HELP ~ unsafe work conditions

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a nursing student and a CNA on a subacute rehab unit within a SNF in Massachusetts. Myself, and fellow staff (both nurses and aides) have been having issues with our administration team. First off, our nurses just don't take breaks. Ever. They might be able to get a snack behind the desk quickly but other than that, they don't take a break. The simply just can't find the time. The DON instructed the nurses to punch out and return to the floor to work during the half hour break and then repunch in after. One nurse didn't do that, and she was written up for not punching out and working through.

Next, we aren't allowed to keep water anywhere on the unit for ourselves. If we want to access out bottles, we have to go off the unit to the break room to do so. I've repeatedly found myself feeling dizzy and 1 coworker keeps getting UTIs because we aren't drinking enough water.

Third, we have a patient with dementia who often becomes angry and physically abusive. He has grabbed other patients and given another patient a skin tear. He punched one of my coworkers in the back of the head. This coworker has a prediagnoses but managed epilepsy. After the incident, my coworker has had uncontrollable seizures and has not been at work for weeks. The DON threatened her at one point that if she didn't return to work, she would be fired. This patient also dislocated another coworker's shoulder, in which she had to call out of work for some time. When she returned, she developed a kidney infection (probably from not drinking enough). She called out of work because of the kidney infection and soon after had to call out because she developed an allergic reaction. The DON wrote up this employee because she called out too many times and said she is an "expense to this company." She also instructed that sh3 would be written up again, and subsequently fired if she called out again. She is at work tonight against the medical advice of her HCP.

Overall, there are just too many issues. I'm not sure who I am supposed to go to for help. I'm afraid I will be the next person to be targeted by the DON. I'm worried about the conditions in which we work under. What am I supposed to do?!

Overall, there are just too many issues. I'm not sure who I am supposed to go to for help. I'm afraid I will be the next person to be targeted by the DON. I'm worried about the conditions in which we work under. What am I supposed to do?!

You are supposed to find a new job. Vote with your feet, as they say.

Look for another job, pronto.

A couple of suggestions until you get out of there:

- DO NOT (I can't stress this enough) do work when you are not officially on the clock. Think about what it would look like if any one little thing goes wrong during one of these times where you are "there-but-not-officially-there." Just do not do it.

- I suggest not dwelling on your co-workers' medical problems as proof that things are bad. Evaluate your own situation - since, although it may seem like you know all the facts of their situations, you don't. This is not the kind of decision you make based on unverifiable reports/allegations from others. In case I'm not being clear, both coworkers' reported health problems sound a little wonky on first pass.

- Keep your head down/fly under the radar/MYOB and do your work to the best of your ability while you make plans to get out.

Good luck!

- I suggest not dwelling on your co-workers' medical problems as proof that things are bad. Evaluate your own situation - since, although it may seem like you know all the facts of their situations, you don't. This is not the kind of decision you make based on unverifiable reports/allegations from others. In case I'm not being clear, both coworkers' reported health problems sound a little wonky on first pass.

Good luck!

I agree with this 100%, but was too lazy to write about it. The UTI and dizziness complaints are over-the-top dramatic and have no business coming out of any reasonable person's mouth.

OSHA probably restricts where food/drink may be stored and consumed at your facility, too ...or if not OSHA, some other regulatory body. Again, I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

The requirement to work on unpaid breaks is ILLEGAL. Each and every staff member needs to call the dept of labor and start refusing to work for free.

Your administration is who needs to be afraid of repercussions -- not you or any other staff.

Why are you still there? The answer became obvious long before now.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Developmental Disorders.

This nurse got WRITTEN UP for not breaking labor law? That means this nurse has documentation that the company tried to get her to break labor law. Unless you have one of those managers who stomp their feet and yell that they are writing someone up, then never actually put pen to paper (so nothing ends up in the employee file).

An expense to this company... Now you have evidence that your company discriminates against people who actually have to use health insurance (presumably provided and partially paid for by the company).

Find another job.

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