I have a personal Whistle Blowing story that I would like to share with anyone who would care to listen.
I have been a psychiatric nurse for over 29 years. I was doing fairly well in this field just up until the day that I became a serious patient advocate. Please allow me to further explain.
Beginning sometime in the year 2000 I became acutely aware that a certain number of patients that were treated at a state run facility { for legal purposes both the state and the facility will remain nameless} were complaining to me, their doctor, the human rights officer, social worker, staff members, family, guardian , lawyers, administrators and patient advocacy groups of the extensive amount of time they were required to stay either in a seclusion room or their stripped bedroom.
These patients complained about a behavioral modification treatment the was generally called "Voluntary Open Quiet Room Plan" or Room plans. Has anyone out there heard of such plans? One of my patients was made to commit herself to such a plan that lasted over a year. I believe that this treatment caused negative effects for both her and the staff alike.
I am not denying the fact that I was part of this mistreatment of patients and so in April, 2001 I turned myself in to the State's Disable Person Protection Committee for violation of these patients Civil and Human Rights. Afterwards I turned in the facilty for forcing me to violate these patients Civil Rights.
I did this because a brilliant and yet difficult patient accused all of us associated with the Hospital that we were violating his Civil Rights by making him stay in a seclusion room for months at a time with very little and on some days no break periods.. Initially no one including myself responded to his accusations. However, he was able to convince me that he was correct in his allegations when one night he came out of the seclusion room; grabbed my hands; and showed me a document posted on the wall. It was the State's General Law that clearly stated that the mentally ill do have the rights to freely associate with others and must be honored. Seeing the "writing on the wall" was the pivital moment that spurred me to become an advocate for the mentally ill treated at this state run facility. Needless to say I also became a victim of retaliation by the State's Department Of Mental Health.
From the beginning I was accused by all of being mentally ill myself and was placed on Family Medical leave against my wishes and without being allowed a "fitness for duty exam"
In December I insisted on seeing an independent psychiatrist who declared me perfectly sane and so the Department was forced by law to take me back.
When I returned to work it was as if nothing had changed for the better. In fact any one that is interested in reading more about this state run facility can go to The Eagle Tribune On line archives section and read a three part series called "Death In Restraints" that began November 9, 2003 and concluded November 11, 2003.
To make a long story short I was eventually fired. The Department fired me on the false grounds that I violated patients confidentiality in connection to the reports of mistreatment I was mandated to file to outside agencies. One of the agencies was The Board Of Nursing who I filed claims against the Director of Nurses at this State Run facilty for punishments of patients and aiding and abetting unlawful activity in connection to these so called voluntary room plans.
Well guess what folks, the Board dismissed my complaint against the Director of Nurses and now agrees with the counter charge by my former Director Of Nurses that I had violated patients confidentiality in connection to the report I filed the Board.
So far I have lost over $100.000 in my efforts to protect my patients civil rights.
I have filed a Health care Whistle Blower lawsuit against the state but it will take at least two more years before my trail by jury.
I'm telling all of you this because as Nurses we are mandated reporters as well as patient advocates but somtimes the price of doing the right thing for our patients seems unbearable.
Hi everyone,