HELP: quit LTC without 2 wk notice and ED treatened to report me to BON

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Hello, all. So I have only been working at this LTC for about 6 days of orientation. Tonight was supposed to be my first night on my own working 3rd shift as the the only RN supervising 3 other LPNs. I have gone up to upper management a number of times about not feeling comfortable about the idea since I'm new to the place and a new nurse myself (only 1 yr exp.) After debating about it for days and with last night being crazy, I thought to myself it's not worth losing my license and sanity (I'm 7 months prego). I didn't get a break last night, didn't sit all night and was still orientating but left with the cart because the RN I was orientating with was busy with other things. I have asked for more orientation. They tried to give me my own patient load after 3 nights of poor orientation because they were short. I gave them my resignation letter today and got a call around 5 from the executive director stating that they would file a complaint against me for not giving them 2 weeks notice and leaving them short handed. I already expressed my concerns with them over and over again about not feeling comfortable being the only RN at night and they don't care. They just need me because they are short and they need a RN at night in the building. Does this ED have any legality with her treats? I just can't believe anyone would stoop that low to say they would report me for "endaring their residents." As you all can imagine I'm all stressed out about this and I've been so stressed out about this horrible place since starting. I don't agree with unsafe nursing practices. The nerve of some people, I can't believe how desperate some people are. I'm very professional and am not proud of quitting so soon after starting a job and without 2 weeks notice, but I have to consider what I feel competent and comfortable doing and what I feel is right for the residents. Any advice would be wonderful. So stressed out about situation.

Cant prospective employers see all the jobs you held as a nurse, when they perform a premployment background check? Just saying, because if you do not put all your nursing jobs on employment applications, the prospective employers can still find out, and then it looks like you have purposely left out info. Just offering a different perspective, I do believe this was not a good fit job wise for you, but I would at least try to leave on civil terms.. Bite you tongue til it bleeds, and take the higher ground and be the professional, they will regret losing you as a good nurse....

GOOD LUCK

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Cant prospective employers see all the jobs you held as a nurse, when they perform a premployment background check? Just saying, because if you do not put all your nursing jobs on employment applications, the prospective employers can still find out, and then it looks like you have purposely left out info. Just offering a different perspective, I do believe this was not a good fit job wise for you, but I would at least try to leave on civil terms.. Bite you tongue til it bleeds, and take the higher ground and be the professional, they will regret losing you as a good nurse....

GOOD LUCK

I didn't list all of my previous employers for one of my current jobs and it never came up.

The only way that I know of that it would show up is if someone had applied for credit listing that job for employment, and then the new employer ran a credit report. Since she has only been there 4 days, there wasn't time for this to happen. I think she is in the clear on this point.

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I wouldn't worry about it.

Stop taking their calls.

How desperate are they for warm bodies that they'd want someone who doesn't want to be there, working there for two more weeks when they outright admit they aren't comfortable working there?

It's not like you could train your replacement or anything after just a few days of orientation yourself!

And I guarantee you that they would make your life a living hell if you did work a two week notice, and badger you into working more time....another day, week or month, until they found someone else to badger.

Then they'd probably keep your last paycheck or something.

Be glad you are rid of that place and try to move on and forget it. You can tell other prospective employers that you attempted working there but wasn't comfortable with it, and I can assure you NOBODY will care!

Welcome to long term care!

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If you didn't leave in the middle of the shift and worked your shift out...NO it is not abandonment. What if you were hit by a car and couldn't come to work? Would they report you then??

Call the BON on your own and ask them. If you do speak with the ED, I'd ask specifically what they think they will report you for and I'd also mention that I "will just have to speak with my attorney or have them call you"

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I'd laugh at her the next time she calls and tell her to leave me the *&^# alone. And threaten her if she didn't "cease and desist."

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Sure the ED can report you to the BON if he/she wants to, of course the BON won't do diddly squat about it because, you did nothing wrong. If you finished your scheduled shift you were off the clock and done with your shift.

If they call again tell them to do what they must and that you will be contacting your lawyer for possible suit against them for threatening and harrassing.

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Is she reporting you for leaving without notice, or is she referring to you leaving during your shift that 4th night? Orientation or not they can report you for abandonment if you leave during a shift if they want to be nasty. I only ask because I have been down that road and as much as you dislike them it isn't worth a mark on your license. I will also tell you that being reported to the BON is not like people think. It isn't like court where both sides present and they make a ruling. Employer complains, BON investigates, THEN they inform you after the investigation is done and they have decided if you are guilty or not. Next time she calls ask her what SPECIFICALLY she plans to report you for. If its the lack of notice fine. If she brings up you leaving during your shift, make nice with her. NOTHING is worth the h*ll of BON reports.

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

The original poster did state she found her own replacement (the PM nurse that stayed to help) when she left during her orientation. Thus removing her from abandonment since her cares were covered. Right?

Is she reporting you for leaving without notice, or is she referring to you leaving during your shift that 4th night? Orientation or not they can report you for abandonment if you leave during a shift if they want to be nasty. I only ask because I have been down that road and as much as you dislike them it isn't worth a mark on your license. I will also tell you that being reported to the BON is not like people think. It isn't like court where both sides present and they make a ruling. Employer complains, BON investigates, THEN they inform you after the investigation is done and they have decided if you are guilty or not. Next time she calls ask her what SPECIFICALLY she plans to report you for. If its the lack of notice fine. If she brings up you leaving during your shift, make nice with her. NOTHING is worth the h*ll of BON reports.
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Yes, I did leave on the fourth night of orientation and the PM nurse said she would stay. I gave her my report sheet before leaving and she said she would stay to help out.

I did ask the ED what she would report me for and she said that she would report me for "endangering the residents" because they had me on the schedule and I'd be leaving them short handed. Well, I have nothing to do with scheduling and I was not on the clock. I let the scheduler know in the morning what my intentions were and I went back around noon to give my letter to them. It's not my fault they waited to find someone to replace me. I told the ED that I had told them numerous of times I'm not comfortable being the only RN at night. They didn't care they just needed me there to cover their butts because they only have LPNs the nights I'm working. I'm sorry, but I didn't feel comfortable with the responsibility of overseeing the LPNs, if the resident falls I have to assess, if they send somone out, etc. Plus, I didn't like how that place was run...nurses signing off on things that they didn't do. I just can't be that kind of nurse.

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When I had this phone conversation with her. I did tell her I would seek legal advice because she was saying I had to come in or else they'd report me. I then asked her for what and that's when she said for "endangering their residents." I told her I was an at will employee and I have not accepted patient care so how would she do that? She said I accepted a position and I was on the schedule. I think she doesn't know what she's doing. But she shouldn't have the right to threaten me or give me an ultimatum to go to job that I am not comfortable doing. I even said, "so you want to force me to come in even though I've expressed my concern about not being comfortable with being the only RN?" and she said yes, that they had 3 other lpns and a nurse on call for questions. That doesn't matter to me, it's my license I worked hard for it and if anything were to happen it'd be MY license!!

This ED is only a temp. ED I heard her last days were coming up soon. I have plenty of things I could report on them for.

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Thanks everyone for all the replies!!

And for the record, I would have given my 2 weeks notice but I did not feel I was competent. If they would have brought me to a different shift were I was not the only RN I would have finished out my 2 weeks no problem. They were not willing to work me and said I would work 3rds until they found a replacement for me (even after stating I didn't feel comfortable).

When future employers do background checks does it show who's done them on you? And it doesn't mean that I worked for them, just that they did a background check right?

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Pageantnurse-when you were being investigated did the BON contact you and is it open to the public that you are being investigated?

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