I am needing some advice. I had a confrontation about a few months ago with another employee that resulted that employee transferring to another unit. However his friends still work with me in my dept and it has been hell
After being off for a week, I opened my locker which had a lock and found a huge knife positioned there. It does not belong to me and either I accidentally left my locker open or someone picked my lock which looks like an easy thing to do according to youtube. I feel that this is a huge threat to my safety. I filed a police report and everything. Along with alerting management. However the hospital police states they cannot do anything about it. I told them if anything happens to me they will be responsible.
My question is with all the shooting and stabbing in the workplace, schools ect, i dont want to take any chances. What is the probability we will find out who did this? What else can I do? I want them to find out who this person is because something like that is not a joke. I am willing to do everything. Thank you all in advance.
I say this because carrying knives is not unusual in a hospital and it is entirely possible that someone found an open locker and put it in there for safe keeping. I know many paramedics, ED, and ICU nurses that carry a variety of knives for a variety of purposes.
I've never heard of it being common for ICU nurses to carry around knives. (Can't speak to ED or medics, as I have only ever worked ICU.) And even if they DID bring a knife to work (), maybe they should store it in their OWN locker for safe keeping.
Put a ring camera inside your locker,.... or get out of there forever.
This may not be a good solution. It SOUNDS like a good solution. Many states require two party consent for recording (audio/video) to be legal. This could backfire on the OP if their state is one that requires two party consent and they admit to having recorded others (even them breaking into a locker that wasn't theirs) without permission. My state is a two party consent state. It's why we can "respectfully" ask patients/visitors to stop recording us if they try (we can also call security/hospitals police but this is not always a high level priority for them). There are several environments in our hospital that have continuous video surveillance. That is permitted because it is a condition of employment.
Cops don't have time to investigate perceived threats. Your manager and HR do not give a rat's patooti about this issue, YOU are now the problem to them. What do expect a lawyer can do?
i agree with you that the weapon should not be disposed of. Bag it and don't touch it, but document when it was found, whom you informed, and what you were told. Lock it up in a safe place and tell no one where it is until your attorney advises you.
The police should have bagged it themselves. How do they know it wasn't used on someone before they decided to target you?
Speak with an attorney who specializes in this kind of situation. He/she knows the law and what you need to do. You might even let osha know. It would be interesting to see how they respond.
Workplace safety is very important to them.
It wouldn't hurt to let your h.r. Know that you retained a lawyer. No one likes bad publicity.
I can't believe the police instructed you to "dispose" of it!! Even a novice detective knows that you don't mess with evidence.
You shouldn't have to feel threatened in the workplace by co-workers. This is unacceptable.
Specializes in Education, Informatics, Patient Safety.
Leave. It's not worth the risk. I am sorry this is happening to you. It's not fair, but your life is worth so much more than an argument over what is fair and right.
Call your local news station. They 'll give it attention. That's one way to make the hospital listen up! It'd be a great human interest story on bullying/criminal behavior like you're experiencing.
It seems like the OP did everything she needed to do. In regard to management (if you decide to stay at this company), stay in communication with your manager (escalate to HR, if needed) as to what is being done about this situation and document everything. If you don't feel satisfied with the hospital's response, retain a lawyer and sue for emotional distress/anxiety related to a hostile work environment; however, make sure to find out what specifically management is doing about the situation.
Call your local news station. They 'll give it attention. That's one way to make the hospital listen up! It'd be a great human interest story on bullying/criminal behavior like you're experiencing.
Only if she can be anonymous. If she went public, every hiring entity would find some reason to hire someone else instead of her. Anyone who is prone to taking her issues to the press would be seen as a huge risk. Doing this could cause her more harm than good.
), maybe they should store it in their OWN locker for safe keeping.
NurseCard, ADN
2,850 Posts
I'd get on out of there.