Grounds for termination

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 13, 2009

I was in a similar situation at my current job. The perpetrator was friends with the managers, so I knew going to them wouldn't do any good. Confronting him privately only added fuel to the fire.

Oh, yeah, the 'favorite child' syndrome. This is what encourages the bullying to continue. Sometimes, this career makes me want to :barf01::urgycld::hlk:

firstyearstudent · Mar 13, 2009

I speak for myself, but right now I mostly work with Male nurses and orderlies in psychiatry. I have found it to be such a big difference than when working in a female dominated unit. It seems a lot less petty, less friction, less attitude. We actually have fun.

This is sad but true. As a second career nurse I am totally disgusted with the "witchy" nurse culture.

rngolfer53 · Mar 14, 2009

Frankly, it sounds like you are just hurt and humiliated, so want her fired. Unless she has a history of flying off the handle or is not doing a good job or is repeatedly hostile toward you, you should just put it down to having a bad day.

I disagree entirely.

An LTC is the home of the residents, and vulgar outbursts should not be tolerated in their home. The staff, all of them regardless of discipline or license level are there to serve the residents.

Further, when you accept a certification or license you agree to a higher level of accountability for your actions.

The excusing of public temper tantrums because some one is "having a bad day" might be fine for some jobs--though I can't think of any offhand--but certainly not for health care positions.

roadrunner-in-icu · Mar 14, 2009

It depends on the reason why she did that. In some hospitals, the PCA even tells you what to do. How about that?

caliotter3 · Mar 14, 2009

It depends on the reason why she did that. In some hospitals, the PCA even tells you what to do. How about that?

Along with what they won't be doing.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 14, 2009

I disagree entirely.
An LTC is the home of the residents, and vulgar outbursts should not be tolerated in their home. The staff, all of them regardless of discipline or license level are there to serve the residents.
Further, when you accept a certification or license you agree to a higher level of accountability for your actions.
The excusing of public temper tantrums because some one is "having a bad day" might be fine for some jobs--though I can't think of any offhand--but certainly not for health care positions.

That is the issue I have with this. Nurses are supposed to be advocates for patient safety and well being. Witnessing actions like that are not therapeutic and it diminishes the nurse-patient interaction when the patient believes they are not safe. And, this is their home.

From what I have been seeing, caretakers are being intimidated to do their jobs properly. Sometimes, what happens is that we take on a jailhouse mentality-the Crips against the Bloods type behavior. To be walk in with your 'game face', somehow convey (hopefully non-verbally) that we won't take your mess. This leads to anxiety for employees as well because we don't feel protected when we report to the powers that be that we are being bullied or harassed. Not only do we experience this from subordinates, but collagues, administrators and physicians. A vicious cycle.

Patients would be too intimidated to tell. Is this how they have to spend their golden years?

BradleyRN · Mar 14, 2009

Frankly, it sounds like you are just hurt and humiliated, so want her fired. Unless she has a history of flying off the handle or is not doing a good job or is repeatedly hostile toward you, you should just put it down to having a bad day.

Frankly, when a CNA curses in front of patients, that goes beyond what is acceptable, whether they are having a bad day or not. I have been cursed at a few times. If it is in private, i would certainly chalk it up as related to the stressful job that we do, and likely let it go. If you curse your boss in front of patients however, it is a disrespect to the patients, the boss and the whole profession. I was a CNA, and i am ashamed of the behaviors they are allowed to get away with sometimes. Raise the bar of expectation, so they wont be so shocked when they work on my unit!:)

Batman24 · Mar 14, 2009

She should have been fired. If the management thought this was too severe for a first offense they should have written her up and suspended her without pay for three days.

I feel for the residents if this behavior is tolerated in their home. It shouldn't be and shame on your management for not taking action.

kstec, LPN · Apr 14, 2009

I was the original poster of this and I have come to find out that certain types of disciplinary action are taken according to the residents cognitive ability. Have you ever heard of that? Both of the residents that I was cussed at in front what you would consider dementia residents but not so far gone that they don't know what cussing is. This event happened over a month ago and since then I've worked appx. 6 shifts to avoid working with her. I'm prn and fortunately I have that choice. Finally, today since I really do want to work I contacted administration to see if I'm overreacting re: this situation or should I let it go. My heart and gut tell me that this is not something to let go. If I wasn't still feeling that this was unacceptable from the get go I would of probably let it go by now. I just think that no matter whether you're demented, with it, or in a coma you have standards of behavior that you (healthcare professionals) need to abide by and when that is thrown to the way side than I guess it becomes a free for all and the the ones with the biggest b_lls stay and the rest of us leave with our tails tucked wishing that being a patient advocate was supposed to be a good thing. It's sad to think that I'm sitting her day in and day out due to the fact that I won't work with her and she has stated she will not work with me. I refuse to work with her in that it is walking into an uncomfortable situation. What if I asked her to do something? Her actions from a month ago could be her nice way of being unprofessional. I don't condone that behavior and I refuse to work with it. I did fill out three applications today. I know that the grass isn't always greener on the other side, but because administration did not back the fact that this was grounds for termination and back me in what I felt was appropriate discipline, I feel that it could happen again with little or no repercussion (sp). I think that she has been there a long time and due to this she has probably done many of things that have been ignored and with that comes more courage to be disrespectful and do what you want when you want because nothing is going to happen. Sorry so long... Any further input would be greatly appreciated.

caliotter3 · Apr 14, 2009

If the institution management thinks that a single CNA is worth running off licensed nurses over, then they deserve what they have. Unfortunately the residents don't deserve this but there is little to nothing you can do, so it is best that you move on and hope that the same CNA or type of behavior isn't at your new work place. Good luck.