Mortified When I Went To Work This Past Weekend.

[ganursechick, BSN, RN]

Ok, I work in a mental health/behaviorally challenged unit of a LTC facility. We (I) work 12 hour shifts on the weekend, and the weekday nurses work 8 hrs. On the 8th of this month, my fellow charge nurse and i were informed by a CNA that she has both heard and seen a nurse that works 3-11 during the week, physically and verbally abuse the residents...ex: a resident did not want to go to bed on New Years Eve, the nurse took him to his room, and while trying to physically hold him down on the bed, slipped with his hand and gave the resident a black eye. Another resident who likes to get up at night and stand at the nurses station, would not go to bed, so this nurse dragged him down the hall by his suspenders, threw him on the bed and then gave him a prn IM. another resident who is a double aka, would not go to bed so he put her in the bed and then took her wc so she would have no way to come back into the hallway.

the nurse and I reported this to our immediate supervisor. We then called the DON and reported what was told to us. We wrote statements for the administration. During the following week, we filled in on 3-11 in his spot (thinking that he was suspended during investigation)...this past saturday we returned to work to find out that not only was he not suspended or even investigated, but that he got promoted to be the infection control nurse. yeah that takes him off the floor and he has no direct patient contact but that is not the point.

Needless to say within the last 3 days I have been applying for several different postions to get out of there, but being a 'new nurse' (less that a year) and only having LTC experience, am i stuck in a LTC forever?

Sorry this is long. Thanks for reading and look forward to your responses.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Hard to say. The only way you are really going to know the answer to your question is to go out and apply and interview for jobs. Since you are still relatively new, you may find an acute hospital that will hire you. Who can you get to be a good reference for you? Any instructors from your nursing school? Their opinion of you as a student can make a big difference.

With regard to the person you reported on your job. . .you always have the option to report him to the state agency that licenses these facilities or investigates abuse in facilities. If you're not sure who to report to, call your board of nursing and ask for information. You may even be able to report to Medicare or Medicaid since I'm sure the facility receives funds from these sources. That aside, go to the TV stations. Hope you kept copies of the write ups you did to help substantiate your claim. Don't let them get away with this.

[MadRedneckRN]

That's terrible!!! This person needs t be in jail!! I can't believe people get away with this sort of behavior. It's a sad thing when supervisiors reward such appalling behavior. Those poor residents:crying2: .

I'm glad they have you to stick up for them.

Lori