Group One Blacklisting in Texas

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 14, 2012

Hold on there Skippy - Group One participation is confined to the DFW area, so it's doubtful that nurses in any other part of the state would be interested. I'm certainly not in support of it - it just feels shady to me; like it should be illegal from a restraint of trade standpoint or something. If I have been accurately informed, Group One is used for all health care employees - not just nursing staff, so it may be a good idea to garner wider support from everyone who could potentially be affected.
Texas has very strong legislative support for health care whistle-blowers as a result of the Winkler County case - which was ultimately decided in favor of the nurses in question. So - if the OP's termination was in retaliation for justifiable whistle-blowing, there is ample legal recourse... which it seems that is already in progress since there is already a lawsuit in effect.
Esme, HR departments don't fire people, Managers and supervisors do. HR is only there to manage the process and make sure the paperwork is taken care of. Question- what makes you think that teachers, firefighters and police officers have a nationwide labor organization??? If they are employed in an organized labor (union) environment, the contract is always locally negotiated. If you are referring to a professional organization, nurses already have one.... its called the ANA. Are you a member?

As a matter of fact I am NOT. I find it not beneficial and expensive. I never have particularly liked the ANA. I prefer to belong to my representing speciality the ENA. I have NEVER found the ANA of any particular use as a representative body but that is a personal opinion. I found their driving purpose out of touch and financially driven. I am leaning more in favor of National Nurses United, although I have never been a proponent of Unions.......until recently. I belong to the MNA. But that is a political stance. I don't argue politics nor religion. Where are you a member?

First, I didn't say that HR fired people. I said they gossip about employees/ex-employees that feeds an under ground communication system of gossips about employees and ex-employees. As a manager I have heard these conversations where there is active participation to "black ball" one person or another from one facility to another. Illegal? Yes. Does it happen? Absolutely. I am not saying all HR's participate in this amoral behavior but it does occur and is just as damaging as the Group One's reputation of blacklisting.

Group One just makes it legal.

Police officers nationally support each other and have one order. The Fraternal Order of Police.....and they are unionized.

The National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) is a coalition of police unions and associations from across the United States that serves to advance the interests of America's law enforcement officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.

http://www.napo.org/

And the International Union of Police Associations

IUPA

Same as firefighters. They have individual collective bargaining units but they belong to a national organization. You are right.....I am not so sure about all teachers but public teachers are unionized. I believe the Unions are AFT and the NEA.

GitanoRN, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 14, 2012

therefore, what was the official cause of termination given to you by your employer at the end :confused:

Vespertinas · Apr 14, 2012

I'm curious- if the employer offered you the option to resign and you were aware of the ramifications of the alternative why didn't you take it? I don't mean to say you SHOULD have, I'm just interested in your thought process.

EstherMichael · Apr 16, 2012

I resigned my position to transfer to a sister hospital for which i had already been offered the position. The sister hospital told me to go on ahead and give my 2 weeks notice. a week or so prior to this i had an MVC and missed 2 days. The mgr told me that she needed a "body" not matte what and that even if i did come in and had to leave that i would still be considered absent. The 3rd day i was tardy after the mvc because i couldn't find coverage and could barely move but i called them and told them that i was not feeling well and that i would be late. So this was the final reason that they used against me to give me my 3rd occurence which means "write up" the other reasons were some tardies. Techinically i didn't have to go in for that 3rd shift because up to 3 consecutive shifts equals one occurence. But because i'm stupid I still went in but called in that I would be late. For this...i got written up when I could've just stayed home instead. So since i was "written up" my transfer offer was rescinded. I was written up after I had accepted this other position. The whole reason for my resignation was for the transfer...but my employer decided to take my resignation regardless and then stated that they weren't sure if my transfer would go through. Although the HR respresentatives had already made that determination by discussing my file. So here I am JOBLESS!

EstherMichael · Apr 16, 2012

@Vespertinas: Are you referring to the whistleblower incident and my option to resign from that particular hospital?

If so well the bottom line for me is that I am not one to be bullied. I knew the possible ramifications but I wasn't going to stand there like almost every other person in this situation and be blackmailed. They committed things such as fraud but worse was the ordering of narcotics without even seeing the patients. They intentionally did not sign the orders and would want the nurses to administer these medications without a signature therefore without a primary physician to take responsibility. The nurses were told to give these medications and then were mandated to place the unsigned orders back into the physicians rack for another physician to assume patient care. UM...WRONG! So as far as i'm concerned i did the right thing. I'm a leader not a follower. Doctors nor suits and ties intimidate me when i know that i am right and everyone else knows that I was right by doing right by the patient. So...I do not regret my decision and I hope that I helped to save a life by speaking up. And all HR's in my opinion are for the employer not the employee. They are there to keep the hospital from getting sued by an employee. If you think that they are there to help you...well let's just hope that you do not have to learn it the hard way. So, yes my name is out there as of course a "troublemaker" or a "whistleblower." I like to think of it more as "I know my ****, " "you can't push me around," and "I will go toe to toe with anyone when it comes to my license and patient safety." I'm actually very easy to get along with. I get along well with all of my coworkers, i have a great rapport with my patients, but in reality all that really matters are numbers and money. OH...this company also labeled literally the patients wristbands with a colored marker to distinguish those with insurance and without... can we say EMTALA violation...you can't do that! So i'm very passionate about this and I won't back down from any of it. I am taking the blows but in the end they will be the one's in trouble and on the news. Just imagine for one second your family member being treated like this. It's really a bunch a ******** and they've got their hands full with me and they know it. That's why they are trying to ruin me but as far as i'm concerned they can BRING IT, because I was born ready. I'm not cocky folks, i'm just passionate and ****** off about how these employers bully US and i'm not going to stand for it any longer.

Vespertinas · Apr 16, 2012

Thank you for providing some insight. By not resigning and choosing to get blacklisted instead, what do you feel you have you accomplished?

EstherMichael · Apr 16, 2012

@Vespertinas, I didn't choose to get blacklisted, I chose to do the right thing. What do I feel I have a accomplished? I'm not sure how to feel about that question but here is my answer:

I accomplished getting to sleep at night with a clear conscience, i accomplished keeping my nursing license, I accomplished learning just how evil administration is, I accomplished being a leader for myself as well as for my peers, I accomplished NOT killing any of my patients by adminstering narcotics, I accomplished NOT breaching the standard of care, I accomplished to practice nursing INSTEAD of medicine, and I hope to accomplish teaching the suits and ties a lesson by the end of my lawsuit. That lesson being that every once in a while... someone will come along and stand up for him/herself and catch you off guard and do right by their peers and the patients. Overall, I accomplished not giving in to unfounded fear. I'm very different when it comes to bullying and harassment in the workplace, it's wrong and I will not be anyone's rag doll. Let's face it, doing what I did is a scary thing...but at the end of the day it was the right thing to do.

allnurses Guide · Apr 16, 2012

I am not trying to be mean, but honestly? It sounds like you decided to "whistleblow" after all of this came down. So it sounds retaliatory more than anything. Which greatly hampers the chance of being taken seriously.

I am sorry for your harsh situation and I hope it gets ironed out soon.

blackballed · Apr 23, 2012

Hey Y'all

kinda new here....be gentle. I have been "blackballed" by Group One recently. Worked for 17 years at a County hospital in Dallas....one which is under the gun. Fired for charting med, but not giving it. Honest mistake. Now, because of Group One ,I cannot get a second chance!! My life is over!!! I have been so depressed, lost my home, filing for bankruptcy.

Any advice for this one time great nurse who made a little mistake!!!!

EstherMichael · Apr 25, 2012

Ok...sounds like maybe I had not made my case clear. I provided "whistleblew" this information within a 3 month timespan NOT after I was given the choice to be fired and blacklisted or give my involuntary resignation. I was working in the Risk Management dept (temporarily) as well as the ER. It was my decision to inform the quality and risk mgmt team of the unethical and unsafe issues in the ER. Sure, had I opened my mouth after being fired then yes that could be viewed as a retaliatory on my part. A lawyer would not have accepted my case based on a contingency fee. And because i provided this jacked up info to the QA department and was terminated AFTER the fact...it then appeared retaliatory on their part. I was and am considered a whistleblower. The point of this thread is to inform nurses etc of the "Group One" entity and how employers use it as a form of blackmail to force the resignations of their employees. I don't mind discussing my case but I do not have to explain myself for my decisions. So Unless one thoroughly knows the issues in/of my Case, it's probably best to keep certain opinions unsaid. Remember...this is about Group ONE and only bits and pieces of my personal experience has been provided as an example.

Ohmyohmy · Oct 29, 2012

Hello to everyone! I was recently placed on the legalized loophole blacklist entitled "GROUP ONE." An HCA facility has retaliated against me for being a whistleblower. I have a lawsuit against them and it's been going on for a little over a year. Anyway, i would like to know if anyone would like to join me in putting a stop to this type of employer abuse. Many careers have been ruined over this group one entity. If your boss submits your name and negative comments regarding your termination, no hospital in DFW will hire you unless they are desperate. In the event that you do get hired you will be treated like crap and will be under constant surveillance. Isn't there a nursing shortage? Let's do the math...nursing shortage percentage? total amount (%) of nurses on the blacklist and blackballed? hmm...curious? me too. I will be fighting this by myself or with all of the nurses out there who have been a victim of this type of retaliation. All the nurses in Texas should fight against this regardless if you are on this list or not. Things could change for you tomorrow. These hospitals are bullies and sometimes it takes just one person to get the ball rolling...I guess I have hired myself for the job. This abuse is so ridiculous and makes me embarrassed to be a nurse in Texas. If you are a bad nurse...dangerous...incompetent that would be a legitimate reason to have issues finding employment or having this information on your group one report. The State Board will handle your situation. In my case, because i refused to resign my director was forced to terminate me. He gave me the option to resign and NOT be placed on group one/blacklisted. He also stated that if he had to terminate me then he would have to submit the reasons for my termination on a group one report/therfore being blacklisted. This is career suicide and you can say bye bye to working at any hospital here in DFW. The point is that this service is used maliciously by employers and has spiraled out of control. Please share your experience with group one or employer threats regarding group one.

I just want to say that sounds awful. I actually googled up black listing last week as I was warned about it at my new job. I was told some stories that sounded pretty ridiculous reasons to be fired, and how it ruins your career. They told me you would not be able to find a job anywhere. Isn't that really the BON's job? They told me it was for all of Texas? Sounds like from these posts it is just DFW area? This all sound completely unethical to me. It also freaks me out as a new grad.

I'm sorry to hear about what you are going through.I myself can't understand how we are taught to be compassionate, and care about our patients that in the end it seems like everyone is only concerned with covering their behind... I feel so naive.

Ohmyohmy · Oct 29, 2012

Hey Y'all
kinda new here....be gentle. I have been "blackballed" by Group One recently. Worked for 17 years at a County hospital in Dallas....one which is under the gun. Fired for charting med, but not giving it. Honest mistake. Now, because of Group One ,I cannot get a second chance!! My life is over!!! I have been so depressed, lost my home, filing for bankruptcy.
Any advice for this one time great nurse who made a little mistake!!!!

See I just don't understand how one hospital can have so much power. It isn't like the BON revoked your license. Don't we all make mistakes? I do have a question for you, did they give you the option to resign, or do you feel it was more of a shove under the bus situation?