Discrimination Allegations

[Irabee]

I need an advice or just your thoughts. I work as inpatient mental health nurse. We had this tall, big , physically healthy and strong, highly aggressive patient on the unit. He sent one of our male nurses to ER and then on medical leave for several months.

Few weeks after this assault, he stopped taking his medications and became aggressive again. I called security to give a shot and they only sent us 2 people: one male and one female.

I requested another person but was told that they are short staffed. I said that we need at least one more male security to handle this violent patient safely.

This female security rolled her eyes and stated she has the same training. I didn't respond anything to that.  Likely, we were able to de-escalate the patient verbally, everything went OK.

The next day, I was told the female security filed a discrimination complaint to equity committee stating that she felt harassed and discriminated. She also made up a lie that I stated the following phrase TWICE :" You are a woman so you can't do your job as well as a man".

I have never said this phrase which was confirmed by my coworker. Later, the equity committee was trying to swipe it under the rug stating that they never asked her coworkers if they witnessed me stating this "key phrase".

I assume she tried to drop this phrase out of "discrimination case" because  she wasn't able to get her coworkers to testify the "discriminatory statement" she made up.

Long story short, I am on a second month of this "harassment investigation". I was already "educated" by DON and unit manager  that I have no right to request male security. I was already interviewed by equity committee ( which was very pervasive and accusatory) and I also recently mistakenly received an email  about "follow up discussion" on the investigation sent by my DON. She wasn't supposed to send it to me but she did accidentally then frantically attempted to unsend the email 5 times LOL. I also received an email from IT stating that DON requested to retract that email ASAP.

This makes me think that it is DON who is pushing this discrimination case. (I am not her favorite nurse LOL.) 

I am very distressed with all this.

How a simple request for adequate security can be turned into a discrimination case? 

All I asked is male security for aggressive male patient to protect everybody including the lady officer. How on earth could that be turned into a harassment case? 

In fact, I feel harassed by her.  She made up a lie about discriminatory statements and got me into 2 months long "discrimination investigation".

It is very humiliating and stressful. Please give me some advice on how to react and what to do. Can I take counter actions and report her to HR for falsifying facts? 

[Irabee]

HiddenAngels said:

Oh man, what a tricky situation.  First, you have taught me a lesson.  I'm small framed and inpatient as well just not psych.  I send them over to ya LOL.  But I have said plenty of times when we try to refrain a patient from self harm or violent assualts that 'please we need somebody big, or please send a man!'  Well, thanks to this post, I'll never do that again. Goodness.  ?It's just so weird that this has become a thing and I'm sorry you have to go through with this. Second, what did the email say that she (DON) tried to erase????? ?..whew

To answer your question, was there ever a time where you could have talked to the security woman about how violent the patient was and that you were just trying to look out for her before it blew up into this big brouhaha?? Because this is all that was needed.  A simple one-on-one conversation for you guys to chat it up.  What a shame that we as society have gotten to a place where we can't even talk with one another.  

I'll tell ya, I didn't like that culture when it first started in the hospital about Midas and telling on people for silly things.  I mean egregious situation, yes, but we are getting so far from human interaction and kindness toward each other that no wonder we are falling into the state that we are finding ourselves in.

She never spoke to  me. I also try to avoid any contact with her because I am afraid this will give her a reason to make up another thing to get me in more troubles. The reason I want to go after her for making up things is not revenge.. I would let it go. This women is obviously looking for drama and I want to make sure she doesn't make up another lie next time

 

[Googlenurse, ASN, BSN, RN]

We have 6ft 300 pound woman security officer at my job.

Was she small framed? Would a 5ft 2in 160 pound man been better?

[Bumposharam]

Yes, a man would be better. Different reactions, different hormone set, different muscle memory, different brain work . Females are keepers, men are hunters. Hunter in that situation is better. In fact, making security officers, soldiers and policemen out of women should be prohibited by law.

[Delia37, MSN]

Wow...this is crazy. I totally get what you mean. I am lucky to work in a facility that employs really big security guards and all they have to do is show up. I would say 85% of the time, patient/visitor immediately "calm down" as soon as they see security. I am not saying a woman cannot handle such situations; however, having a certain look does help. Live and learn...and that goes for all of us, since you sharing your experience has made me aware to watch my own words.