Getting fired for not answering call bell?

[Jennifer Le, ADN, BSN]

Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to read this.

I am a new grad who recently started working at a nursing home. As a new nurse, I have ALOT to learn and I am trying every day. Today I made a rather big mistake that got me in trouble and I might get fired from this. Please hear me out.

I was working 7 AM-3 PM on a new floor so I stayed until 4:30 PM for charting and writing progress notes. During this time, I followed the evening shift nurse to this resident's room. I assisted her draining the resident's bag and we realized that his pants were really wet. We let the CNA know but she was busy in other rooms. I was left alone with the patient as the nurse left to do her task. I took his pants and left it in his laundry box and I realized that he had no pants left in his closet. I covered him up, told him to wait for the CNA to come and get him changed. I also told him to press the call bell to alarm her. I then proceeded to go back to the nursing station to finishing up my charting. At around 2-3 minutes later, the administrator of the building showed up and saw me sitting at the nursing station when the bell was ringing. He then had a meeting with the director of nursing and I was summoned later for a warning. They said that I was supposed to address his need even if If it was not during my shift ( in this case to go to a different floor asking for a gown or extra pants the resident can use or something like that ).

I understand this is my fault and I have learned a big lesson from this. I feel like a bad nurse right now and I don't know how to get over this feeling. I do answer call bells whenever I can and try to fulfill whatever I am being asked to. Please give me advice on how to get over this..

[DextersDisciple, BSN, RN]

Easier said than done but don’t stay an hour and half late and during that time perform nursing duties.

If I had to stay late to chart I went into a secluded isolation computer room and closed the door. That way I wouldn’t be asked/feel obligated to perform direct pt care. If kept going to the bedside I would never finish my charting and never get out of there.

As you learn time management skills you shouldn’t be stuck there 1.5 hrs late. Good luck!

[beekee]

I probably would have done the same thing, honestly. As an added bonus, you will probably get talked to about your overtime too.

Welcome to nursing!

[JKL33]

I think I need a vacay or something. Reading this almost brought a tear to my eye that a new grad would be treated so harshly as to be written up for this rather than simply given a recommendation for the future or better yet THANKED for helping out after the shift had ended.

OP. Your disappointment in yourself is not appropriate because this situation was not appropriate. Keep learning all you can.

[DextersDisciple, BSN, RN]

1 minute ago, JKL33 said:

I think I need a vacay or something. Reading this almost brought a tear to my eye that a new grad would be treated so harshly as to be written up for this rather than simply given a recommendation for the future or better yet THANKED for helping out after the shift had ended.

OP. Your disappointment in yourself is not appropriate because this situation was not appropriate. Keep learning all you can.

Yeah I forgot to mention how messed up that was btw. He shouldn’t have reprimanded you in that way. I would’ve said “I assisted the pt and so and so CNA will be back to bring him a new gown”. Idk if that would Have mattered or not Though. Still, you should not have been punished.

[amoLucia]

That treatment was rather HARSH of the admin. Sounds like you went above and beyond what many others would have done, and for that, you deserve some positive recognition.

Be careful about your overtime as others have said.

[Sour Lemon]

On one hand, a patient could be lying on the ground with a broken hip and the call bell ringing ...so I do sometimes answer when staying over (if no one else seems to be available). I then pass on the information/task if it's safe to do so and keep working.

I agree with the others that you were put in a bad situation and not treated fairly, though.

I also agree that the best solution is to get out of there fast and on time. If patients and staff have access to you, they're going to keep asking and expecting you to do things.

And lastly, I find it's often better to focus on finishing my charting and then tie up "lose end" tasks. It's difficult to think and record when late and stressed. Running around, instead of sitting still, also makes you a moving target and harder to catch. ?

[Guest757854]

3 hours ago, beekee said:

Welcome to nursing!........

....and welcome to LTC.

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

The joys of working in a LTC. I worked in one many years ago and I was scheduled to work 3-11 but we were so short and the patients needed so much help (many should have been on a medsurg floor) that none of the people I worked with including me left until 3 am in the morning.