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 Assisted Living, Med-Surg/CVA specialty.
I've talked to my mom a couple times about my frustrations and the amount of work that's put on me and how I haven't been oriented properly and she basically told me I cannot quit without a job (I still live at home while in school) lined up. I've applied to a few places and gotten no where (most places in my area don't use LPNs and if they do, don't want to put up with my school schedule). I have credit card debt and no money to pay it off with without a job.
She basically tells me to suck it up and stop being lazy.
Call your BON and explain the situation to them. Ask them if this would be abandonment - to leave without notice. Ask them how to protect yourself. Then ask them which department of the government in your state to report them to. If they have a program for impaired nurses, one report would go there. If they have a program for assisted living facilities (which are largely unregulated and owned by corporations with deep pockets and tenacious attorneys) then ask them for the phone number for your report. Keep a log of your calls, the name of the person you spoke with and their answer to your question with the date and time. Go ahead and tell the BON your name, rank and serial number when you call.
You have done nothing wrong. Working in an environment like this can make you feel just as dirty as the people doing the dirty business.
However, be prepared for some form of nasty retaliation attempts when these blatant dysfunctional activities are brought into the light.
Don't worry about your mom. I'm sorry, but that advice is rediculous. Yes, it'll stink with no income. But...you're putting your entire career on the line. Your LPN lisence and any future if you plan to go on for RN.
Geez.. and I thought the nursing home where a friend of mine worked was a h***hole, but this place sounds so much worse. And I didn't think that was possible.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
You will NOT be charged with nurse abandonment for quitting. It would be different if you came on duty and accepted an assignment. Self preservation is the law of the land of licenses.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Call your BON and explain the situation to them. Ask them if this would be abandonment - to leave without notice. Ask them how to protect yourself. Then ask them which department of the government in your state to report them to. If they have a program for impaired nurses, one report would go there. If they have a program for assisted living facilities (which are largely unregulated and owned by corporations with deep pockets and tenacious attorneys) then ask them for the phone number for your report. Keep a log of your calls, the name of the person you spoke with and their answer to your question with the date and time. Go ahead and tell the BON your name, rank and serial number when you call.
You have done nothing wrong. Working in an environment like this can make you feel just as dirty as the people doing the dirty business.
However, be prepared for some form of nasty retaliation attempts when these blatant dysfunctional activities are brought into the light.
I think it is more advisable to leave and get another job before reporting them. Think about it, the other nurses were smart enough to run for the hills...this place could have already be reported to higher authorities.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
question... I am leaning towards finding a new job (although LPNs around here seem to have a tough time finding jobs... took me months to find this one)... In a resignation letter, should I make it short and sweet like "My last day will be _____. Thank you for the opportunity to work here, blah blah blah" or go into detail about why I feel it is unsafe to work there"? I know to the administrator it would be pretty obvious why, but for my own protection do you think I should include that information"?
I say to leave nicely. Unfortunately the nursing world is small and you are young in your career. I wouldn't make it ugly for myself. Or, write a nice note saying that you are leaving...blah blah blah and verbally tell them to kiss where you twist. No evidence if said behind closed doors...
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
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.
How do I go about doing this?
Excuse my French, but they do not give a rat's A$$ about you, why should you care about them??? You would send it to the state board of nursing that this home is located in. How can you document that you did the best you can considering the lack of education when you may be fighting BY YOURSELF to save YOUR license?? The whole administration cannot be blind to what is happening.
If you do not protect yourself, there will be no one to protect you. Plain and simple. And, you will be barring yourself from other opportunities if your license is in jeopardy.
I think it is more advisable to leave and get another job before reporting them. Think about it, the other nurses were smart enough to run for the hills...this place could have already be reported to higher authorities.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
The other nurses were fired.
I misread that point, because I was so incensed about what is happening with this person. Thanks for the clarity. What a horrible situation!!!!!!!:angryfire
GeminiTwinRN, BSN
450 Posts
I can't believe you're still working there!
It doesn't matter who you report the facility to, report them to the BON and the state! But the reports can wait until you are GONE!