Curious....If D.O.N., A.D.O.N, and/or Admin. are fired w/out notice.,

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Specializes in NICU, Peds, Med-Surg.

how does a facility legally run without them if they're fired with no notice? It has NOT happened where I work, but I've heard stories from other nurses where "our D.O.N. and Admin. were escorted out"....etc. Also, we haven't had an A.D.O.N. for a while, so IF that happened where I work, how does the facility keep running until (IF) they find replacements?

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At my facility we are part of a corporation so corporate would send out an interim admin or DON until they hire someone. But managers of units kinda step up and may be the contact when the interim isn't in the building.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

There's no regulation about having an ADON. If the Administrator leaves or is fired, there is usually someone in the corporation who has a license to 'put on the wall'. Sometimes corporate sends an Interim DNS, sometimes they look at all the RNs in the room and appoint one.

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Specializes in NICU, Peds, Med-Surg.

Thanks for the replies...I was so curious, since talking to mannnny LTC nurses about the horror stories of some DONs and/or Admins where they used to work, being escorted out of the building etc. Seems some facilities have a VERY hard time finding/keeping staff in the first place, so I wondered how they replace the "higher ups" so quickly.

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Question: I just got hired at a LTC facility ....I just found out that me and the Don are the only RN's there during the week and the DON is going out of town for a few days ....I will be then only RN in the building during the week. What happens if state comes in? I'm a new nurse I just got my license on 8/15/13. Plz advise.

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Where I come from an RN has to have a minimum of one year of experience to work as a supervisor.

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Judy -- You should have a resource person available any time the DON is not available.

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The admin should be your go to person

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Yeah I ended quitting. So problem solved. But that's for info.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
Thanks for the replies...I was so curious, since talking to mannnny LTC nurses about the horror stories of some DONs and/or Admins where they used to work, being escorted out of the building etc. Seems some facilities have a VERY hard time finding/keeping staff in the first place, so I wondered how they replace the "higher ups" so quickly.

Being escorted out of the building doesn't necessarily mean the manager has done something wrong or illegal. It's simply standard operating procedure. It's happened to me twice in my career, and it's a formality that's done to assure that the departing employee doesn't take anything that doesn't belong to them, delete documents from their computer, steal company secrets etc.

Also, companies know when they're about to dump someone, and will have Plan B in place before they make their move (whenever possible). Usually the interim manager will be a corporate person and they stay on at least part-time until a replacement can be hired.

Heh. I knew I was a goner at my last job when I saw my position advertised on CareerBuilder, two days before I was let go. Tres tacky.

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Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... Usually the interim manager will be a corporate person and they stay on at least part-time until a replacement can be hired...

That's been my experience.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, WCC.

I work as a traveling/interim DON consultant. I may get anywhere from a day to a week's notice that i am needed. I go into facilities where they have either gotten rid of the prior DON or the DON has left. Many of these facilities it is like a revolving door, and they can't or won't keep anyone. There could be many reasons.

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