Horrific Write Ups? Has it ever happened to you?

[NonieJuice]

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.

[AngelofLTC]

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:

Crazy old bat.

UMMM...vegetable, I think thats a bit harsh?

[KMC-RN-BSN-710]

I am sorry to hear that that happened to you. I lost a job when I was younger as a CNA because a Psych patient told the nurse that I was rude to her. I always helped out other staff and made efforts to help people when I worked and witnessed many of my co-workers being rude or inappropriate with patients but when I informed higher level staff of this it was ignored. Needless to say people threw me under the bus for nothing and I lost my job. I didn't fight it like I should have. At the least I should have been written up or suspended (even though I didn't do anything). If I were you I would definetely talk to someone higher up. There is no reason that you should have to admit you did something that you didn't do, and that is exactly what is happening here. By accepting the write up you are letting them win. Don't let anyone bully you. I had a patient once complain about everything in the ER and say nothing but nice things about me, I didn't document in the computer that the patient was complaing but I told my APCM right away. Luckily I did, cause that patient wrote a letter to the VP of nursing complaing about everything, even though I bent over backwards to help her and she was nice to my face. She did not mention me by name and most of the complaints were toward doctors and ER, but needless to see because I cared for her I was questioned and it was horrible. Keep your head up you know that you didn't do anything wrong and sometimes it is best to just document everything. If a patient is every rude or off to you, just write it in your notes and let the charge know, that is what I do. It is better to be safe then sorry. Good Luck don't let them bully u into confessing to something u didn't do!!!

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

I would offer you this advice;

I would NOT sign the write up. I would not write on the form. I would not make any acknowledgement upon the hospital forms of a bogus write up.

What I WOULD do would be to write a letter with dates and times of facts surrounding the incident in question. I would make three copies. I would have each letter notarized. One would go the the DON (and or Human Resources) by CERTIFIED MAIL, which requires a signature and return receipt. One would go to the Nurse Manager by CERTIFIED MAIL, which requires a signature and return receipt. One would be kept in my special file for future reference.

You would be AMAZED at what happens when ridiculous complaints, which are total cow-pucky, hit the light of day.

Do not ever be afraid to stand up for yourself. YOU are the only one who is going to advocate for yourself and act in your best interests.

My two cents........... Take it or leave it.

At one hospital I was written up at least weekly for about a year. That's a LOT of money in mail costs, and they don't give a crap what you think. Where I worked they can fire you for the color of your hair, if they so choose, so there's no legal protection. If you get a certain number of write ups for crap, you're meeting the national standard of care, and you're still working at the same hospital, that will tell you someone somewhere recognizes those write ups for the crap they are. But it's wise to get another job, because all that paperwork is a pain in someone's butt higher up, they are going to start asking why you are still around.

Amazingly, at my new job I've been here three years and not gotten written up once. What a difference between employers! It's like being able to breathe again.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

At one hospital I was written up at least weekly for about a year.

...

Amazingly, at my new job I've been here three years and not gotten written up once. What a difference between employers! It's like being able to breathe again.

I've had the same experience. At Hospital A, I could pretty much count on weekly conversations with my manager about patients who were "unhappy". Now, at Hospital B ... I've not heard that phrase in over 2 years.

It is amazing, isn't it?

[Traum-a-Rama]

I got written up for not giving a patient in the ER her second pillow fast enough. Umm, I was working on a code in the next room!!! I was able to prove this through the timing of my documentation, but the patient happened to complain just when the VP was making his semi-annual visit....It upset me greatly that administration doesn't take patient complaints in the context of surrounding circumstances...write ups seem to the unfortunate consequence of the "customer service" model of healthcare...which begs the question: what are we to do when the diabetic patient complains that the nurse insinuated that they are fat and so only offered diet ginger ale instead of the chocolate milkshake they demanded???

[Lynx25, LPN]

I *almost* lost my job, and quite possibly my license yesterday-

I did an admission 2 weeks ago- and during that time, someone managed to lose the discharge packet from the hospital. Personally, once I'm done with the discharge packet- it goes in a stack on the supervisor's desk, and I don't mess with it anymore- no need.

At any rate, I get a phone call yesterday... "WHERE ARE MS Q'S ORDERS!?!" ...Seems they lost the packet, all except for one page, ordering some Tylenol.

They wanted to pin the WHOLE thing on me... AS ONE GIANT MED ERROR! They were saying that I went in the system and decided to give her some seizure meds... some blood thinners... some antidepressants just for the hell of it.

...They also wanted me to come in on my day off and explain myself. I feared I wasn't going to be quite the professional if I came in, and told them they had better call the discharging hospital- medical records, anything. Thankfully, it was all eventually straightened out 8 hours later, but needless to say- sometimes you just know when to start the job hunt again!

[NocturneNrse]

Unfortunately... in this business.. NOONE'S got yer back. = (

[KeepItRealRN, BSN, RN]

Well many years ago when dinasaurs still roamed the earth this happened. I was sitting near my patients bedside doing some charting and in walks the cardiologist asks the age old question, "How is she doing?". I gave him a synopisis and he went along his merry way. A couple of days later I was called into my NM's office and presented with a formal write up because I did not stand up when the cardiologist entered my room.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Well many years ago when dinasaurs still roamed the earth this happened. I was sitting near my patients bedside doing some charting and in walks the cardiologist asks the age old question, "How is she doing?". I gave him a synopisis and he went along his merry way. A couple of days later I was called into my NM's office and presented with a formal write up because I did not stand up when the cardiologist entered my room.

*** WOW, just WOW! I would, as I am sure most of us would, tell him to kiss my ###. Sure am glad those days are over. I would have been fired even more times than I have been. Probaly be a truck driver or still farming.

I am curious how you reacted when called into the NM office? I am so greatful that even the worst NM would laugh in his face nowdays.

[MomRN0913]

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

Is this all in the same facility?! I really hope you don't work there anymore.

[Callisonanne]

haha I didn't know cardiologists get the same treatment as the president. They must think i'm rude.

As a pysch nurse I have learned to document each and every incident with each personality/borderline patient. We had a patient once write out a list of medical needs she had during her stay at our facility (a short term crisis center) amongst the few - some dental work, knee replacement, a neck brace, disability pay, and a few other minor requests. I always appreciate when learning that we don't have tv's in the bedroom they are NOW suicidal. Really?

[fallinnstyle]

Had a DON call me at home at 11am (I worked nocs) saying it was critical I come back to work. I drove back half asleep and she presented me with a write up coz I did not notify family in a timely fashion that a resident had fallen. The fall happened at around 545am, he rolled off a low bed onto a floor mat. No injuries, and he got himself up (told me he did not need me to help).

Notified MD, did my neuros, passed a couple of meds in between my Q15neuros. At 630a, I called the family and notified. RP says ok,,thanks.

I documented everything and went home only to be called and told that they did not feel I notified the family soon enough.

That's B*S*.

I did not sign the write up, but I read the signs very clearly and looked for a new job immediately.