Disgruntled ex-employee

[debi49]

Our facility fired an employee 3 months ago. She was not under my supervision as she was in another department. She was very passive aggressive, argued with everyone, thought nothing of arguing with me over medical issues about residents, even tho she has no medical training .She'd fight with the counselors, cooks, everything.She was one of these who would get on the internet and get just enough info to be dangerous. She kept a record of all our "sins" meaning when we didnt agree with her. Staff meeting were horrible and we learned to censor ourselves because if you said the sky was blue she would fight with you about it. FINALLY her supervisor canned her, after the millionth time she brought something up that happened "6 months ago". I was pretty sure we hadnt heard the end of her, and sure enough, she called me at home on the 4th of July. i was not there...she left a message that she was putting in a call to someone on the board at our facility but thought she should call me first. i have no intention of calling her back, esp. since she was never my subordinate. But she is up to something for sure. She'll get no satisfaction with our board but I wonder next if she'll go to our regulatory agency.

Heres what I want to know. Has anyone had this experience....that a vindictive ex employee tries to cause trouble in the agency? Are the health departments, nursing boards etc. good at sorting out legit from specious reports? We run a tight, clean ship here, so I have no worries that anything would be found, but the time it would take to counter her accusations would be ridiculous.

[caliotter3]

This happened at a facility where I worked: The DON walked off the job at the end of the week when she had enough. We were having our annual visit from state. Several days later, for some strange reason, state returned, or extended their inspection, don't remember which, based upon several allegations which they were now investigating. They stayed and stayed and stayed and made life that much more miserable. Talk going around the facility was that the DON who left aired the administrator's dirty laundry to state for revenge. Although everyone suffered because of what happened, word was positive about her actions. That is, if she really was the one who did it. I always wondered if it was a different person, taking advantage of an opportune time to stick it to the facility.

[llg, PhD, RN]

I haven't had that particular experience ... but wanted to say that I hope you have notified your administration about her phone call. They need to be alerted. Who knows what she might try next.

Also, if she keeps it up, you might want to notify the police that she is stalking you and threatening you.

[debi49]

Oh yeah, I told my admin the minute I walked in this morning.

Re: my phone number, I never gave it to her personally but it was on the employee phone list as I am sometimes on call. That means tho, that she had to have written it down somewhere while she was working here, and hung on to it the past 3 months. i am not listed as all I have is a cell phone.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I haven't had that particular experience ... but wanted to say that I hope you have notified your administration about her phone call. They need to be alerted. Who knows what she might try next.

Also, if she keeps it up, you might want to notify the police that she is stalking you and threatening you.

I agree that administration needs to know. How did this person get your phone number? Sometimes, we give our phone numbers casually and forget that we did.

[lamazeteacher]

LTC facilities that hire personnel with no education for their work, ask for trouble! Administrative nurses need to please owners/boards that want to see profits, no matter what the cost in human suffering is, using inferior staff. I've told my children that I will disinherit them, if they admit me to such a place. It's much cheaper to be at home with home health nurses, etc.

That employee sounds more aggressive than passive, to me. We have to limit diagnosing coworkers, though, as then we're guilty of what this one is - untrained to do the work. Anyone resorting to labelling others isn't helping the situation.

I have known some employees who are argumentative, as described here. They waste others' time and present more problems than they're worth. Usually they were in favor with past administration and stayed on until their game got them into trouble. I have known an administrator to keep her favorite in her office, doing paperwork. That is usually referred to as "knowing where a body is buried"

[SoxfanRN]

This person is most likely anxious and feels she was wronged. Aggressive people don't care about anyone else's rights except their own. Now come the threats to try and intimidate you into giving her what she wants. Many people choose to file wrongful termination suits against former employers, so I wouldn't be surprised if she chooses that route. If you all have enough documentation regarding her disruptive behavior, you shouldn't have an issue.

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

Be careful and a little more vigilant than usual. There are so many stories of wack jobs coming back and shooting up their place of employment, etc. If she tries to call you again start keeping a log and think about reporting her to the police.

[Batman24]

You made administration aware and I agree with your decision not to call her back. It could be she sees you as a sympathetic ear and/or went to you because she never did report to you. Whatever the reasons are it's not good for you and I would continue to avoid her like the plague. Let the facility deal with her.

[WoofyMutt80]

If there is a security guard there or a security service let them know what the heck is going on and they can give her a verbal warning to not show up or the cops will get involved. Also if it that doesnt work, maybe it is time to get a no contact and stay away order. An arrest or harrassment charge/no contact order will be a black mark against her.

[rph3664]

If there is a security guard there or a security service let them know what the heck is going on and they can give her a verbal warning to not show up or the cops will get involved. Also if it that doesnt work, maybe it is time to get a no contact and stay away order. An arrest or harrassment charge/no contact order will be a black mark against her.

I have worked in places (and not necessarily in health care) where ex-employees were banned from the premises for whatever reason, so this is not unreasonable.

[WoofyMutt80]

It has worked at some facilities I have worked at. When the person is let go, they have to turn in their name badge, which has their picture on it, and most systems that print out your badge, stores your picture in the computer. So security has their badge or picture in the database and can print it out and post it saying "If you see this person call security ASAP". One place has a former RN's badge saying she is banned from the premises unless she is there for medical reasons, and to call the cops if she sets foot on the property.