False acusations?

caliotter3 · Apr 14, 2018

Yes. A new to the facility nurse was set up by other nurses during the time that the state surveyors were spending a great deal of time at the facility. The individuals who participated were bragging about their accomplishment at getting the nurse fired, for the rest of us to hear. Anybody who had been there any length of time already knew not to turn their back to any of these vultures. It was one of those places one only works at long enough to get a job elsewhere.

Davey Do · Apr 17, 2018

Has anyone ever heard of a nurse being set up, or blamed for a crime to cover up bad patient outcomes? Have you ever seen nurses as scape goats? just wondering if anyone has had issues with this before or seen it first hand.

A little over a year ago, I experienced several different situations where a doctor, security guards, an agency nurse, and a tech were involved in inappropriate actions involving patients. These included, respectively, possible medicare fraud, not following policy and procedure, patient neglect/abuse, and insubordination.

I objectively documented each specific situation, informing both the unit supervisor and department head. These ares of concern were documented with the appropriate administrative staff informed, but were never acknowledged nor addressed.

I as called to HR sometime later, after working three 12 hour MN shifts, to meet with the HR head and the department head to be written up for my inadvertent failure to complete a redundant, superfluous form.

I exploded internally but overtly acted appropriately bringing up the incidents where I believed a doctor was guilty of medicare fraud, security guards failed to follow policy and procedure during a chemical restraint, an agency nurse was guilty of neglect/abuse, and a tech had been insubordinate. I noted that these hideous acts were never addressed, but I was being written up for failure to complete a redundantly superfluous piece of paperwork!

I said that I felt harassed and the HR head interrupted and challenged my statement. I replied with, "Show me the same respect that I have shown you- do not interrupt me or challenge my feelings! If I 'feel' I'm being harassed, then I feel I'm being harassed!"

I informed the HR head that I wanted to file a grievance against the department head for harassment and the HR head apologized for her statement and immediately left to locate the necessary grievance forms.

While I sat there with the department head, I said to her, "I am sorry it had to come to this. I've known you for over 20 years and worked under you for 14 of those years". I brought up past acts of transgression and ended the one sided conversation with, "I am so disappointed in you!" The department head sat there, red faced and teary eyed.

Suffice it to say that the grievance was never followed through. I've informed appropriate outside entities of these areas of concern and have received in reply what I term as "Rama lama ding dong".

I have done my duty, objectively informing appropriate individuals and agencies of perceived areas of concern to little or no avail. I have not spoken to, or communicated with, the department head or head of HR in over a year.

Now I just have to let it go. But I won't forget it.

AnnieNP, MSN, NP · Apr 23, 2018

Dave Do, I am so sorry to hear this. Just reading this makes me want to cry.

sarbo1010 · Apr 28, 2018

Of course, when any adverse event happens it seems to be human nature to find someone to pin it on. Hence documentation is the only thing that will save your butt. Several years ago I had a patient that had been on the floor for >24 hours when she became my patient. In for AMI- but she also had AMS - I immediately called the cardiologist, pulmonologist and Internal medicine about this and was blown off by all 3 and the IM doc told me he knew about her mental status - don't bother him again. By around 10 am she started to deteriorate and I called a stroke alert. Turns out she had a large bleed that was missed in ED, and by all her docs. My nurse manager says to me - "This is probably going to bite you in the but" I just looked at her and told her I started calling docs the minute I got the patient, I documented as I went along - no late documentation and said "fine, I'll take all 3 docs down with me" . That was the last I heard of that crap. that being said they then went after the stroke nurse who then at a later date resigned that position and went back to ICU. You have to document, document, document. And whenever I call a doc and they ask that lovely question "what do you want me to do"...... I just let them know that this is information they need to have and I have now transferred liability of this situation to them. Do what you feel is appropriate. It usually wakes them up a bit.