Charge nurse who doesn't give a rat's patootie.

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Specializes in acute care med/surg, LTC, orthopedics.

I told a friend of mine I would share her dilemma on AN since there's so many wise souls here that can maybe offer some words of wisdom.

She works at a sprawling 225 bed privately-owned LTC facility which staffs two nurses at night - one RN and one LPN, in addition to 14 HCA's. She is a staff LPN working with a variety of agency RNs who take on the charge nurse role. This facility is unable to retain staff d/t various insurmountable issues too numerous to name which I won't get into here, but suffice it to say... I was once staff there and ran - not walked - away after the full realization of what a toxic work environment it is... but alas, I've digressed...

She often works with a particular agency RN whose work ethic is, let's just say, pretty deplorable. At any given point in a shift she will - for lack of better term - eff off to sleep thus being unreachable, leaving the LPN to cover the entire facility on her own. The two nurses each carry a portable phone so HCAs can reach them with the charge nurse phone being diverted to the LPN phone should that phone go unanswered. So... the agency RN simply turns off her phone, hides away somewhere (it's a massive facility spanning two 3-story buildings) for, at first, a couple hours and, most recently, up to FIVE hours of an 8 hour night shift while the poor LPN runs her a$$ off doing her duties, and the charge nurse duties.

The RN has been reported several times to various levels of management including the mighty Administrator, whose response has been nothing more than "we'll speak to her agency" meanwhile this long-standing issue (we're talking years) continues to escalate. Her agency keeps sending her back, and management keeps accepting her back.

When confronted, the RN has made it clear she sees nothing wrong with her actions. The LPN is now at her wit's end feeling the safety of residents and staff are compromised, not to mention the unfairness of it all.... and is refusing to work with this RN either calling in "sick" when she knows the RN is working or threatening to walk out should she report for her shift and the RN is booked.

To my knowledge, the "walking out" hasn't happened yet but I advised her to be very careful with this as she could be accused of abandoning the residents thus putting her own license in jeopardy.

So... should she take the path of least resistance and follow the lead of many before her and hightail it as fast as her little legs can carry her, or, should she fight-the-good-fight in hopes of making the world a better place for future staff?

Sidebar: The economy here is excellent, she could find work tomorrow but would have to start at the bottom of the seniority ladder - loss of benefits, paid sick time, yadda, yadda.

Thoughts, advice, plans of action, I could pass along to her so she can keep her sanity?

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Next time the RN disappears tell your friend to call 911 and report her missing. And, yes your friend should run fast and far from this facility and report them to the state. Being low on the benefit totem pole is better than losing her license.

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

This probably isn't the best solution, but it sounds like she's tried everything else. Did she ever video the "RN", SLEEPING? I'd try to find her, where she sleeps, and take a video of her, and send it to her agency. I know it's nasty, but if she's tried everything else............

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We had five nurses for a census of about 160. One was the house supervisor. She got canned as the result of her trying to discipline an LVN who slept for a living. The LVN, (who was apparently in the DON's back pocket, otherwise she was worthless), told the DON about the house supervisor sleeping at night. The pot calling the kettle a snooze champion! The DON planned and executed a raid. She caught the supervisor sleeping, and soon fired her. The LVN stayed around to sleep for her living and told everyone, "You **** with me, I **** with you!", just to emphasize that she could do as she pleased. Your friend would do well to not enter into this battle. Since you say there are plenty of jobs in the area, she should find a better one. Let the agency nurse continue to sleep with the blessings of administration.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

I like the 911 idea, but don't know if it wouldn't simply p*** off the police and not accomplish much. I say call whoever is the administrative back-up each and every time you can't find the RN. Everytime the LVN's phone rings with a charge nurse call, she should the supervisor. Every time she can't locate the RN, all night long.

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I would video tape her sleeping with a phone with a camera which everyone has these days. It would be wise to video tape her more than once then send it to management, her agency and the board. Personally I would not stay around for the flack that comes after she sends the video in. The best advise would be for her to find a new job (since the place sounds like **** anyway), then on her last two weeks video tape the lady, and last send the video in and ran out the place.

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Specializes in Case Management.

I would agree with everything that has been suggested already, with a little tweaking. I would warn admin of her plans to call the admin on call every time she is unable to locate the RN in charge. Then follow through.

And I would suggest she look for a different job. However, I would never quit a job until I had a new one lined up. Good economy or bad, it's just not a good idea to quit one without the new one in the wings. Something could fall through, and she may be stuck without a paycheck for a couple of weeks. And nothing coming in means bills don't get paid. Just sayin..

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Actually, I'd tell your friend she needs to make a report to the BON where she works. In most states I've worked in, nurses can lose their licenses for sleeping on duty...at the very least, they may have it suspended.

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Specializes in Professional Development Specialist.
I would agree with everything that has been suggested already, with a little tweaking. I would warn admin of her plans to call the admin on call every time she is unable to locate the RN in charge. Then follow through.

And I would suggest she look for a different job. However, I would never quit a job until I had a new one lined up. Good economy or bad, it's just not a good idea to quit one without the new one in the wings. Something could fall through, and she may be stuck without a paycheck for a couple of weeks. And nothing coming in means bills don't get paid. Just sayin..

I really like that suggestion! It forces administration to be responsible for the situation. :idea: I love the idea of video taping her and sending it to her agency, but I have found the community of nurses in my city to be very small. I always think twice about who I am making an enemy.

Personally I would stick around to a place in transition, where positive change is possible and the goal. I love that sort of thing and enjoy the challenge, it's one of the things I love most about my job right now even if it's hard. But if administration isn't behind that change and sees nothing wrong with the status quo, it's an uphill battle with little chance of winning. She'll be sabotaged at every turn. Tell her to get out and she likely won't look back.

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
Next time the RN disappears tell your friend to call 911 and report her missing. .

This cracked me up. If you do this you need to tell us what happened. Could you imagine being woken up that way????

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Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.

Sounds like reporting to management is getting nowhere....Absolutely without hesitation....call the BRN in your state ....yes the BIG guns...let them deal with your facility. The facility will back down rather than get fined..and the BRN will take careof the nurse. You are correct..this is such deplorable...disgusting...selfish..illegal behavior. This woman ( will not even call her a nurse) is a disgrace to all the hard working dedicated nurses out there . Please let us know what happens

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Specializes in acute care med/surg, LTC, orthopedics.

I really like the 911 suggestion too, but my friend is not nearly as ballsy as I am, so doubt she would resort to this. However, the manager on call being awoken all night each time she's gone AWOL? Fantastic!

I like all your suggestions, and will pass them along to her. Thanks muchly. :yeah:

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