I Don't Think So!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

omg. :o last night at work was the worst night i've had there since i started.

from twelve midnight until five am, i was the only nurse in the place.

not even a med tech.

omg, i got so mad.

i called a nursing agency, but of course who's going to come out at midnight?

they overstaff the dayshift and leave nothing at night. this was the first time i have ever been there without another nurse and it's going to be the last.

it isn't safe.

there are at least sixty residents.

i told them this morning that, if they didn't get or find somebody (another nurse, be it lpn or rn) to work third shift w/me, that i would not be in.

then at 2:30 pm, this smarmy lpn called here and said i needed to make up my mind "because a no-call, no-show" wouldn't look good on my license!

how dare she threaten me like that!

in the first damned place, that has nothing to do with your nursing license.

i could walk off jobs from here to eternity and it wouldn't affect my license.

but the very idea.

instead of waiting to work with me tonight, when she already knew we would be short, she works today, then calls me and runs out of the bldg. before i could return her call!

as soon as i got it (on callwave), i called work and the b.itch had already left, so i called her house and left a message for her.

then i called work again and told them what she had done, and they said "well, we still haven't found anybody."

they had 3 nurses on days and at least 3 med techs; then expect me to do the whole house by myself after midnight ~ i don't think so!

so i said, "okay, then if and or until you all find somebody to work with me tonight, i am deathly ill and will not be in."

they don't even need to think they are going to pull that stuff on me ~ not for one second.

they just recently dropped all the insurance ~ i was planning to get that, except now you can't even get insurance there!

sometimes i wonder if i wouldn't be better off not working! hahahaha!

my fiance is supposed to work this week, though, and i get my check friday.

i am going to start looking around elsewhere if they are going to try to make me work alone; i won't do it. it isn't safe ~ not to mention fair.

i mean, putting "fairness" aside; it isn't safe for the residents.

they need at least an rn and an lpn there, around the clock, and hopefully a med tech.

they don't even need to start that stuff with me; i've been a nurse too long to take it. i won't.

>:(

I'm pretty certain NO CALL, NO SHOW is NOT grounds for losing your license. It may get you fired from your job, but it is not the same as abandonment!

I'm pretty certain NO CALL, NO SHOW is NOT grounds for losing your license. It may get you fired from your job, but it is not the same as abandonment!

I highly doubt that no call, no show is grounds for losing one's nursing license but I could be wrong.

However, I didn't do this so I'm not worried about it.

I was trying to protect my license, not to mention the residents, and when you do THAT, it ALWAYS gets you into trouble. If you refuse to be a martyr or "The Fall Guy", then you are out the door faster than you know what hit you, at least in nursing!!!

Unless you're willing to put your license on the line and put yourself in a position where you can't take care of your patients/residents; YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BE FIRED. Of course, if the worst happens, YOU will get the blame, not the facility. That's why I mentioned "The Fall Guy."

I've seen it; time and time again.

That's okay.

Let them fire me; there's ALWAYS another job.

At least I know I took care of those people. My conscience is clear.

Are you a member of a union? In Ontario, we are not allowed to strike (essential services law) but we are allowed to arrive for our shift and refuse to work if we feel the situation is unsafe, contacting our union rep and management. If the situation is deemed safe by both, then we must work. If the situation is not deemed safe then the union representative and management must reach a resolution that is deemed safe. I am going out on a limb and saying that I would apply that policy to the patients' safety as well as my own.

I don't think any nurses in this state have ever heard of a union, and if they did, they wouldn't join one. They're too stupid and too busy kissing a** to think about unions.

No call no show may be grounds for termination, but it is not grounds for losing your license, at least not in my state and I doubt if it is in Nebraska, though a facility may tell you that it is.

No call no show is strictly an employment issue.

I decided while ago, after looking at the Employee "handbook", to go a little further. I called the facility and spoke to the Administrator.

She, naturally, knew NOTHING of what had gone on....including some various unprofessional shenanigans.

She talked to me and I briefly told her MY side of the story....she then decided to ask me down for a meeting with her and the DON.

They might fire me, but I'm not going to go quietly.

I've already called a lawyer (there are other issues involved), and also the Ombudsman's office.

I was only looking out for the residents (mistake).

If they don't give me my job back I will call the state on them for unsafe staffing....among OTHER things.

I didn't just fall off the turnip truck.

60 residents? one nurse? no cna's? just one nurse? that's freaking unreal..I'd much rather be fired than to put myself at risk for taking that responsibility..come on now..charting,med passes,accuchecks,wounds,tube feedings,incontinent care,turning,everything???? geeeeeez louiseeeeeee...those poor patients..surely surely there are regulations on staffing..and that can't be it :(

Shezam-

I like your attitude, girl!

Go get 'em!

I worked at a LTC/subacute rehab unit for over 2 years on nocs. I had 65 residents to myself, with the help of three CNAs q noc. Nine of them were tube feeds, two trachs w/ MRSA, multiple demented wanderers, frequent fallers, brittle diabetics, total cares, screamers, a couple on TPN, IVs, the whole nine yards.

At the other end of the building, another nurse had 60 of her own residents and three CNAs. That's two nurses for 125 residents.

Needless to say, I didn't get a single lunch break in the two years I worked there.

Two nurses to 125 residents is perfectly legal- there are no staffing madates anywhere in the U.S. except in Cali, and those haven't taken effect yet.

There used to be the firecode law which someone mentioned about 1 staff to 15 residents, they don't have that anymore.

I don't think she meant she didn't have a CNA? did she, if so, that is unreal.......but for 60 residents, it would depend on how many CNA's I had there before I refused to work.

Originally posted by mistersleepy

Just an FYI,

No call, no show is grounds for losing your liscense. I think I would contact the BON about the situation before the DON does.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Robert

aaahhh, no it's not.

For all they know I overslept, my car broke down, my cell phone died, and I didn't have 2 bits for a payphone...Try and take my license...

It's an employer/employee situation ONLY...

sean

This is a situation that I found myself in before when I worked at a nursing home. I ended up calling the nursing home hotline on the facility where I worked. Then, I quit before they could fire me!

The situation that you are describing sounds dangerous to not only the patients, but also your license. They did you a favor by firing you.

I feel yah! I worked in the LTC and was snuffed some staff members the next day I had my resignation and the administrator was threatening me with abandoment I laughed considering I came in on my day off! I have left several jobs for bull s***. Life is too short to be abused.

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