Horrific Write Ups? Has it ever happened to you?

Published

I had a write up early on in my nursing career.

I worked nights and did 7p 7a. I had a patient who was in with pneumonia, but had a long psychiatric history, but honestly was very high functioning and appeared stable from basic interactions.

I had an uneventful night with her and called it a wrap at the end of my shift.

THe next day I was called to come in as my manager needed to "speak to me". I came in and was floored!! The patient who I cared for the night before claimed I told her " I don't empty commodes, I will have the CNA come and help you". and that "I will have the CNA bring you some soda and crackers".

I had proof by witnesses that I was caring for this patient solo. NO CNA that night. I waited on her hand and foot and even brought her 7-p several times.... so it was unfounded.

I WAS WRITTEN UP!

My only response to my manage was, you know my practice, you know how I am with patients. I have staff willing to vouch for me I was solo and you are taking the word of a patient with a known psych history over me? I feel really hurt.....

I was a new RN, but it opened my eyes to the hospital.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You don't say when this was, but it happens to all of us. There was just a discussion thread about this just a day or two ago.

Best wishes!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow, that's some bull.. Id go talk to your nursing supervisor about that, you dont want it on your record.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was once written up for following "improper lab procedures". I sent down a tube of CSF to the lab without all the proper labels attached, or something similar. I thought it was ridiculous. Nothing got lost and I asked everyone on the floor what to do first (the charge nurse was off the floor). The unit secretary insisted he knew the procedure and actually did it for me (while I watched). Then the lab had a cow. It upset me a lot at the time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg/DOU/Ortho/Onc/Rehab/ER/.

I would get on that and document everything! I'm going through bogus write ups of my own. I was harassed and the guy turned around and made me look like the bad guy. That was the first write up, the second in that same incident, insubordination for not writing up my side of the story. Funny how I get that because another supervisor, the harasser and I worked it out together and fixed the problem. We fixed the problem and all agreed with witnesses to drop it. So if its fixed, why would return in my side of the story? Weeks later I get a double whammy of writes ups. Ironically the first one was saying I harassed him. THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE MY SIDE OF THE STORY. Because that was the second write up. This work place professes that they do not take action unless both stories are told. HA! What crap! I need to get the Hell out of this.backstabbing environment and so do you!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology.

see, this is pretty much exactly why I'm having a hard time learning EPIC! I just got hired at a new hospital and we use EPIC... and at my old hospital, we used Meditech, and my charting there was rather thorough and detailed, mostly in the form of nursing notes. I'd make one note, and add on to it all shift.. so in that case, my documentation would have provided backup cuz I wouldda put something at least once or twice on my little one or 2 line updates such as "Provided pt with 7-up, per request"

but in epic... its ALL charting my exception, and I'm having a hard time cuz i feel like my documentation won't save my ass if something happens!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I got written up for someone's back being sweaty. No joke.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

I once had a young female patient who was in the hospital cause of a suicide attempt claim she had been groped by that "male nurse, the big guy in blue scrubs". My crappy manager, without even looking into anything immediately wrote me up and suspended me. She had to lift my suspension when it was proven that I was off on the 2 days that patient was in the hospital and never even set foot in the hospital during her stay and that patient and I had never laid eyes on each other. I immediately started looking for another job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
I got written up for someone's back being sweaty. No joke.

What?

Been there, done that. I refuse to sign the write ups. There is a space to write my side and I'll write my side of the story and sign that. And if it's someone who does things like that, I also write a note (like someone said) saying I brought them drinks or whatever and how often I did that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.
I once had a young female patient who was in the hospital cause of a suicide attempt claim she had been groped by that "male nurse, the big guy in blue scrubs". My crappy manager, without even looking into anything immediately wrote me up and suspended me. She had to lift my suspension when it was proven that I was off on the 2 days that patient was in the hospital and never even set foot in the hospital during her stay and that patient and I had never laid eyes on each other. I immediately started looking for another job.

I was once accused of abuse of an old lady by her crazy husband on a shift I never worked on a day I was off!!! It was terrible. She was a vegetable so she couldn't say anything either way. The guy used to chase me up and down the hallway and they wouldn't do anything about it except tell me not to go into the room and have someone else take care of her and her roommate. Then 2 weeks later crazy husband asked me why I never took care of his wife anymore and it hurt her feelings because I did the best job. :confused::confused:

Crazy old bat.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was written up for buttering toast wrong. The patient felt humiliated because I didn't spread the butter out to the very edge…I left a small edge dry. I was given toast training so it didn't happen again.

I was written up because I only gave a little girl one sticker in the ER (even though it was an unwritten rule that we only gave one.)

I was written up for not helping an ER patient when I was an ER patient myself.

I was written up because a patient thought I had tapped her phone so I could listen to her personal conversations.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I was written up for buttering toast wrong. The patient felt humiliated because I didn't spread the butter out to the very edge...I left a small edge dry. I was given toast training so it didn't happen again.

.

*** Was there a written competency to go a long with the toast training? Pre and post tests? After the training did you get to add "TT" for Toast Trained to your name badge?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment