I've been working at an Assisted Living Place since May 7. Here's whats happened since I've been there
My 2nd day, they find out around 60 Tylox were stolen. Cops called, got a report. I guess they sell for $10 a pill on the street.
I also find out that before this happened, maybe a week or two before I started, another set of Tylox (for the same patient, no less) had gone missing. That time it was b/c the DON had left the keys out.
The set that was stolen sometime between the first set and my second day of working there (they arent sure exactly when it was taken) looked like the lock box (which was really a filing cabinet with a padlock on it) had been broken into... the drawer was all bent/warped, like a crowbar had been taken to it or something.
For some reason the ADON got suspended for the second set hat they discovered stolen.... She was back 2 days later, and both the ADON and DON were written up since they were both supervisors "in charge" of these meds.
By the way, this place had 3 nurses, myself included... the DON, ADON and me (They use Med Techs.. nurses are more like case managers, doing doctors day and stuff like that).
So, a few weeks later (maybe a week and a half ago) the ADON apparently comes in on a Friday night... on her day off, in her uniform. Goes up to the med cart and says to the Med Tech she's gonna do their 45 day review (the med tech gets "tested" every 45 days, they are supposed to be followed around for a complete med pass)... the med tech was like "Um, The DON's already done all of them" so the ADON said "Oh well I'll help you on your med pass"... She ended up giving meds to 2 residents and leaves... The 2 med techs said she smelled like alcohol and was acting weird, so they counted the meds after she left and apparently 4 or 5 narcotics (just individual pills) were missing!
Then on Monday, they discover MORE narcotics were stolen... like A LOT! They had come on after the nurses has left for the day on Friday and were left locked up in the nurses' office (med techs have a key to get in tho), but someone must have unlocked the door (or someone left it unlocked) and taken them. Obviously, someone who knew what they were doing.
They ended up firing the ADON b/c of all that had happened (she'd only been there maybe 7 or 8 months)... well, I think they really said "You can either be terminated or resign" so I think she wrote a resignation letter.
Down to 2 nurses.
During this whole time the corporate office sent in a QA Nurse . Well, we just got the report back and there were 16 pages of errors. Although I had gone through a couple of the charts to see what she was talking about and there were only maybe 1 or 2 errors she said I had done.. one of them said the doctor ordered a coumadin change and it was not written on the MAR but it was?!? I did nothing wrong, so who knows what the hell this lady is talking about.
Anyway, b/c of all the errors and the missing meds, the DON was told she had to be terminated or resign today.
Down to one nurse.
Me.
Been a nurse for 5 months... and only practicing for a month and a half.
I'm on call from now on 24/7 until further notice. We have another DON started July 2nd, but I HOPE TO GOD corporate sends other nurses from other facilities in the same company between now and then to help out.
Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.
One nurse to 62 residents!! You are opening yourself up to trouble there my dear.
Give your notice immediately and document everything. Watch your back but this agency sounds like they should be shut down with the doors welded shut.
How can you be charged with patient abandonment when in any job you have the right to resign? Get out while the going is good and the finger is not getting pointed at you... RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN
quote=Kerrigan 06;2267119]Just in case you really are waiting until you get 10,000 replies before you quit, I'm throwing in my vote for RUN!!!
Here is the other 9,752!!!! Get thee out, child. Call your BON and inform them, as the other 2 should not be working....;and failure to report puts your license in as much risk as the original offenders'. And fulfill your responsibility to the patients by letting licensing know.
quote=Kerrigan 06;2267119]Just in case you really are waiting until you get 10,000 replies before you quit, I'm throwing in my vote for RUN!!!
Here is the other 9,752!!!! Get thee out, child. Call your BON and inform them, as the other 2 should not be working....;and failure to report puts your license in as much risk as the original offenders'. And fulfill your responsibility to the patients by letting licensing know.
Just in case you need more than 10,000 replies to get you quit, here's mine.
I would NOT step one more foot in that door again. Call them and quit then call everyone else you need to report them.
Yes I know you will worry about the pt's you are leaving behind but you are just one person and you can't save the world.
Specializes in ub-Acute/LTC, Home Health, L&D, Peds.
I would NOT "resign"......I would never go back, at all. Call whoever is in charge and tell them you won't put your hard earned licenses on the line to cover there butts. If something happens in the mean time, believe me, they will hang you out to dry. I know you are worried about the residents, but you have to take care of you, first. Report this facility, and the residents will be much safer than you could make them by staying and risking you license.
I agree don't go back just call and say I am not coming back!! I have 18 years experience and believe me you need to quit now!! Believe all of these nurses who are taking the time to tell you not to go back.
holy smokes.. what a mess.. i don't know if you'd be charged with abandonment if you left those patients without a nurse.. no nurse in her right mind would hire on there if she knew the history of the place.. i would find a way to get out of there or you will loose your hard earned degree... get out ... now.. just leave... please don't step foot in the door again... they need to be closed down.. and fast...
If you had a lot of experience it could be a great opportunity to make a difference. You could jump in and run the place they way you thought it should be. As a new grad you don't have the experience, or the confidence, or a good name behind you yet. I would leave immediately.
Specializes in Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.
A lot of you are saying to report the facility... to BON or the state? I dont know much about any of this as I'm a new nurse... If to the BON, I am licensed in one state and work in another (compact state).. which do I send something to?
I dont want any of the current workers to get in trouble b/c I feel as if the place is way understaffed and I kept getting told corporate was to blame... wouldnt let them hire more nurses or anything. Anytime there's a call out, they have no PRN people to work and the Med Techs or CNAs work a double or call someone in. I want to document that I did the best I could given the lack of training/orientation and the fact that I have a HUGE workload.
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caliotter3
38,333 Posts
You're not gone already?