Not sure what to do.

Specialties Private Duty

Published

Specializes in Pedi PDN.

So I am a fairly new RN grad. I've been doing pediatric home health for several months and working with this particular patient for about 2 months now. It's a 3 year old GB patient with some speech delays. I do a 1430-0230 shift 3 times a week. Everything seemed to be going smoothly at first, but the patient's mother's demeanor has changed over the last couple weeks. Up until a couple days ago I felt like I did my job well and take good care of my patients.

The other night I left at 0215. I didn't submit the time I wasn't there, I clocked out for 0215. I didn't leave any work unfinished and the patient was fine when I left. I didn't wake the mother to let her know I was leaving a little early, because she has asked me not to wake her when I leave.

I got a call from the resolutions department the next day telling me that the mom had called with concerns and said she woke up at 0215 and I was gone and the pt had a soaked diaper. Now I know that's not true, because I left at 0215 and changed her diaper before I left. I had to submit a statement of my side and have to speak with case management in the next week. The mom said she didn't want a different nurse, so I'm still working with them.

This was the only time I've done that. I know I should've waited the extra 15 mins, and I feel horrible. Now I am terrified of this appointment with case management. I'm really worried about my job and license and I don't know what to do from here.

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Best to ask for a new case than to wait to get fired from this case. Mom is unhappy with you or is trying to establish a stronger position to control, no way will this end well for you. Leave on your terms, even if you must accept a case from a new agency. Act in your interest.

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Specializes in Pedi PDN.
6 hours ago, caliotter3 said:

Best to ask for a new case than to wait to get fired from this case. Mom is unhappy with you or is trying to establish a stronger position to control, no way will this end well for you. Leave on your terms, even if you must accept a case from a new agency. Act in your interest.

Thank you. That's what I'm afraid of. This family couldn't keep a steady night nurse before me and I guess I'm starting to see why.

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Unfortunately clients develop the habit of using and then throwing away nurses. Agencies cater to their whims until nurses in the community talk to each other and the agency runs out of “candidates “.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

The mother would expect you to stay the whole shift unless you cleared it with her. She didn't want you to wake her up, so you needed to ask her before she went to bed.

I would have been dismayed to wake up and find the nurse gone before the shift ended.

I agree with the other posters; you should probably try to get on another case. This won't end well.

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You don't report off to anyone? That boggles my mind. This was just waiting to happen. With or without leaving 15 minutes early. There is no way I'd be comfortable doing that. Yeah, no. Sorry, mom. Im not giving you the opportunity to make up crap about me. Wake up and take report from me.

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On 2/2/2020 at 12:45 PM, Orion81RN said:

You don't report off to anyone? That boggles my mind. This was just waiting to happen. With or without leaving 15 minutes early. There is no way I'd be comfortable doing that. Yeah, no. Sorry, mom. Im not giving you the opportunity to make up crap about me. Wake up and take report from me.

Yep - My agency requires us to get a signature on our notes from oncoming nurse or parent/guardian before leaving in order to be paid. Yeah, I would be waking mom up.

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