How to handle an employer who is morally and ethically bankrupt?

Nurses General Nursing

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This is a quasi-hypothetical question, although not immediately relevant to me (as I have found a new job that I am happy with, yay!) I have been thinking a lot about this one. I have been in this situation before (of "working for or under someone who is morally and ethically bankrupt") and the only solution I could ever come up with was to QUIT and move onto greener (aka more positive) pastures. Is the only solution to run? If there is no HR department and no union that can help you, are there other ways to handle this? What strategies have helped you if you have been put in this contentious situation, where your employer was trying to push boundaries that would otherwise put your nursing license/future live hood in jeopardy?

Thanks in advance :)

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Just move on.

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Leave.

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Just move on.

That's what I have done. And I figured as much (that there's no other option but to GTFO). Thanks for replying though. For a moment, I guess I was just being a little starry eyed, naively optimistic...LOL.

Anyone got some juicy stories to share?

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You can't expect to gain anything from attempting to reform an employer.

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When I was a new nurse, I was in two different scenarios with two different employers who were both very morally and ethically bankrupt, in addition to one of them actually violating HIPPA of staff members. The first time, I tried to change things through collective action and by talking in person to the head honchos in charge of the hospital. Nothing changed. So I left. At the new job, things were fine for a while, then started to go south and eventually the HIPPA violations happened along with a slew of other extremely shady things. I tried this time to go to the head of the department by myself, and also to try to go to the DON of the hospital. Nothing changed. So I left.

Both situations were very bad. One was way worse than the other, and had I known then what I know now, I would have been raising cain with the BON and other governing entities over some of the goings on that were highly illegal and endangering patients. Regardless, in both instances, I tried to change things from within, and absolutely nothing happened. Lesson learned.

At my last job, when things got shady, I said nothing. I just quietly left.

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I realize now this was probably a silly question. I am very interested in hearing anyone else's experience if you're willing to share :)

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You can't expect to gain anything from attempting to reform an employer.

Well put!!! :yes:

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Handling a morally bankrupt employer is synonymous to running into a solid brick wall. You cannot instill goodwill into an entity that lacks goodness.

You can either roll with the punches and stand your ground, or exit backstage. Since I prefer the path of least resistance, making an unceremonious exit suits me well. After all, the employer will quickly forget about me.

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