I complained my preceptor!!

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2013

Well you did the right thing, but sometimes there is still a price to pay. I'd start looking for a new job. That toxic environment is going to drive you crazy, and make you doubt your skills.

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 17, 2013

I am not sure how a med could be given that there wasn't an order for without eventual questioning. What kind of med are we talking about?

And what was the order for the anti-anxiety med? Was the patient getting too much?

What you are describing is unquestionably wrong on a number of levels. However, this stuff doesn't "just happen" and no one catches on to it. Unfortunetely, you are now the fall guy. And I am sure that the powers that be set it up that way.

If you are bullied, I would be the first to state "look, I was asked, I was honest, I do not lie. Would any of you take the fall for missing meds? Because I was not prepared to. It is not my fault nor my issue that my preceptor chooses to practice medicine as an RN. I will not be held responsible for the medication mishaps of others. And I guarentee that neither would any of you. I am a new grad but a big girl. And I know a set up when I see it. I just had the integrity to say something that ya'll must have known, but no one would say out loud".

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · Jun 17, 2013

OOPS don't know if you are a new grad or not, but a new orientee is just as effective.

jenrak · Jun 17, 2013

I'm not a new grad. I'm a nurse for more than 5 years but it's my first time to work as a geriatric nurse. Yes, many of our patients had falls incidents because of too much consumption of lorazepam and this preceptor administered sleeping tablet at daytime. These patients able to walk around but have mild dementia. I don't why it's only me who complain, I think my colleagues are scared or don't want any trouble. But for how many nights I couldn't sleep properly because of her nursing practice. So depressing, I just want a better change but it's like I'm the one suffering.

jenrak · Jun 17, 2013

I'm not a new grad. I work as nurse for more than 5 yrs but this is my first job in ltc. My preceptor administered sleeping tablets at daytime to restrain our demented and agitated patients. Many of them had falls and other serious injuries. Actually 4 of us complained but her colleagues targeted me most because I'm quite young and obviously fragile. Anyway, I think this is the time that I have to fight back and defend my self because what she did were wrong. I couldn't accept the fact that I'll be working in this kind of environment with unsafe nurses. I'm not a perfectionist nor trying to be ideal, I just want to give my patients the care they deserve.

Orca, ADN, ASN, RN · Jun 17, 2013

In my first nursing job the charge nurse on the following shift engaged in nursing practices that were questionable at best. I found this out one night when I had to cover her shift when she called off. This was on a hospital adult mental health/chemical dependency unit. I worked with her usual psych tech. A young female patient got out of bed at about 1 AM and sat in a chair in the hall. The tech asked me if I was going to medicate her. I told her no, because the patient was calm and she was not bothering other patients. I found out through inquiry that the nurse who she normally worked with was preemptively medicating patients so that she wouldn't be bothered during the night. She would chart that they were agitated and give them whatever PRN was ordered so that they would sleep all night. I reported this to my nurse manager, and within a week or so this nurse was let go. She needed to be.

As far as the situation at hand, probably every state has a requirement in their Nurse Practice Acts that unsafe, unethical and illegal nursing practices be reported.

BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 17, 2013

Wow, this is a scary thought. I see that you've been a nurse for 5 years but I'm a new nurse grad and things like this definitely worry me for when I get my first job. I wish I had advice to offer but since I don't I will just say good luck and I hope you're able to show through your actions that you did the right thing and you're one to be respected.

lmccrn62, MSN, RN · Jun 18, 2013

You always do the right thing by your patient we are their advocate. Those that support that nurses behavior is no better then she.

Seas · Jun 18, 2013

You definitely did the right thing. But what I don't understand is why this was made known to everybody in the facility. They could have suspended her without letting everybody know that YOU reported her. They could have come up with something.

jenrak · Jun 18, 2013

You definitely did the right thing. But what I don't understand is why this was made known to everybody in the facility. They could have suspended her without letting everybody know that YOU reported her. They could have come up with something.

They confronted me, they have the idea that it was me because I was the last person she orientated. I told them it was me. I have nothing to hide and if u know me, I'm the kind of person that u can obviously tell if I'm lying or not. So there's no point of hiding. Anyway, it was settled today they all apologized but still I have to be very careful.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 18, 2013

I would talk to whatever Human Resources person you have at your facility -- and/or administration. Their retaliation against you is the kind of thing that can get a facility in legal trouble. Since the management seems to have responded appropriately to your initial report of problems, give them a chance to respond appropriately to the retaliation. They may be able to give you some protection. At the very least, they may give you a positive reference should you decide to seek a new job.

They may not want you to leave because of the retaliation as it will make them look REALLY bad for not protecting. If they are smart, they will help you now. So give them a chance.