The BON gives us until the last day of the expiration month to renew our license. I renewed my RN license on the morning of 30th and checked to make sure I was showing on the Board's site as renewed. I was. I printed out the receipt and notified my director.
Two days later, I went to clock in for my 7p weekend night shift. The clock let me clock in. I went to the unit, took report (viewing computer chart data via the off-going nurse's log-in), and started caring for my patients. Later, when I finally had occasion to log-on, the computer wouldn't let me in.
The IT folks said I was locked out because of an expired license and that the only one who had the authority to change it was HR.
My clinical mgr. was as caught off guard as I. She'd already verified my renewal and, obviously, let me come to work. By the time she checked with the director and arranged for someone to take my assignment, and I gave report, it was after midnight. I'd worked roughly 6 hours. I was sent home for the weekend until HR could straighten things out.
Apparently our HR uses a 'third party' to handle much of it's processes, this included. I told my director I wanted to be paid not only for the time I worked but also for the time I missed due to the error--someone else's error, not mine.
Result: They are 'investigating it.'
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
What was the outcome?
Are there any laws that govern this, or are we at the mercy of company policy?
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
You would think that if she had renewed on Wednesday, they would have known by Friday. You'd think that they would actually...um...CHECK before yanking the plug on her computer access. I don't know, that's just me.
They had two full business days in which they could have checked and saw that she had renewed. The fact is, they did not check before pulling her computer access. That just seems like ineptitude on the part of HR.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
You would think that if she had renewed on Wednesday, they would have known by Friday. You'd think that they would actually...um...CHECK before yanking the plug on her computer access. I don't know, that's just me.
They had two full business days in which they could have checked and saw that she had renewed. The fact is, they did not check before pulling her computer access. That just seems like ineptitude on the part of HR.
HR probably doesn't have anyone with the time to check the BON website every day. IT definitely doesn't; they were outsourced. The thing is, renewing the day before your license expires is waiting until the last moment. It may be legal; evidently it didn't meet the standard set by the OP's employer. As it didn't meet their standard, they are entitled to discipline the OP according to their policies and procedures.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Well, we don't actually know what that facility's policy is. I know my facility simply states that it must be kept active. It doesn't say "you must renew at least X days before expiration date" and I've never worked at a facility that has stated that. So it's just as likely that this is an HR ****-up as it is a breach of facility policy on the part of the OP. I guess we won't ever know.
You'd think that if they have the manpower to click a button that revokes computer access, they would also have the manpower to click a few keys on the BON website.
Again, my thoughts are... they SHOULD and COULD have notified her BEFORE and WITHOUT pulling her off work.
It only turned into an "emergency" because HR handled it wrong.
My employer does not require me to provide proof that I have renewed. They check the BON website. If anyone is showing as not renewed, they will contact the nurse before any action is taken.
It is about respect for the PROFESSIONAL.HR is not staffed by professionals. They are staffed by self important clerks.
Again, my thoughts are... they SHOULD and COULD have notified her BEFORE and WITHOUT pulling her off work.
It only turned into an "emergency" because HR handled it wrong.
My employer does not require me to provide proof that I have renewed. They check the BON website. If anyone is showing as not renewed, they will contact the nurse before any action is taken.
It is about respect for the PROFESSIONAL.HR is not staffed by professionals. They are staffed by self important clerks.
That's lovely that your HR department does that.
But not every HR department has the abilities - or the willingness - to do so. My previous employers didn't take the time to confirm things with the state - it was up to me to keep track of all that and get the proof to my boss who would get it to them. Eventually. I didn't blame them - there were over 4000 employees that worked there and an HR department of maybe 60 people for everything related to HR. Benefits, payroll, employee relations...
and it would take ~90 seconds or less to confirm? and in many states it is month by month. several of you have quoted the old saw about planning, well the employers POOR planning shouldn't have become the OPs problem, either.
That's lovely that your HR department does that.
But not every HR department has the abilities - or the willingness - to do so. My previous employers didn't take the time to confirm things with the state - it was up to me to keep track of all that and get the proof to my boss who would get it to them. Eventually. I didn't blame them - there were over 4000 employees that worked there and an HR department of maybe 60 people for everything related to HR. Benefits, payroll, employee relations...
I find it interesting how many people chose to scold me over this--people who know nothing about me or my life. My question was posed as more of a legal / policy issue. Because I AM responsible, I've never had to deal with this in all my 20+ years (nearly 15 of that with this employer). Yet mostly what I've gotten is berated and scolded. Sad.
I'm typically a conscientious person who doesn't wait until the last minute to do things of this importance. I'm also a skilled nurse who has a good record with my employer and who is often put in charge. I'm rarely, and I mean RARELY, late or absent.
The reason I waited was because of an unusually busy family life this summer and the fact I needed to do some continuing education first, so I wouldn't be lying to the BON when I checked 'yes' that I'd done my CEUs. Obviously, I won't wait this long again in the future.
All I have to say is I'm glad I don't work for tyrant supervisors like some of you apparently do. Anyone who would formally reprimand or fire a nurse for renewing her license on time (according to the Board) and being on time an available to work her shifts is neither kind nor looking at the big picture. With the changes in healthcare and the difficulty staffing the units, you think they'd be a bit more understanding and willing to work with a valuable employee.
A nurse I spoke with said that when this happened to someone she knew, the system paid her for the missed shifts because it was their error, not hers. THAT was the reason why I pressed the issue and brought the question to a forum.
If you have any information of a legal or policy nature that can help me, please comment. If all you want to do is fuss at me, I'd rather you didn't. It's neither thoughtful nor helpful.
"If you have any information of a legal or policy nature that can help me, please comment. If all you want to do is fuss at me, I'd rather you didn't. It's neither thoughtful nor helpful."
Per terms of service, we are not allowed to give legal advice.
Because we don't work at your facility, we have no way of knowing what policies your employer maintains.
That's why you did not receive the answers that you were expecting.
Because we don't work at your facility, we have no way of knowing what policies your employer maintains.
That's why you did not receive the answers that you were expecting.
Exactly! I feel bad this happened to the OP, but if a similar situation happened in my hospital, no matter how valuable that nurse is...it would not matter. Does it stink? Yes. But no matter how many logical sounding reasons (for example, family issues) they gave for not renewing their licenses sooner...HR would not care.
Renewal on average takes 7 working days to fully go through all channels. Lesson learned, do it at least two weeks in advance. You are not the only person renewed that month and you will not get priority based on expiration date. Priority is first come first paid first served even if the renewal application before yours does not expire for two months and yours tomorrow. The other application in board hands first gets priority. Same for the employer.
Specializes in Oncology/StemCell Transplant; Psychiatry.
Still curious as to how OP managed to safely work 6 hours without accessing the computer. Apparently she "viewed" charts at the beginning of shift via the outgoing nurse's log-on. I don't know about anyone else, but my memory isn't good enough to take report and work for 6 hours without at least refreshing my memory, let alone get some basic charting done.
However, that's definitely beside the point.
Right? That was my first thought after reading this. Did none of her patients have meds scheduled for those six hours? How did she access the Pyxis (irrelevant if her facility doesn't use Pyxis)?
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
What a ridiculous statement. You are saying that a nurse should be reprimanded because her hospital's administrative side is inefficient, she gave them plenty of time in my opinion. IT should be checking every day for license renewals. I imagine all it takes from them is hitting a checkbox to stop someone being locked out of the system.
Hospital admin. does not revolve around nursing. There are other disciplines and issues that demand admin's attention.
klone, MSN, RN
14,857 Posts
You would think that if she had renewed on Wednesday, they would have known by Friday. You'd think that they would actually...um...CHECK before yanking the plug on her computer access. I don't know, that's just me.
They had two full business days in which they could have checked and saw that she had renewed. The fact is, they did not check before pulling her computer access. That just seems like ineptitude on the part of HR.