Is this fair move for my immediate supervisor to report me as noncompliant?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm not sure if I am in the right place to ask this question: I was reported by my immediate supervisor to the human resources for being non compliant when I was late to turn in my PALS certificate (7 days to be exact) so Human resources had me signed a form stating my suspension or termination effective November 15. I work in PACU. I have not seen anything that PALS is a requirement in our PACU. Not in job descriptions. Not on the hospital policy or maybe I just missed it. Question: is this fair move for my immediate supervisor to report me as noncompliant? (I was scheduled to work but missed work to be recertified for PALS) Thank you.

Tread very lightly from now on if you want to keep your job.

Specializes in ED, PACU, CM.

I would ask for a copy of the unit policies. If you do not have a unit policy that states PALS is required, they should not have taken action against you. Is it a good idea to have it if you treat children? Absolutely! Should it be a requirement? Probably, yes. However, it isn't fair to penalize a person for something that isn't unit policy. If there are no written unit policies, that is a problem in and of itself.

Specializes in Varied.

Check policies. Keep your certifications up-to-date. If you have a question about what is required or isn't, then ask!

just turn in PALS and continue to live life. It's not worth worrying about. I'd say I enjoy working here but unfortunately forgot to renew my PALS or mistaken the actual date it would expire. If you are fired Enjoy the time off and look for something else. You can't let this profession with all these petty people get under your skin, otherwise you will get gray hair or bald headed and unnecessarily early wrinkles a head of time. Your beauty and mental state is worth much more. Now go get you a class of wine/champagne and relax.

Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

If you're asking if HR is being reasonable in telling you that you need to be re-certified by the 15th or else get suspended without pay, well yeah that's reasonable because that's what HR does. Generally this is okay because you don't have to work with them on a daily basis. So they can be mean.

Your nurse manager probably has to make a report on who is compliant and who isn't. A good nurse manager comes around and says or emails-- "Folks make sure those PALS recerts are done because I have to make my report to HR in 3 weeks. Please don't be on my naughty list."

She may have had to report you.

My job keeps a list of all employee certification expiration dates and we receive reminders several months before with a list of available classes. Reminders state disciplinary action up to and including termination possible for failure to re-certify in a timely fashion. We're paid to go to class, just have to work out scheduling with the charge nurse.

Being late is non-compliant. With the lawsuit-happy state of society places have to make sure all I's are dotted and T's are crossed. It's all about liability and payment these days. What may seem petty is probably part of a very big picture. Doesn't matter if you use it or not.

Specializes in PACU.

I work PACU and BLS, ACLS, and PALS are required, they were not upon hire, but were before orientation was completed and we are required to keep re-certified. Our hospital keeps track of all of our dates and has a page that we log into each quarter to do necessary training and updates, we can see if or certifications are due.

let me make sure I understand this. You did not know you needed to keep current in PALS, it was 7 days past due, you took the day off to recert and got paid for it, and upon arrival back had your recertification but still had to sign form stating you know if it ever lapses again you'll be placed on unpaid leave or fired.

If there are no other problems with your manager, I would not worry about this. No harm, no foul, keep it updated in the future. Sometimes managers are just following the rules outlined maybe because it's not in the policy book, but now you've signed you can be held accountable.... maybe it was what needed to be done in order to be paid for that day.

But if your manager has had other complaints about you, and/or you've had to visit HR more then once, sign written notices or similar, then I'd be looking for a new job. Managers that start reporting everything to HR are compiling a record for a reason, to justify disciplinary actions or termination.

Thank you. My immediate supervisor did not do this: to give notice and I didn't receive any notifications when clocking in (usually they have notification and reminders) that's why that bothered me. I got a call from HR and told me I was non compliant and when I went to meet with HR I was told to sign the form whether I agree or not. ( it was a bad surprise)

Thank you. For me, my immediate supervisor did a rather drastic move without giving me a reminder and without warning. She is new in the job but I have known her to take everything straight to the higher up for every tiny innocent mistakes. I hate to speculate that her move was rather personal. That's being unprofessional. I may have to look for another job even though I like working here, to protect the safety of my career..

Specializes in SICU,CTICU,PACU.

If PALS is a requirement and you did not get certified by the date required for your unit then you are noncompliant whether you take children or not as that is the policy and requirements for your position. You should not need to receive a notice from anyone that it will expire soon as that is your responsibility. Maybe a written warning or getting sent home and not coming back until you get your PALS certification would be appropriate but going to HR seems a little extreme to me.

If PALS is a requirement and you did not get certified by the date required for your unit then you are noncompliant whether you take children or not as that is the policy and requirements for your position. You should not need to receive a notice from anyone that it will expire soon as that is your responsibility. Maybe a written warning or getting sent home and not coming back until you get your PALS certification would be appropriate but going to HR seems a little extreme to me.

Thank you. And I think so too : reported to HR is extreme.

Yep, ticky-tacky but fair game

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