hard time getting help

lindarn · Aug 11, 2007

Does anyone besides me have a hard time getting responses here? I guess I'm in panic mode. I quit my job yesterday. I was accused of forcing a laxative on a patient who has had a pick at me for about a week and a half. The reason I quit was the Admin. suspended me and wouldnt tell me why. The DON admitted that she believed me and that he was being vindictive, but i still have to go thru an investigation. Can anyone give me some advice of what my options are I have only had my license 2 months and am not sure how these things work for nurses. I was a CNA for 3 years and never had the first complaint. I am scared. Please someone tell me what to do. Has anybody gone thru an investigation of a false accusation?

Get a lawyer. Nothing brings terror to the hearts of adminitration like the thought of a nurse who is represented by an employment attorney, who the can't bully.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

nitewarrior · Aug 11, 2007

Thanks! I have found one but havent made an appointment with him yet. I was waiting to see if they tried to bring me in front of the nursing board or not. I am terrified. Please pray for me

TazziRN, RN · Aug 11, 2007

Relax. Most things do not get reported to the Board, and if this does, it sounds like you have coworkers and even your DON to back you up.

What you should not have done was quit.....not yet, anyway. I would have sat out the investigation, then depending on the results either quit at the conclusion of it or let my feelings be known about how it was handled. The fact that you quit when you were suspended does not look good, false accusation or not. It makes it look like you run at the first sign of trouble.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2007

And get malpractice. Now. It's cheap, and you don't have to tell anyone but you and NSO that you have it.

www.nso.com

(Oh, and don't go shopping. NSO is cheap, and they're also the ONLY game in town. And you can answer honestly that you've never been disciplined because that refers to the BON.)

RNfromMN, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2007

I'm glad you found some help. I had to go to sleep last night, but I was going to tell you - I think the reason you had such a hard time getting responses to your question was because you posted in the Virginia forum. Not everyone looks in the other states forums & I barely even go into my own states.

Sounds like you got some good advice - good luck!

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Aug 11, 2007

Why on earth did you quit your job? For future reference, never ditch and run. I agree with scaring the hell out of your facility with a possible lawsuit. I am not sure what type of facility you are working in, but I will say that sometimes if a patient is difficult, it's better to tell your charge or supervisor during that time so that either a switch can be made or someone is aware of a developing problem. We are not always going to love our patients, but we can be professional. Patients don't have to love us, and just the nature of some is purely evil. They don't care if you lose your job, and I truly believe some would love to see it happen for the hell of it! You don't say what shape the patient was in, however, if you were having problems all week-I hope you documented it to death! Good luck,

Maisy;)

jojotoo, RN · Aug 11, 2007

I think you'll have a better chance of this not going to the BON if you get the lawyer now.

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 11, 2007

I am not sure what type of facility you are working in, but I will say that sometimes if a patient is difficult, it's better to tell your charge or supervisor during that time so that either a switch can be made or someone is aware of a developing problem. We are not always going to love our patients, but we can be professional. Patients don't have to love us, and just the nature of some is purely evil. They don't care if you lose your job, and I truly believe some would love to see it happen for the hell of it!
Maisy;)

This is such great advice. I'm going to remember this the next time I have a difficult patient.

And what is up with people who like to brag that they got someone fired? Are they trying to make me feel warned? threatened? scared? impressed? What response are they looking for from me?

I had a nurse give me great advice while I was in clinicals. She said that when patients become difficult, you can do a lot to keep things from getting out of hand by just being nice. Even though you feel like strangling them, she told me that being nice will make them less likely to complain about you.

reesern63, RN · Aug 12, 2007

This is such great advice. I'm going to remember this the next time I have a difficult patient.
And what is up with people who like to brag that they got someone fired? Are they trying to make me feel warned? threatened? scared? impressed? What response are they looking for from me?
I had a nurse give me great advice while I was in clinicals. She said that when patients become difficult, you can do a lot to keep things from getting out of hand by just being nice. Even though you feel like strangling them, she told me that being nice will make them less likely to complain about you.

Yeah...unless you have a situation like I just did where I was nice and still subjected to a barrage of verbal abuse that I can't repeat because it would violate TOS.

That's what being nice got me.

CRNI-ICU20 · Aug 12, 2007

forcing a laxative???? hmmmmm.....that's a bit of a harsh reaction.....what's next, firing nurses because they put milk of magnesia in prune juice and call it a black and white coctail??? bruthher!

Ya know...if the old gaffer doesn't want his laxative, yes, he's got a right to refuse....but I wonder, when someone has to do the onery job of blasting that stuff out of him, is he going to get them fired too???

Something is really stinky here....and it isn't the bedpans.....

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Aug 12, 2007

Yeah...unless you have a situation like I just did where I was nice and still subjected to a barrage of verbal abuse that I can't repeat because it would violate TOS.
That's what being nice got me.

Sorry to hear that.

It seems so dysfunctional to have to be nice to people who are abusive. For people who grew up in abusive homes, it takes a lifetime of learning to not put up with abuse of any kind. Having to accept it at work seems like a giant step back.

I wish there was a way that we could make people accountable for their behavior. Unfortunately we have to give care to everyone, even abusive jerks.