Today I walked off a floor, because I could not take anymore of the stress. Was told I can not do this, and my nurs. license would be in jeopardy. I was on orientation. Is this possible?
Oct 25, '02
Oh, my......yuppers, if you didn`t report off to another nurse,BEFORE you left you can be in deep doodoo......It`s called abandonment...........and you CAN loose your nursing license for this....................
Oct 25, '02
I don't think you can...you were in orientation.
Oct 25, '02
Oh dear. Wish you hadn't done that.
Depends. Did you take report or did someone else who was orientating you receive report at the beginning of the shift? Did you count narcotics or did someone else have the keys? Did you at any time assume care of patients? Better make a call to your SBON and run it by them.
Oct 25, '02
If you were coassigned with a preceptor you are OK I think, but if you had your own patients and didn't give report to someone before leaving.....jeez. I hope you still feel it was the right decision for you. If so, I'm glad you did it.
Oct 25, '02
An orientee is supposed to shadow someone else not have their own load. And despite all the hype it's not that easy to loose your license-I'ts up to an administrative law judge.It will take years for the board to even decide to discipline you... Any one with true life horror srories?
Oct 25, '02
Kayzee: Could you give us the whole picture? What was the stressor? Were you precepted? Did you have patients under your care? Did you tell anyone you were leaving? Fill us in! Thanks
Peace,
Lois Jean
Oct 25, '02
I have personally seen many nurses walk out during orientation (esp in nursing homes). If you were with a preceptor and on orientation, I don't believe there is anything they can do to you. There must have been something wrong for you to leave like that - sometimes it's best to follow your instincts. Good Luck.
Oct 25, '02
It is best that you get it in your head now that you CANNOT just walk off the floor. Imagine trying to concentrate while 9/11 was going on, or when a fellow co worker killed herself at work. Yup.....both times I had to suck it up and take care of sick people....stressful yes.....necessary ...yes. Even when my dad was raced to the ER critically ill I reported off to another nurse assuring the safety of my pts. Of course, in an emergency you certainly can leave (me leaving skid marks on the floor racing to the ER to check on dad) but in a controlled manner. (after explaining situation to supervisor and quickly give report to another nurse)
Hope you learned something and go on to enjoy a successful career!
Oct 25, '02
Originally posted by Kayzee
Today I walked off a floor, because I could not take anymore of the stress. Was told I can not do this, and my nurs. license would be in jeopardy. I was on orientation. Is this possible?
Kayzee, please elaborate, how are you doing?
Marie
Oct 25, '02
I personnally have never experienced anything like this- but was always taught that your responsibility begins with the report you get. If you took report from the previous nurse-regardless of the orientator looking over your shoulder or not-you are than responsible and walking out constitues abandonment. Again-just what I've been taught. I agree with checking with the SBON on this one.
Oct 25, '02
I thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth, Furball reminded me of when I was in my LPN clinicals 13 years ago and I got a call that my grandmother had died. My clinical instructor told me the news. She also told me that under no circumstances could I leave the floor without finishing my documentation and reporting off to another nurse.
Then a few years later, while on the job, I got a call that my dad had a stroke. I obviously had to wait for someone to get there to relieve me (I was the only nurse on night shift in a LTC facility) and leave my job in an orderly way (charting finished up, report off).
Then a few years later I got a call that my dad had died. Luckily I was in a position that I didn't need to have someone relieve me because I don't know if I could have dealt with that. (I was treatment nurse so the nurses on the stations just took over the treatments of their patients, plus it was the end of the day).
Kayzee, I hope this works out for you without any problems, but next time you are in a situation like this (if ever) and feel that you must leave, try to do so in a professional manner, in order to protect yourself and your patients. It sounds like it must have been an ordeal especially since you were orienting! Good luck! Like I said, I hope this works out for you.
Oct 26, '02
Since I was in orientation I don't believe there is a problem. The nurse who was precepting me had said "maybe you should really think about leaving this job". Med-Surg unit-Surgical and very, very busy. As far as pt. care, we were working tog. supposedly. I have tried to do my best the last few weeks. 10 hour shifts are bad enough, but when I can't even take a 5 min. break to get away at hour 7...that bothers me. I come from LTC and it was taking me longer than most to learn all the new provedures..IV'S etc. I was stressed, upset, and my body just could not do more. I haven't even had the time to get a PICC line in I need for Iron Dextran. One week nocs, than days. My body doesn't know what rhthym its on anymore. The nurse did know I was leaving, and she had taken report also at beg. of shift. All my report off sheets were done, and also computer charting. I did not abandon any pt. since I was working under a preceptor. If I had been on my own I certainly know better than to leave pts.The way I see it is I gave it 110%, and when that wasn't enough and comments were being made..it was time to leave. I can't take good care of pts. in that state of mind.
Oct 25, '02Occupation: icu rn Joined: Jun '02; Posts: 985; Likes: 11Oh, my......yuppers, if you didn`t report off to another nurse,BEFORE you left you can be in deep doodoo......It`s called abandonment...........and you CAN loose your nursing license for this....................
Oct 25, '02From: US ; Joined: Oct '01; Posts: 6,238; Likes: 1,829I don't think you can...you were in orientation.
Oct 25, '02Joined: Oct '00; Posts: 8,729; Likes: 8,412If you were coassigned with a preceptor you are OK I think, but if you had your own patients and didn't give report to someone before leaving.....jeez. I hope you still feel it was the right decision for you. If so, I'm glad you did it.
Oct 25, '02Joined: Oct '02; Posts: 1,079; Likes: 53An orientee is supposed to shadow someone else not have their own load. And despite all the hype it's not that easy to loose your license-I'ts up to an administrative law judge.It will take years for the board to even decide to discipline you... Any one with true life horror srories?
