Last week, I had a terrible shift because a Nurse was a No Call / No Show. To make matters worse, she had done this the previous day, management called her, forgave her, and scheduled her the next day. I worked both of these shifts doing double duty on a LTC Unit. I did my best the first day and had others help with med pass etc. The second day I could hardly stand it so I insisted that someone, anyone take the other unit (I was ready to ask the Administrator who has an RN license!!!). I did get the help I needed eventually but after much insistence on my part and an argument with the clerical staff over safe Nursing (geech... and she was NOT a nurse :angryfire )
To me, a no call / no show is Abondonment, is anyone familiar with this? Of course I was not happy with managment for allowing this to happen either. Bad employees just continue on their bad course unless there are consequences.
I also found this article regarding Abondonment regarding staffing of the Florida Disaster Crisis of interest on this topic. Here is the article:
About 25 nurses fired for not working during Hurricane Frances
By Associated Press
Thursday, September 9, 2004
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - A hospital has fired or suspended about 25 nurses for not working during Hurricane Frances, hospital officials said.
Nurses at Florida Hospital-Ormond Memorial were fired for not calling in, not showing up or refusing to work, while others were suspended for not completing a shift or coming late, said hospital spokeswoman Desiree Paradis-Warner.
She said critical care employees are required to work during a disaster under hospital policy.
``It's in each employee's job description,'' Paradis-Warner said. ``We have to have caregivers here . ... patient safety is our No. 1 priority.''
As the hurricane approached, nurses were advised to work their shifts, she said. The hospital provided shelter for working employees and their families.
Frances made landfall early Sunday about 150 miles south of Ormond Beach, causing an estimated $2 billion to $4 billion in insured damages across the state and leaving at least 15 Floridians dead.
Other hospitals said none of their employees were fired or suspended for staffing problems during the hurricane.
``There were relatively few nursing team members who were unable to come in for their shifts,'' said John E. Evans, spokesman for Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach. ``And those were able to notify us, in most cases, of good reasons not to make it, such as storm damage they needed to address.''
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I am curious what others have experienced regarding this topic. I would love to know more about the Board of Nursing Guidlines; I will look it up for my state.
Oh, and I am appalled (okay so I can't spell) that management let these people do this more then once. Part of me wonders, was management being honest too? Hmmmm... food for thought.
This is a discussion... so we can all learn from my experience and my own questions and hopefully I will hear feedback that will make me understand some of the subtle ways these facilities are run
Uh... I NEVER said I would report anyone to the BON. I am discussing my frustrations and lack of understanding as to how someone could do this. Somewhere, in the recesses of my tired brain I was thinking abandonment so I posed the question for a topic of conversation.
I believe when people/employees are allowed to continue poor behavior then it only adds to an already stressful environment.
/QUOTE]
I understand where you are coming from now, thanks for clarifying. I agree that sometimes management's tolerance of staff's persistent bad behavior makes it hard on everybody else. I've also known management to withhold 'all' the info on why a nurse is not present, and even to lie about the reason.
MattsMom, the word abandonment carries such a heavy weight and frankly, I have seen so little of it. I have seen almost no ----> no call / no shows... and I have seen a lot these last few weeks.
Also MattsMom, I love your quote:
"We don't have a shortage of nurses, we have a shortage of attractive nursing jobs."
nightingale, RN
2,404 Posts
Oh, and I am appalled (okay so I can't spell) that management let these people do this more then once. Part of me wonders, was management being honest too? Hmmmm... food for thought.
This is a discussion... so we can all learn from my experience and my own questions and hopefully I will hear feedback that will make me understand some of the subtle ways these facilities are run
It's all good....