Is this abandonment?

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Dear Nurse Beth,

I am an LVN, work for a nursing agency, today I went to work my assignment had covid positive and negative patients, the RN covering me said I could not have covid positive and negative patients because it was unsafe, she said, go talk to the supervisor and ask her to change the assignment.

I went to the RN supervisor, she stated that the RN covering me was no one to make her change the assignment and that I had to take assignment. I told her I did not feel comfortable with the assignment and that I would call my registry to send someone else, because I did not feel safe, and that I was leaving the facility. The RN supervisor then said that she would report me to the board of nurses for abandonment. I never accepted the assignment not even got report for any of the patients. Would I be in trouble with the board for this incident?

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4 Answers

Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Dear Am I in Trouble?,

You are not in trouble with the BON because you did not abandon any patients. To. abandon patients, you first have to have accepted care for them, which you did not. Shame on the supervisor for a meaningless threat.

Leaving the workplace is a different mater, and you may very well be in trouble with your agency or the facility.

Commingling patients is a scary environment. Mostly facilities try to cohort Covid patients, but that's not always possible. It's been more difficult in nursing homes. Also consider that patients not yet identified as having Covid may indeed have it. The best thing to do is protect yourself and your patients is follow PPE protocol, donning and doffing correctly, and good handwashing. 

Best wishes my friend,

Nurse Beth

Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.
Sydni123 said:

Hi- I'm a LPN waiting to take NCLEX in southern state. I was sent my first assignment by home health to a terrible situation with two preemies on trach and ostomies at 6 months. I was given no training and the home situation was terrible as a trailer had ten persons there with theee infants, 4 children and rest adults.  I was sent home by the still drug addicted mother who thought one infant sneezed because of me. The next shift I had four times informed my boss I was not comfortable being responsible for monitoring two infants all night 12 hour shift  in complete darkness - mother did not allow use of any lights or phones to stay awake- monitoring equipment I k eq nothing about. Boss says "get used to it".  I went last shift and three adults present who were trained in care. I asked for more training after mother accused last nurse of "killing" one of infants by not monitoring correctly she "brought back to life".  I told her I felt incompetent to monitor the infants with no training so she sent me home again.  I called boss he didn't not answer.

I was fired for "abandoning" client and he threatened to complain to BON.  I was shocked and told him had ge been truthful I would never have gone to shift to begin with. He also paid me for one client while he was paid by DOJ for both babies care.

If the mother told you to leave then you can't be charged with abandonment. That job sounds like a dumpster fire and I think your boss did you a favor by firing you. I doubt your employer will report you for abandonment, that is often times is an empty threat from a desperate supervisor, trust me he doesn't want anyone associated with the department of health looking at the shady crap going on in his agency.

Hi- I'm a LPN waiting to take NCLEX in southern state. I was sent my first assignment by home health to a terrible situation with two preemies on trach and ostomies at 6 months. I was given no training and the home situation was terrible as a trailer had ten persons there with theee infants, 4 children and rest adults.  I was sent home by the still drug addicted mother who thought one infant sneezed because of me. The next shift I had four times informed my boss I was not comfortable being responsible for monitoring two infants all night 12 hour shift  in complete darkness - mother did not allow use of any lights or phones to stay awake- monitoring equipment I k eq nothing about. Boss says "get used to it".  I went last shift and three adults present who were trained in care. I asked for more training after mother accused last nurse of "killing" one of infants by not monitoring correctly she "brought back to life".  I told her I felt incompetent to monitor the infants with no training so she sent me home again.  I called boss he didn't not answer.

I was fired for "abandoning" client and he threatened to complain to BON.  I was shocked and told him had ge been truthful I would never have gone to shift to begin with. He also paid me for one client while he was paid by DOJ for both babies care.

Was I wrong?  Thanks for any info-

Thank you for the response. I feel much better! Glad to be gone but sad about black mark on record... again thanks!!

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