 1 person assist). I know that i didn't neglect this patient... i was just doing as i was told. I know that most pool aides take a nurses word over the assignment sheet cause you never know when the assignment sheet could have been made. Also i wasn't orientated to that hallway by anymeans... all's i got was an assignment sheet. My question is shouldn't they have been required to tell me that this resident was a fall risk and had a hx. of her knees giving out? I am so upset over all this i have been told by many people that i am basically being "hung out to dry" and that i will no longer be able to practice as an aide or a nurse... if anyone has some insight on this issue please let me know, i'm not sure if i should graduate with my class, take boards or start looking for a job at Mc Donalds

i also told the dia (when i talked to them) that i would take a lie detector test, i currently have every facility that i've ever worked at writing up a document on my work ethics, i have a 19 page journal of everything that happened that night (including the aides sleeping)... I just feel that it is my one little voice against 4 other voices and a facility with big money... if anyone has any suggestions please let me know... thanks for your time

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

It's so amazing the blame game people play when there's a bad outcome.

We get patients from nursing homes that fall all the time. If everyone got investigated or lost their license for every broken hip alone, there wouldn't be anyone left in a nursing home anywhere. Just because a resident falls and breaks a bone, doesn't mean neglect was had. It's just bad luck.

I don't have any advice, other than to tell the truth. Maybe if you can afford it, if things get ugly you might have to get a lawyer. I'm not familiar with this kind of stuff, only wanted to offer support and best wishes.

Good luck. I think in the end truth and justice will prevail. It's just shameful that they would gang together like that and lie.

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Specializes in LTC/Sub Acute Rehab.
Hello everyone, thanks for looking at my post. I have been an aide for 2 years. For one of the 2 years i have been working as a pool aide (that is traveling to different facilities around my state). I am currently in nursing school, i will graduate on July 15 with my PN degree. Ok now that you know a little about me i can explain my situation. One night my pool company asked me to cover for a girl who called in at a facility that i had only been to once before, i decided to be the nice person that i am and cover for this girl. When i got to the facility everyone was pleasant (i was workin a 11-7:30 am shift by the way). Anyways i got this assignment sheet that said what cares the residents needed. On this one lady it said she was a 2 person transfer... i highlighted that so i wouldn't forget and went on with my night. About an hour before it was time to get this resident up the aide that i was working with and i discussed who all we'd need to get up together. When i brought up this one ladies name he said "no she's only a 1 person transfer now". I just figured that he didn't want to help me and decided i would ask someone else to help me with that transfer. About 4:55 right before i went to get that one lady up the nurse pulled me aside and told me who i had to walk up to breakfast. This one ladies' name was brought up and i decided to clarify with the nurse by asking "she's a 2 person transfer right?" The nurse said "no she's a 1 person transfer, just make sure to use your gait belt". So i went into get this lady up taking all precautions gait belt, walker, ect. This lady was completely alert and orientated X3. Well as her and i were walking to the bathroom she fell and fractured her ankle.

So now where it starts getting worse: i am currently being investigated by the dia for denile of criticle patient care and neglect (the nurse and the aide denied telling me that she was a 1 person assist). I know that i didn't neglect this patient... i was just doing as i was told. I know that most pool aides take a nurses word over the assignment sheet cause you never know when the assignment sheet could have been made. Also i wasn't orientated to that hallway by anymeans... all's i got was an assignment sheet. My question is shouldn't they have been required to tell me that this resident was a fall risk and had a hx. of her knees giving out? I am so upset over all this i have been told by many people that i am basically being "hung out to dry" and that i will no longer be able to practice as an aide or a nurse... if anyone has some insight on this issue please let me know, i'm not sure if i should graduate with my class, take boards or start looking for a job at Mc Donalds

i also told the dia (when i talked to them) that i would take a lie detector test, i currently have every facility that i've ever worked at writing up a document on my work ethics, i have a 19 page journal of everything that happened that night (including the aides sleeping)... I just feel that it is my one little voice against 4 other voices and a facility with big money... if anyone has any suggestions please let me know... thanks for your time

I first want to say that Im sorry that this bs is happening to you. I know how it can be b/c I too was an agency aide for 2 yrs and now I am a LPN. After you called for help, did the same nurse and aide come to your rescue or was it someone else? What did the nurse say when she found the patient? Did the patient fall or did you lower her to the ground? Did the nurse do a full set of vitals plus a neuro check on the resident? Who came to the conclusion that the resident fx his/her ankle? Who, how many aides/nurses lifted the resident off the floor (if that's what happened) and how was it done? Was an incident report presented to you and did you fill it out stating ONLY WHAT HAPPENED and what nurse signed it (if it goes to court, your lawyer will want to subpoena it if you mention that you filled it out and stated that a regular staff nurse and aide both on two separate occasions during that shift told you that the resident was a 1 person transfer despite what the assignment sheet said although in all actuality, YOU SHOULD HAVE CYA)? Did you call your agency and who did you talk to? This will be helpful to you if you reported it to your on-call supervisor. Did you speak to the shift supervisor? Who was he/she and what did they say? Do you know if they called your agency? Is your agency backing you up?

These are all the things you will need to know IMMEDIATELY! THIS INCIDENT WILL BE YOUR FIRST REAL LESSON IN DOCUMENTATION. All the state, facility, your agency, and the court will want to know is EXACTLY WHAT WAS SAID TO YOU AND BY WHOM, WHAT THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET STATED, AND WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED! THAT'S IT AND THAT'S ALL. TELL THE TRUTH AS IT HAPPENED and hopefully things will turn out for the best for you. While this has never happened to me, I have been an aide (staff and agency) long enough to know what time it is and that they will do everything that they can to stick it to you and take the heat off of themselves (facility and staff) while you lose sleep at night. As for school, KEEP GOING b/c you don't know how it will all turn out; and if it turns out to be in your favor, you don't want to have to pick up where you left off in school instead of graduating.

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I'm so sorry this all happened. You have learned an unfortunate lesson about human nature.

Definitely keep on with school. Nurses abuse patients, nurses steal drugs and are addicts. They still work in nursing. Just because you had this event does not mean you should have to change professions.

I'd say you should at least consult a lawyer. Don't discuss it too much with anyone you don't have to talk to. Stand your ground. Name names. State exactly who told you what about the poor patient. They are at least as much to blame as you are. Please tell me you did have your gait belt. I guess you could have refused to get her up unless someone was with you. But you'd have gotten in trouble for that, too. I think it was reasonable for you to trust the nurse and not the paper. You are getting a raw deal.

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Good luck. I think in the end truth and justice will prevail. It's just shameful that they would gang together like that and lie.

I could not have said it better then Tweety.

Just hold your head high and know that justice will prevail.

I too am sorry this has happened to you and the pt.

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Thank you all for your help. Yes i did use my gait belt, i offered the resident the wheelchair, i told her that i was a pool aide and asked her to help "guide me" along, i also had her shoes on and used her walker. I thought i took all precautions but obviously not.

My questions are, if she was a fall risk shouldn't i have been notified of the risk, and if she had a hx. of her knees giving out shouldn't i have been told? As for the incident report a different nurse filled it out and i dont think that she included that i was told the resident was a 1 person assist. We also hoyered her off the floor. They decided not to send her for x-rays until 2 1/2 hours later, so i dunno. Right now it's my word against theirs so i hope the truth will prevail.

I love working in geriatrics, i've actually grown up with them from volunteering since i was 10... i just love being a nurse and hopefully i'll get the chance to be an aide. I just keep praying at night and i hope that god is hearing me. As of right now i am still allowed to work as an aide... please just pray for me and the truth to prevail if you have time

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If it makes you feel any better, any fracture is an automatic state investigation, and 9 times out of 10 nothing comes of it. Keep a written record of what happened (I would get it notarized just in case) and keep doign a great job. And remember from now on who you can trust!

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I don't have any suggestions to offer you for this incident other than the excellent suggestions others have already offered, but I do have one for the future.

When they give you your assignment, is it possible that you could go over it with the charge nurse to make sure you understand everything, ask her if it is up to date and if any changes need to be made on the sheet, and then ask her to sign and date the assignment. And KEEP it for your records.

Of course hind sight is always 20/20.

Not much you can do about the incident already happened, except tell the truth.

Sorry you're going thru this. Sounds like you are a conscientious person and were trying to do the best you could.

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Thanks again everyone for your help. I graduated with high honors and was valedictorian of my class. I recieved my letter from the DIA 2 days before graduation to find out that i had been founded of physical abuse and denile of criticle patient care... so now i'm heart broken. I just cant believe that any nurse/aide would put the patient or me in harms way... but it happened and now i'm paying for it. So now i can't be a nurse or even take my NCLEX. Right now matters are going to court. My only advice to everyone is dont trust ANYONE!!!!

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Oh no... I am so, so sorry. Get a lawyer and FIGHT THIS.

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I would like to update everyone on my situation. I fought this case and eventually won (it took a little over a year). i have learned alot throughout this process and i hope that everyone else learned something too. 4 years later i have finally taken my nursing boards and just found out that i am offically an lpn. thank you all for your support, it meant alot to me. =)

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Congratulations on a positive outcome. Good luck in the future.

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