Is this pt. abandonment?

Gail-Anne · Oct 25, 2005

Work out your 2 weeks and...document,document,document!

You don't want to be listed as "not for rehire", so work it out unless it's for very dire reasons.

If you are concerned with safety issues, make sure you document all calls to Dr, etc, etc. Also, keep track of when and why you have gone to your boss about issues you feel are unsafe. Basically, CYA.

pricklypear · Oct 25, 2005

I don't think it would be patient abandonment if you left before 2 weeks, even if you are on the schedule. You have to actually accept a pt assignment in order to abandon. I.E. show up for work, accept an assignment, and walk off the job. However, I totally agree with the above - not giving at least 2 weeks will follow you around and possibly hurt your chances of being hired somewhere else. Employers don't like to risk being left with uncovered shifts by someone with a history of not giving adequate notice.

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Oct 25, 2005

You cannot abandon an assignment you have not accepted, in other words, you need to be at the facility. So don't worry about quitting due to patient abandonment. However; you can earn yourself a poor reference if a future employer calls for one. You can be considered unsuitable for rehire, and some hospitals/nursing homes are a part of much larger corporations.

Also, you list Texas as your location. Please be aware of Group One. They operate within Texas and share information about potential employees.

There has been some discussion of them (But I think they operate mostly in the DFW area).

https://allnurses.com/forums/f87/group-one-107377.html?highlight=%22groupone%22

Nurseinthemaking · Oct 25, 2005

I am aware of what I SHOULD do, but due to circumstances that may not be possible. My question was, Is it considered abandonment?

Thanks pricklypear and tiffany. I was aware of group one. That was what I was concerened about. Ugh....

I found the list of current clients Groupone has. It is not as many as I thought it would be.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2005

No, you must be on the clock and leave during your shift without being relieved by another nurse before it is abandoment. Not working out a 2-week notice is minor compared to leaving your patients.You just get " NOT REHIRABLE" stamped on your file.

I am aware of what I SHOULD do, but due to circumstances that may not be possible. My question was, Is it considered abandonment?
Thanks pricklypear and tiffany. I was aware of group one. That was what I was concerened about. Ugh....
I found the list of current clients Groupone has. It is not as many as I thought it would be.

bjm · Oct 26, 2005

Two things. You didn't say if you were under contract. If so, you must fulfill the obligations of that contract. Second, you said you are scheduled for the next 2 weeks. If it a regular rotation during that two weeks, then it would prutent for you to fulfill the "standard ethical" obligation of giving your employer a 2 week notice. Let me caution you something most people do not think about. Make sure that you go to your Human Resources dept to turn in your badge (do not turn this over to a supervisor, or dept mgr, etc). At that time, ask to review your personnel file. This is the best time to see what is in it, and to question, add, etc. anything in it. You can't remove anything from it, but you can add to it. Next, stay there and wait while H.R. to process you out and put you into the system as "eligible for rehire". If they tell you that they won't be processing you out for a few days or so, get the date, make an appt to return to review your file again so that you can see for yourself in your file the words "eligible for rehire". This is important because when you apply for other employment down the road and any references are checked, if they are told that you are ineligible for rehire, your prospective employer will not know the circumstances behind it and can only wonder why you have been tagged that way; thus, making it easier to just skip you over and hire someone that checks out as eligible with past employers. Now, getting back to abandoment. If, your work load is unreasonable, say, assigning you to more patients than is safe for your area, then you should be able to claim safe harbor. (go to your facilities policy book that must be kept in an accessible area for you to reference at any time) and look up your dept. and see what is required for staffing and patient ratios. If your assignments are unreasonable, then you (according to my understanding of safe harbor) MUST request from your supervisor additional staff d/t policy requirements. If you are denied, then you can claim "safe harbor". This does not give you the right to walk off the job -that would be abandonment. However, it does give you the right to put in writing at the start of the shift that you are claiming safe harbor d/t stated policy and that you have requested add'l staff but were refused by supervisor...make a copy, give one to supervisor, and then be sure to document document document. Usually, once a nurse claims safe harbor, it isn't too long before staffing needs are met because you have met your legal obligation and they have not. If you need more info about pt abandonment, you can get your States Nurses Act which goes into detail about all of your responsibilities and obligations. Hope this helps.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Oct 27, 2005

Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN · Oct 27, 2005

I see you are in Texas. Finish your two weeks or you could be put on the Group One database and that would make it hard for you to find another job. Group One is based out of DFW, but has expanded across TX, and into other states.

Here are some links to threads about Group One, in case you havn't heard of them.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f175/group-one-background-checks-in-texas-108647.html?highlight=group

https://allnurses.com/forums/f175/group-one-114340.html?highlight=group

https://allnurses.com/forums/f87/group-one-107377.html?highlight=group

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/non-group-one-hopsitals-108318.html?highlight=groupone

bjm · Oct 27, 2005

I live in Texas too, but in East Texas. I never heard of Group One before. I quickly went to their web site and looked up the employers who are currently on file with them. It appears they are all in the DFW area...thank goodness for that...because from what I read in the other posts, it appears that managers can post negative things about an employee. I wonder how that works..because shouldn't HR be the only dept who can report? and only after any and all disputes have been settled between employee and employer. Shouldn't employer have the obligation to let employee know what will be reported about them? Seems like another big brother with too much power. If any mgr can report without fear of lawsuits, its no wonder all the DFW nurses feel threatened. Something is clearly wrong here.

Nurse Julie · Oct 27, 2005

I just went to a legal implications in nursing course this week. The Attorney/RN said that when you take report, you are accepting care of the patients and it is not abandonment until then. I would finish my two weeks. I have left an institution without completing my two weeks. My nurse manager chose not to read my resignation for 4 days and I was put down as a "not eligible for re hire". I am now afraid to apply for a job in another state at a hospital owned by the same corporation. My lack of notice resignation was 5 years ago and it haunts me still.

Julie

Agnus · Oct 28, 2005

Only your state board can ultimately answer this. However, in at least one state you must have accepted the assignment and you must leave without insuring there is adaquate staff to cover you're leaving and leaving without giving report.

Every state board will accept calls and or email inorder to answer such questions.