How do I respond to wrongful allegations

Published

  1. Are EN's allowed to ring GP's to seek treatment for residents

    • 1
      Yes
    • 0
      No
    • 1
      In charge RN should do it?

2 members have participated

Im an EN and at the care home I work at we have a lady who in the last few weeks has been yelling out literally all day and all night. She had previously been seen by OPMH and they deemed in their report to her GP that there wasnt anything wrong. She was however prescribed risperidone 0.25 mg BD PRN

This medication has been un-successful so the other day I was tlaking with the RN in charge and I stated to her that I thought that we needed to contact this resident's GP to seek alternatives, she very quickly replied that she didnt think we should and also stated that she didnt have confidence in this GP and that she had no buisness prescribing psychotic type medications and that it should be done through OPMH

Yesterday I tried to contact OPMH to no avail and by 1430 aftet this poor lady had been yelling out all day and all afternoon I rang her GP and explained what was happening and simply asked her what she thought we could do as she was the one who prescribed the risp in the first place. Her sggestion was initially serapax but she quickly said no that it wasnt a good idea as we didnt want to knock this resident out so she gave an order of diaz 2.5 - 5mg TDS PRN

Now bear in mind that the aid RN was off shift when I called the GP and I didnt give her any suggestions as to what to prescribe, the said RN comes on shift this morning and in report hears that this resident had been given 2.5mg of diaz and that she had settled and had been easier to manage and the look I got wasnt nice.

She then proceeded to go to the DON and reported me for acting outside my sope for ringing the GP as she claims my intent was to change the medication regime and that I ignored her directive.

I have been given a few days to respond in writing but I'm so ****** off that I dont even know how to reply to this, that being said this same RN also accused me of bullying another RN the other week and reported same to the DON, I was able to verbally meet the DON and explain the whole story so that was resolved and didnt go any further.

If anyone has some good letter writing skills with this kind of thing any help would be appreciated. Do I not have a duty of care to this resident to try and acheive outcomes that benefit her and her quality of life.

Regards and thanks for any help

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
What is an EN?

EN = enrolled nurse. It's an Australian nursing title similar to LPN of US & Canada

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Thank you for that jadelpn I will be sure to add your insight to my reply. I'm not even mad anymore as I dont think it will go any further especially when I come at this from a different angle.

One thing I pondered today is that since this particular RN has been filling in and has been on the ward for the last 2 weeks and has observed this womans behaviour, and then me speaking up the other day and then actually ringing the GP. At the end of the day am I wrong to question why she hadnt already contacted the GP and or the older persons mental health unit to try and do something for this lady already? Am I wrong here in thinking that perhaps it could be seen by some as neglect? I'm not saying it is but .....

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How did you get hold of the diaz and legal drug order whether verbal or written without an RN is my worry. Do you not have a clinical nurse co-ordinator? to go to for problems like this. Diaz may work for short periods but is diffinitely taboo in dementia patients and will cause even more problems with behaviours!!!! after the body and brain gets over the initial use. You need to review your place in the team and stop using the excuse of playing the advocate game, you can only use this excuse for so long and be very careful using the word neglect when referring to a colleagues professional care.

also with dementia, drugs are not always the answer as said before wholeheartedly agree, there are many nursing interventions, maybe she is in pain and a couple of panadol may settle her.

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Very true ceridwyn I will refrain from thatterm as it can open to many unwanted doors, I have been replaying things in my head and while I agree that yes we should have a team leader on the floor to go to unfortunatly on that day the actual RN in charge was in a dementia training session.

However yes I have researched Diaz and I agree that it may not have been the best choice but again I didnt ask the GP to order it, I was looking for an alternative and even though it was a small dose of 2.5mg it can still have a build up effect.

In hindsight I do see where she was coming from but to go to the DON after her and I spoke and she conveyed her dis-agreeance in my ringing the GP and I did apologize and reassured her that I wasnt trying to backdoor her and that my intention was to try and help.

I did however remember today that 2 days earlier whilst we outside this very same residents room she made a comment which didnt sit well with me.

We were about to deliver some ordine to the lady next door and our lady who yells out could hear us at like 8am and as her door was half shut and the lights were still off she sang out and wanted to know who was there, now she is a dear little french lady. So this particular RN leans over to me and say " I dare you to go to her door and tell her the Germans are here"

It might sound petty but I wonder as well how this could be perceived as personally I think it was uncalled for.

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This RN is not Australian born is she?

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It's a shame our elderly have to be "cared" for by people who are cruel like that...

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No she isnt Aussie born, she is from England. She had also given the DON a list of things she feels that I dont do like contribute to daily paperwork, that I dont get RN's to sign off on new admission diet plans, that I dont complete new admission assessments and some of these things only just came up from the other day.

I do feel a little scape goated and I'm not saying Im an angel but if I or another workmtre getting bullied I stand up and refuse to take it which she doesnt like, I suspect that she may be trying to use this as a way to pull me in to line so to say.

I dont like to fight dirty but if someone is going to try to threaten my income/livlyhood then i will come out swinging, she might I add also on that same morning administered the other ladies ordine to her whilst she was on the toilet, so should I meboth this and the German comment to the DON. I dont want to be a whinger but is fighting fire with fire gonna be what it takes to get her to back off and leave me alone and stop looking for petty things.

Im not the only person she does it to. Im getting all worked up, like I said I apologized to her and accepted what she said and why she was upset with me but yet she still felt the need to get it formally addressed which makes me think that I need to defend myself as well as indicate to the DON that she isnt exactly leading by example.

Does that make sense or am I coming across as a whiner?

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Did not think so, Australians mostly do not relate to that war, disgusting, No, but you both need to face each other with the Don where your complaints can be addressed and she will need to answer your concerns with a witness, this crap cannot continue.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.

Agree no on should put up with the rubbish this RN is doing. Talk to your DON and ask for a meeting with all parties concerned and I would also bring up the attitude. As a UK citizen I am ashamed that she felt she had to make that comment, things that are from the past should stay in the past

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Thanks Silverdragon102 Im not sure if there is going to be a meeting held or what as they have worded the letter " you will be given the opportunity following due process to respond fully to the allegations"

This in itself creates a sickness in my stomach as I feel as though they may have already made decision but as they are required to follow the procedures regardless anything I say may not really affect the outcome. I'm hoping that it wont affect my employment but I have the sinking feeling.

My response is going to have to be worded carefully, tactfully and factual.

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I have done my rough draft reply to this allegation however I have also replied addressed the other 6, I have included some comments from some of you who were kind enough to lend your insight. My next question is would anyone care to look it over for me and possibly assist with wording/content as this kind of thing isnt my forte.

I basically want to articulate I think that at present there seems to be a double standard and that maybe one standard will be more suitable?

Thanks in advance and I hope no one is offended that I may have used partial responses in my reply, if you would like me to remove same I'll be happy to. I can PM my reply.

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