Suspended and Unsure.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Telemetry/Long Term and Critical Care.

I work on a telemetry/dialysis floor that has a high volume of critical care step down patients. Days are busy and stressful but I feel I always cover myself. I have been a nurse of a little over two years which no longer makes me a new nurse but I'm definitley still learning. Yesterday, I received a call from my nurse manager telling me not to come into work over the weekend and to report to her Monday morning at 10am (I was supposed to work Sat, Sun, Mon). When I asked her what was wrong she said it was due to a "patient complaint" that needed investigation and I could not work until she had more information. I know this can mean a number of things. She wouldn't even let me know if my job/license was in jeopardy. She here I am, on a Saturday afternoon, unable to enjoy my unexpected weekend off because I am pulling my hair out over the suspense of Monday morning. I'm assuming a former patient or family member of a former patient is seeking legal action against my hospital, and as an employee of the hospital, I am being put on the spot. I have asked co-workers if they have heard anything and no one has. I am reaching out to you fellow nurses to see if you can help me shed some light on all of this, especially if something similar has happened to you. Thank you

Specializes in Geriatrics.

I work LTC and policy at my facility is if there is any complaint, you are suspended with pay while the complaint is being investigated. If the complaint is found to be unsubstantiated, you are brought back in, no harm done. No one looks at you as if you did something wrong, and you are not punished. Even if something was found to be wrong, at times, it simply means a write-up or education. I say-if you did nothing- just enjoy your unexpected "vacation" and deal with it on Monday. Good luck to you and I'm sorry you are having such a rough time.

I'm sorry, but she should have given you the reason why. That is BS. And I would be just like you worrying and ruining my whole weekend. Most times than not it will end up be nothing. Keep us posted.

Specializes in Army Medic.

Can you recall anytime you made a huge mistake?

If you can't, then it's probably going to amount to nothing.

I agree that the manager should have told you what's going on over the phone so you're not left in the dark. It's too easy to make the worst out of a situation when you're ignorant of the facts.

I don't think any hospitals look to maliciously get rid of their nurses, but there are legal implications taken into account when complaints are made. As hard as it is right now, you should try not to worry - unless you're intentionally doing something against protocol to spite your patients.

People will find anything to complain about when they're in a stressful time of their life - I don't think they understand how many lives it affects. We live in an age - at least in America - where lawsuits are a quick way to get money. Unfortunately there are people out there selfish enough to think this way.

Try your best to relax. Prepare for the worst, but expect the best. Easier said then done, huh?

Don't have anything to say about the practice as the only person I remember that got in trouble was terminated on the spot for a patient death, which does not apply here. I wanted to wish you good luck. I hope it does turn out to be nothing. Sorry your weekend is being ruined.

Talk to human resources about this...obviously you can't right now because it's the weekend, but I would go to them on Monday. This sounds like bull. I never got suspended over a patient complaint, but I did have a boss that was "bullying staff" if you will, and we had a bunch of nurses get written up and their jobs verbally threatened, we were pulled behind closed doors and basically told, "if you get one more complaint, then you will be fired". When I was called in the office, I had 1 complaint in the 5 years I had been on that floor, and it was a demented patient put on her press gainey survey that it took me 12 hours to bring her pain medicine. No investigation was ever done into the complaint, and I just got written up. Long story short, our press gainey scores had been in the toilet for several months and our boss was getting the heat from it, and passing it on to us. I ended up leaving the facility several months later, and during my exit interview brought up the scenario as one of my complaints against my manager, and human resources was appalled...stating that they didn't have a policy in place for termination after 1 patient complaint, etc. Long story short, I should have gone to HR when she initially threatened me. There was a written reprimand placed in my file, and HR expunged it because they investigated the complaint, but it should have never been put there in the first place. I'm not saying that your manager is doing that, but I would get HR involved if they aren't already, especially if there is suspension involved. You need to protect yourself, and I think its crap that you don't know why you are being told that you can't come to work.

Specializes in trauma, critical care.

I'm sorry your weekend is ruined!

If you have a good relationship with your manager, I would consider calling her and telling her exactly what you've told us. Listen closely to her response and see if you can extract a few more details. Really, I find your manager's behavior a little odd. While I'm sure the whole ordeal will turn out to be minor, you are right to be concerned. So, from this point forward, protect yourself. If you have any further contact with anyone from your workplace, you should take notes, as it is happening, in a composition journal (the old-fashioned black and white kind with bound pages that cannot be easily ripped out). Take this same journal with you to your meeting on Monday --don't forget to date and time each entry and list everyone present during your conversations. Have someone else present in the room if you call anyone from work. If you are unionized, your union rep. should attend your meeting on Monday. Also, if you have individual , you might consider contacting them. Your malpractice policy may provide you a lawyer. Finally, if this turns out to be a malpractice case or anything that could jeopordize more than your current position, i.e. your license, don't agree to anything or even answer questions without counsel present.

Good luck, and, again, I'm sure this will all turn out to be much ado about nothing!

Specializes in burn unit, ER, ICU-CCU, Education, LTC.

Are you a member of a state nursing organization? Do you have a contract? Do you have a nurse union to support you and to send a representative with you to this meeting?

If you don't, and you manage to get out of this with your job and your license, I would seriously consider working toward job security and peace of mind by joining an organization, pronto.

This is standard procedure a lot of places. You should be paid while suspended and while they are investigating the complaint. The sad thing is anyone can say anything because they are disgruntled and you are stuck holding the bag in the interim. The hospital suspends you to cover their own ass in case there is merit to the complaint. As you can't recall any major error or issue chances are this is nothing to worry about.

I don't like that your manager couldn't have given more details. Don't let this ruin your weekend. I know that is easier said than done but try and go to a movie, dinner, talk with friends, etc. This is out of your control for the moment. Don't make any more calls to your co-workers. Lay low and keep the lip zipped.

On Monday if you see there is an issue sign nothing and tell them you need to before proceeding. You can then call a union rep if that applies or your insurance company should you think you need a lawyer. Stay calm and don't be afraid to remove yourself from the situation. I really however don't think this is anything major. Askingsomeone from HR to be an independent observer to the meeting also isn't a bad idea.

Let me say first that you have my complete sympathy. In the legal world a person has a right to know the charges against them but in this situation you don't. What is wrong with that picture? To the people who say "this is standard procedure, no big deal", I say, "wait till your turn comes". Management can be very ham fisted when investigating these things. It happened to me, upon further investigation they realized the incident occured when I was on two weeks vacation. My manager was very lazy and picking up a schedule and seeing who was on that week was more than effort that she could be bothered making. Also, it was pretty clear it happened on night shift but the manager just decided to throw a big net and suspend the steady evening nurse also(which was me). I am positive you are innocent and I wouldn't blame you if you came out of this with a very big grudge against the person who handled it so badly. How would they like to be told that they were accused of something, not to know what or when or who and to be left wringing their hands for several days. PS. Excuse me for using your distressful situation to do my own private rant, but at least you can see that it has happened to others and in most cases they are exonerated.

Your boss is a louse. She is doing this intentionally, to make you sweat.

There is a verse of Scripture that always helps me when I get in a jam. Isaiah 54:17. Every tongue that rises against you in judgment, you will show to be in the wrong. No weapon that is formed against you will prosper. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and the LORD Himself will vindicate you.

Selah. Think on that instead of about your boss or your problems. God is the answer to your problem and He is in your corner.

Whatever you might have done wrong, if anything at all, you do not deserve to be disrespected or bullied like your manager is doing.

I am reluctant to get more Scriptural, as someone might take offense. I mean none and hope YOU are not offended. Shame on me for being a coward but this website belongs to someone else, so I'm trying to not have church right here on the site. I'd give you my email but the notice asks me not to.

Just read that verse and make it personal, praise God for His love and His loyalty and thank Him for favoring you and bringing to naught all this cruelty the manager has inflicted upon you. May everyone see your vindication.

Stop talking to others at work. It can only produce harm. Even your "friends".

This is standard procedure a lot of places. You should be paid while suspended and while they are investigating the complaint. The sad thing is anyone can say anything because they are disgruntled and you are stuck holding the bag in the interim. The hospital suspends you to cover their own ass in case there is merit to the complaint. As you can't recall any major error or issue chances are this is nothing to worry about.

I don't like that your manager couldn't have given more details. Don't let this ruin your weekend. I know that is easier said than done but try and go to a movie, dinner, talk with friends, etc. This is out of your control for the moment. Don't make any more calls to your co-workers. Lay low and keep the lip zipped.

On Monday if you see there is an issue sign nothing and tell them you need to before proceeding. You can then call a union rep if that applies or your insurance company should you think you need a lawyer. Stay calm and don't be afraid to remove yourself from the situation. I really however don't think this is anything major. Askingsomeone from HR to be an independent observer to the meeting also isn't a bad idea.

HR is always on the side of the employer. Trust them as far as you can throw them.

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