on the line bc advocated for pt

prmenrs, RN · Feb 25, 2005

Seems like you might need a lawyer to me.

fergus51 · Feb 25, 2005

I wouldn't want to work in a place where the nurse manager thinks clinical judgement is less important than "getting along" with another nurse.

dspring, RN · Feb 25, 2005

I wouldn't want to work in a place where the nurse manager thinks clinical judgement is less important than "getting along" with another nurse.

I can't help but agree.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · Feb 25, 2005

Count me in with Fergus.

It's a shame that you get punished for having the better clinical skills, but at least you found out before you'd invested too much time there.

Here's hoping you find something better soon.

Edited to add: I just went back and found and read your original post on the subject. You did the right thing by that patient. I'm not a burn nurse, but I KNOW that my Med-Surg textbook expllicitly says NOT to put ice on a wound. They backed up the wrong person and they don't know how to get out of it gracefully. And how they made you leave was absolutely sickening! Just makes me wonder what would've happened if you made a real mistake--do they take you out back and shoot you or what? :uhoh21:

Rena RN 2003, RN · Feb 25, 2005

vote with your feet, canoe, and get the hell out of there fast. if they won't back you on something "simple" like this, you can damn sure bet they will hang you out to dry on something bigger.

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 25, 2005

While I would also probably be looking for another job in your situation, I think there is another important lesson to be learned:

Not only is it important to be a patient advocate ... it is important to learn HOW to advocate for your patient in such a way that you are successful. There are lots of good ideas out there that never get implemented ... lots of good suggestions that never get taken ... because the person who had the idea had not developed the political skills and/or power to be the dominant voice in the situation.

Nurses don't often like to think about that. I had a classmate in graduate school who thought that politics and power and money etc. were all bad things. She didn't like to cultivate them. But eventually she realized that power is what enables us to get things accomplished ... politics is how we get power ... and money helps it all happen.

Sometimes it is not enough to know what to do for the patient ... you have to have the ability to get it done. In many cases, that means influencing people around you -- and that takes interpersonal skills, political skills, the respect of your colleagues, etc. Being "right" but "alone" rarely helps the patients in the long run. We need to do a better job of teaching those skills to young nurses (and old ones too.)

The man who said "I'd rather be right than president" lost the election and never got the chance to implement his ideas.

llg

Salty1 · Feb 25, 2005

vote with your feet, canoe, and get the hell out of there fast. if they won't back you on something "simple" like this, you can damn sure bet they will hang you out to dry on something bigger.

I would certainly agree with the above, Canoehead. It is interesting to note that they have extended your probation to a month. I cannot help but entertain the notion that they are hoping you will resign because of the down time and thereby administration may avoid any litigation you might institute - even though Oregon is an "at will" State in terms of employment. Still, you may very well have a cause of action.

It seems that being correct in the treatment of a patient is not as important as being a team player - seniority substituting for sound judgment.

After reading many of your posts on this site I must say that I respect your clinical judgment, knowledge and intellect. Good luck to you whatever course of action you decide to pursue.

Salty

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Feb 25, 2005

Count me in with Fergus.
They backed up the wrong person and they don't know how to get out of it gracefully. And how they made you leave was absolutely sickening! Just makes me wonder what would've happened if you made a real mistake--do they take you out back and shoot you or what? :uhoh21:

Exactly. That really bites. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them now. :stone

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Feb 26, 2005

Well considering he is under a probationary period, most places this means they can let you go with out giving a reason. Typically it goes like this- we feel you are not a good fit for our system. Considering that they didnt let you go at that moment might be a good thing. Someone there feels that you are a good fit so to speak. That or someone is just trying to cover someone elses backside for a poor decision somewhere in the process. That and some old burnt out nurse should look to retire or do something else.

RJ :rolleyes:

TinyNurse, RN · Feb 26, 2005

I'm soooo sorry this happened to you. If it were me, i'd just get another job, haha.

but.... geeze i'm not a burn nurse, but a Level I ER nurse and I remember in nursing school they told me not to put ice on large burns cuz it cools the body too fast.

It's important to get along with staff, but not to the level that you compromise patient care because "that's what they are used to".

again, i'm so sorry. xo Jen

FutureNrse · Feb 27, 2005

well, some of you may remember the thread i started a few weeks ago about the burn pt in the er (ice vrs no ice). i met with the don and although she agrees that clinically i was absolutely correct the fact that i disagreed with a nurse that has been there for 20 years and "caused" the ruckus means i may not fit in with their current staff. obviously they have all worked together a long time and are very close, so people seem to be taking sides. i've been suspended for about a week so i haven't been able to assess the situation for myself.
anyway they are extending my probation for a month, i am a new employee, so they want to make sure i can be part of their team. sounded ok and i could live with it at the time, but i got to think about it. essentially that means that if the same situation occurred again, even even if i was right, and even if i refused with a little more tact, i would be fired, because i didn't go along with the more senior nurse. seems very unfair to me.
surely this kind of employer tactic is illegal.
in my state the employer can fire you for any reason and at any time, but still, this has to be illegal in some way. i keep my job so long as i compromise my pt care, at their discretion? anybody have more experience on this than me?[/quote
wish i did have some knowledge that i could help you with, but i can offer an opinion. if i were you, i'd start looking for a new job. do you really want to work with people who choose sides based of friendship, instead of what's right for the patient? those who'd do that don't have the patients best interests at heart, and if one of them should goof and hurt or kill a patient, who do you think they'll pin it on if possible? you, or someone else who isn't a part of their inner circle. i'd start looking now, and then as soon as you find something better, quit. don't waste your skills where they're unappreciated.