Dangerous coworker and unresponsive management

[nellwolfe]

I have worked in a large hospital where one of my coworkers NEVER washed her hands or used gloves. She was repeatedly observed catheterizing a patient bare-handed after emptying another patient's suction canister. When this was reported to management and observed by them, nothing was done. I was counseled for poor peer interaction. I then contacted the state health department which inspected and cited the hospital. The nurse's behavior continues to this day. I became the object of the hospital's effort to terminate me by repeatedly finding any opportunity to counsel me, They even went so far as to accuse me of hacking into a computer (to which I had no access nor knowledge of its existence) to retrieve patient information. I resigned and moved away. Has any other nurse experienced similar problems?

[bargainhound, RN]

Hard to believe nothing was done....public beware.

[babynurselsa, RN]

Worked with a doc that was even less hygenic than that, plus he was barbaric to boot. My mouth and attitude got in the way. Guess who isn't there now and who still is.

[SFCardiacRN]

You are better off not working there. However, until you are in management, you can only be responsible for your own practice. This current shortage has allowed some really horrible nurses to remain employed.

[carlarn, BSN, RN]

First of all, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. Your former employers made your work environment a "hostile" environment. This is unacceptable. I don't generally advocate suing or using lawyers to get your way, but that hospital is wrong and you need to talk to someone.

Second of all, not only is the hospital remiss about that nurse, so is the health department. Just because they fined the hospital doesn't mean they are off the hook. Where was the follow up to ensure the health codes were being upheld?

This totally disgusts me. I also worked with a PA who never washed his hands. EWWWWWWWWW.

[thumperRN]

NNNNNNASTY!!! And gee, we wonder where nosocomial infections come from??? That nurse should have been reprimanded with a leave of absence (without pay), made to take a long-winded all day course on universal precautions and made to write on a chalkboard 1000 times, I WILL BE A GOOD LITTLE NURSE AND WASH MY HANDS. I WILL BE A GOOD LITTLE NURSE.....

I have seen Dr's behave in the same manner, and I have no problem whatsoever saying to them (in front of the pt), what size glove would you like me to get for you? or Here, I have some alcohol gel in my pocket for you. There is absolutley NO excuse for not protecting your patients. You are better off not working there - you did all you could do by reporting them, it is unfortunate that the other cheek was turned.

[nellwolfe]

Where is the Nurse Practice Act? It states that if a licensed nurse has knowledge of an activity which harms a patient and that nurse does not take steps to advocate for the patient, the nurse is considered to be as guilty of patient abuse as the perpetrator. Looks good on paper but empty words in reality.

[soliant12]

There has got to be more to this story. There is no way they would observe a nurse do this and then not say something to that nurse or counsel that person. If they never planned on doing anything then why would they observe them in the first place.

[dorimar, BSN, RN]

Interestigly enough, I just left my job of 8 years because of similar problems. It didn't involve hand washing, but it did involve lack of safe practices and competance & lack of managerial response to multiple voiced complaints (following the hiearchy higher and higher). I did what I felt my duty was and reported and reported and reported. However I finally realized It was not my problem, and the light finally clicked on that I didn't want to work in a place like that. The sad thing is that it used to be a really great unit. I guess it is more common than I thought . Maybe the standards are dropping in a lot of places due to the shortage.

[pickledpepperRN]

I would make copies of the health department report and write a letter to the State Board of Nursing.

This nurse is dangerous.

Write everything you did regarding the chain of command at your facility and that you made the report to the health department.

You can report the facility to the JCAHO too.

You may want a labor attorney too.

The hospital was clearly wrong. That may cost a lot of time and stress as well as money. BUT it could be worth it to you.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I don't understand this either. I know nurses who get away with alot of crap because of the nursing shortage but no that would not fly.

I work with an RN who has been accused of taking narcotics. I have known her for a long time and have never seen any evidence that she was using. She told me about it and said when she was confronted that she offered to go get a drug screen right then or at anytime that they requested her to do so. According to the pharmacy she signs out far more narc's than anyone on the floor. It's happened numerous times he/she said. I find this so difficult to believe but they seem convinced so I ask myself why haven't they asked for a drug screen from her? I think they are so desperate for RN's that they are willing to deal or overlook it. So very wrong if it is indeed true.

[Keysnurse2008]

Where is the Nurse Practice Act? It states that if a licensed nurse has knowledge of an activity which harms a patient and that nurse does not take steps to advocate for the patient, the nurse is considered to be as guilty of patient abuse as the perpetrator. Looks good on paper but empty words in reality.

Amen! You are preacing to the choir!

But....when praticing by the Nurse Pratice Act....you stand the realistic chance of being targeted and terminated...as I recently found out. I did the right thing and functioned by the Nurse Pratice act. I reported it....and after years of a unblemished work hx at the hospital, raise after raise, recent promotion,..and tons of emails thanking me for being such a great nurse....I reported & complained after witnessing unsafe acts of a coworker.....guess who got terminated? The tried to "trump up" some bogus charge...that makes no damn sense.....got tangeled up in their own lies( management)....and are now having to answer to the hospitals attorneys & investigators for it.I was a great nurse...who loved their job.....I did the correct ethical thing and reported the unsafe acts I witnessed...and then after years of a glowing work hx at my hospital I was terminated.It is wrong....in my case it was very very "legally and ethically" wrong....it should be "legally" wrong in every state folks!!!!This....is why we need stronger whistleblower laws folks. I am protected by my nurse pratice act, common law state statutes of exception to public policy etc etc....but alot of nurses are in states that are not afforded the whistleblower protection acts!WE have to make this a huge priority in every state. I would suggest contacting an atty...bc they made your work environment so hostile you couldnt work there if this is indeed what happened....bc things wont change until you do.These patients....that one infection might be the last straw for them if they are very ill .My heart goes out to you...I am very sorry that this happened to you. The trend now is that more and more courts are fooled by these HCF's actions...and they are holding them legally accountable for their actions and inactions.