Group One background checks in Texas

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I have been put into group one, which is a reporting agency that allows other healthcare facilitys to see why I was terminated. I was not given a chance to resign before termination. My question is, can I request to have it changed? Is this a type of discrimination? all this is making me want to get out of healthcare all together, seems like i will allways have a disadvantage being a guy and all.

You're right, it doesn't shield from civil damages, but, big BUT here, it does shift the blame to the hospital. A nurse that can show that s/he tried to get the hospital to address the concern through safe-harbor is a very credible witness. I find it difficult to believe that a jury would find against that nurse and much more likely to believe that a declaration of safe-harbor would cause such a verdict to go much more against the hospital. This is why hospitals, in my experience, bend over backwards to address safe-harbor issues.

Yeah ... but why go there in the first place?

If we're talking about what's better .... a ratio law versus a safe harbor provision ... the ratio law's gotta be better because it's much more preventative. It prevents the court case from happening in the first place.

From what I read from your posts ... the safe harbor provision puts the burden on the RN to report the staffing problem, and having to use that as a defense if something horrible happened. While the hospital may implement preventative measures in the future, they also may not consistently do so because there's no ratio law to force them to staff safely all the time.

And if the hospital retaliates against the RN (despite the fact that they're not supposed to) ... then it seems likely that the matter will end there and the unsafe staffing continues. Especially if the RN happens to work in Dallas and gets a black mark from Group One, which gives them even more leverage against the RN.

A ratio law, which forces system wide safe staffing from the beginning ... not after the fact when something horrible happens on a case by case basis ... has got to be better for both the patients and the RN's.

:typing

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A nurse on a medicine floor just called "Safe Harbor" last night at my hospital.

My night co-workers just told me that they put her on this unit alone (the only nurse) with one aide and she'd never worked that floor in her life.

We don't know if she's a regular staff or agency.

They tried to intimidate her into taking 4 admissions within a 1 hour time frame.

Good for her!:yelclap:

I'm glad she's not working in Dallas/Fort Worth or her actions would most certainly be a guarantee of a Group One black mark.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

The use of Group One blacklisting in a Safe Harbor situation should go against whistleblower protections...it would seem.

A nurse who is advocating for patient safety and does so through the proper channels should have protection from retaliation.

The thing about the Group One thing - there is no such protection. They have found a way around it.

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Specializes in Tele.

Fortuantly for workers today, they have passed stricter Workplace violence laws. BUT, it is harder for he/she said with GroupOne. They don't take your word, ask for any time of proof, you the "consumer," may have, nor do they investigate like the FCRA requires them to under the Section that states the consumer will be granted a thorough and speedy investigation. Well, we got the speedy right. All GO investigates if someone at the reporting hospital says yes or no, again they do not ask for their "proof" either, just a simple yes or no. Fair isn't it? And finding a lawyer, I have talked to so many different lawyers, employee law...........is it discrimination, called the state board........................$1500 just to "retain" them, and every other lawyer from a-z just to find a lawyer who is proficient with FCRA that does not want all this money up front for a dang letter.:confused: :crying2: :angryfire I feel like I am past the hopeless part and back down to the worthless level. I had a ray of hope when I sent the form letter, they did not reply to that, but they did send me a letter validating Cook Children's claim. Now, I am sending Cook's a letter...................believe me I have doubted even sending it, it feels like it would not matter anyway.

Obviously, I am an idiot if I never even knew of GO until now.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

I do have one more thing I'd like to add to this thread.

I am not a fan of complaining without offering solutions. It peeves me to no end to hear people whine and moan and complain who then do nothing to actually resolve a problem or help others resolve a problem so that it never happens to them. We all know people who do this. Your neighbor who complains about the current mayor but didn't bother to go vote, the co-worker who doesn't agree with the policy on absenteeism but won't particpate in a hospital wide committee being formed to address it.

I know sometimes it seems like no matter what we do the steam roller just keeps rolling. That attitude is FATAL in nursing and it is killing us here in Texas. It isn't the fact that we don't have a union or that you have a crummy unit manager or whatever else we blame it on that is the basis for the lack of power in nursing in Texas - IT IS US - IT IS YOU - IT IS ME. It is our "I don't care" - our why bother, why try, why go to the trouble way of dealing with big business, law, the good ol boys, and just about everything else in nursing that has us where we are.

How are we supposed to be effective patient advocates when we can't even advocate for OURSELVES?

The numbers for membership in the TNA are absolutely P-I-T-I-F-U-L in this state, just shameful. With numbers like that it is no wonder that TNA has no money to pay lobbyists to fight for nursings interests. It is no wonder that you hear nurses say "What has the TNA ever done for me?" NOTHING!!!! You never bothered to join and actually participate!

so here - is my challenge to you...All of you

If you aren't a TNA member, please join. I know it seems expensive - but the largest problem we as nurses have in Texas is sheer apathy. Money talks.

Just think what would happen if all the nurses in DFW stood up and said "We aren't going to take this abuse of GroupOne and nurses in our area (And actually - this should strike fear in ALL TEXAS nurses hearts - GO is actually statewide if you don't know it) anymore", joined the TNA and banded together to stop the abuses. Now wouldnt that be something!

You think the membership is too expensive? Get on the committee and get those fees lowered!

As I am fond of saying - put your money where your mouth is!

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If you aren't a TNA member, please join. I know it seems expensive - but the largest problem we as nurses have in Texas is sheer apathy. Money talks.

The numbers for membership in the TNA are absolutely P-I-T-I-F-U-L in this state, just shameful. With numbers like that it is no wonder that TNA has no money to pay lobbyists to fight for nursings interests.

Yeah ... but it cuts both ways. People have to know that the organization has leadership that will actually DO something before they'll put their money into it.

CNA, for example, is probaby radical to a fault. They're very controversial but ... a lot of RN's in California still support them because they do accomplish a hellava lot for RN's in this state.

My question is ... what's TNA's record? Have they given RN's any reason to support them? And, more importantly ... have they even voiced any objections to this Group One situation? Have they tried to intervene on behalf of RN's who are fighting Group One?

Because if they haven't even voiced any concerns about Group One (and I couldn't find anything with a google search btw) I wouldn't want to support them either.

It's not just the money ... you also need leadership that will actually DO something. Otherwise, your money is wasted.

:typing

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I can't join TNA.

Why not? They don't represent me. I'm not a BSN or Advance Practice Nurse and those organizations have a policy that LVNs/ADN-RNs don't meet their standard to represent.

When they decided to make it policy to alienate more than 60% of nurses, those organizations mortally wounded themselves. And while I agree that that is indeed a shame, I will not support organizations who 'represent' me by trying to eliminate me.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

My question is ... what's TNA's record?

How can TNA have a "record" that matters to an andividual if that individual has never bothered to get involved?

I spoke with someone at TNA this am about Group One - these ARE things that are being addressed - inroads have been made, however, they can't do it all alone. I do think it is odd that the people who call TNA the most often to complain are not members themselves.

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How can TNA have a "record" that matters to an andividual if that individual has never bothered to get involved?

I spoke with someone at TNA this am about Group One - these ARE things that are being addressed - inroads have been made, however, they can't do it all alone. I do think it is odd that the people who call TNA the most often to complain are not members themselves.

If they're really trying to do something about Group One ... why isn't there anything on their website about it. Why haven't they made a public statement so RN's will know TNA is trying to help them. If, in fact, inroads have been made, why haven't they announced it? What "inroads" are they talking about?

I seriously doubt they've really done anything because, like the ANA, they probably don't want to rock the boat. How do you expect RN's to get involved and support TNA if they don't have the guts to come out against Group One publicly?

Again ... people aren't going to cough up their money and support unless they know there's leadership that will actually DO something.

:typing

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Specializes in Tele.

I have been a nurse for less than 2 years and this is the FIRST time I have EVER heard of GO!!!!!!!! Call me naive, wet behind the ears............I don't care. I believe whole heartedly there are more nurses like me that have no clue on this GO crap. And unfortuantly it takes a "wake-up call," like mine to happen to one "them," for them to hear of a Group One. We can sit here and argue back and forth about what needs to happen, but unless we find some sort of common ground to agree on to take care of the GO crap nothing will happen. I am just me, by myself and this is the THIRD day I have sent an e-mail to EVERY news station in the metroplex on GO. And I will continue to do so until they tell me to go away or listen. Who knows I may be ran out of DFW, never again to work as an RN, but at least I can say I stood up, I was heard. And if I have to go stand on the high-five during rush hour and stop traffic, I'll do it in some buck skin scrubs!!!!!!!!! {i'm american indian, so maybe if I did do it they would show me some mercy.......lol} Maybe I would not go that far, but I am not giving up, I didn't go to school for 4 years to let some vengeful nurse manager call me a liar and try to ruin my life!!!!!!!!!!!:nurse: :chuckle

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Specializes in Critical Care.

And that's the thing about Group One.

One of the biggest assets of being a nurse is mobility. I can work anywhere.

But, when a manager in DFW makes the following threat, "Do what I want, or you'll never work in this town again. . .", they mean it.

Or more likely, they won't even make the threat and you'll know about it when you are denied employment at the next job.

Like I said, I'd never work for a group one hospital. They only get away with it because all their perspective employees willingly sign the release form.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in Tele.

That is the biggest reason I have sent an e-mail to the news stations, so others like me will be informed. I wasn't even a nurse when this happened, hell a patient wasn't even involved, and I knew NOTHING for 2 years. If you don't work in a hospital in DFW, you really don't have much of a choice and the area I am proficient is in the hospital and the area I am interested in....................hospital!! I can't work anywhere, I have a family I have to think about, so I stay and fight the false acquasations. (that is probably sssssooooooo misspelled)

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