Nurse who appeared on Dr. Phil suspended

LydiaNN · Jun 9, 2005

The way I feel about the planted cameras is kind of the same way I feel about nanny cams that are planted to confirm suspicions of abuse. If I suspect someone's safety is in jeopardy, my primary objective is not to prove my case against the abuser, it is to keep the vulnerable person out of harm's way. Dr. Phil could have just as easily opted to help this family without recording this activity to boost his ratings. We keep talking about the poor children, and I agree, but isn't having their family's troubles aired for all and sundry to gawk at also victimizing them?

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Jun 9, 2005

This persons story is a cautionary tale for all persons having a professional license be they medical, beautician, plumber or mortician.

Once you hold a license from a state, your information becomes public knowledge under state disclosure laws. What you do off work hours can impact your ability to maintain said license and employment.

However, there has to be a fair review of any activity before employment or license is affected which takes TIME to do. Public disclosure on a TV show would appear to magnify scrutiny of non-work related actions but would make any public official most wary to have ALL THE FACTS before making judgement to make sure reverse finger pointing wouldn't occur from a hasty judgement.

PA Board of Nursing actions posted only after thorough review done. Never seen less than 9 months with exception of 2 nurses involved in murder; license placed on suspension within a month, but revocation took 6 months.

Ability to have license taken away never far from the back of my mind.

imenid37 · Jun 9, 2005

I am sorry I posted this. I didn't do it to be hurtful or magnify anyone's problems. As I had said, a number of co-workers and several nurse friends have been talking abou this topic. I was amazed at the diverse opinions expressed by those people. Many people I talked to said what happens away from work should stay there. Others felt more like I did. It is something we should all think about (as the moderators and various posters have stated) because we are all subject to scrutiny in the media as licensed professionals. I viewed it more as something to provoke thought and discussion, not to invade someone's privacy. I thought perhaps, foolishly, that if a person put their image on national tv and said what they did, then this was already something public w/ their consent applied because there was nothing done to conceal their identity. I feel bad about this and will think again before posting something controversial. Although I do appreciate the honesty that people here often express re. controversial topics. It has made me consider other angles to many subjects to which I have had a cut and dried response.

Mystery5 · Jun 9, 2005

I am sorry I posted this. I didn't do it to be hurtful or magnify anyone's problems. As I had said, a number of co-workers and several nurse friends have been talking abou this topic. I was amazed at the diverse opinions expressed by those people. Many people I talked to said what happens away from work should stay there. Others felt more like I did. It is something we should all think about (as the moderators and various posters have stated) because we are all subject to scrutiny in the media as licensed professionals. I viewed it more as something to provoke thought and discussion, not to invade someone's privacy. I thought perhaps, foolishly, that if a person put their image on national tv and said what they did, then this was already something public w/ their consent applied because there was nothing done to conceal their identity. I feel bad about this and will think again before posting something controversial. Although I do appreciate the honesty that people here often express re. controversial topics. It has made me consider other angles to many subjects to which I have had a cut and dried response.

Hey, I'm with you: Once you've gone public, you're entirely fair game for discussion. If you want privacy, then DON'T GO ON TV AND TELL THE WHOLE WORLD YOU'VE BEEN BEATING UP YOUR DRUNK HUSBAND!!! duh! :rolleyes: (Not only that, give the photographic evidence for all to see!) What, then we're all supposed to be careful and not discuss it???? Is this logical thinking??? Am I missing something? Is there a gag order issued by the court that I missed????:uhoh21: :chuckle :coollook:

UnewmeB4 · Jun 9, 2005

LORD HAVE MERCY! A blood etoh that high? I thought a Blood etoh of .5 was not compatible with life? It would be more informative, if they had told the entire story. Had she ever tried to get help before? Did he abuse her?

I personally think it is weird to go on national TV to "get help". I haven't had a tv for over a year now, and things like this make me remember why I got rid of it.

I think too many people share too much information in all the wrong places.

pebbles, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2005

LORD HAVE MERCY! A blood etoh that high? I thought a Blood etoh of .5 was not compatible with life?

lol.... highest I've seen was .73, and the pt was fine after his recovery and withdrawal.

CRIMSON · Jun 10, 2005

Was this lady trying to prove temporary insanity to avoid prosecution for assault? People are absolutely nuts these days!!!!! I agree if you do not want people to talk about it, do NOT go on national TV. People have enough to gossip about without video evidence. If she wanted REAL help she would have go to a Psychiatrist, you know most employers have an employee assistance plan for help. Also, the last place she needs to be working is an environment where there are helpless people who would be afraid to tell if she were doing the same thing to them.My mother is in a nursing facility & if I found out there was a nurse on staff to care for her who was borderline psycho then all H--- would break loose and you can bet they would be firing her before I was through. Can you imagine the thoughts of the families of those under her care????

pricklypear · Jun 10, 2005

I would probably be the LAST person to defend that woman - but with regard to the potential for her to beat her patients: I have a feeling that her anger was triggered only by her husband's drinking, and was directed completely toward him. I doubt she was like that everytime she got annoyed by something. I think it was just some weird coping mechanism she developed along the line. Some of us ignore it, some enable, this lady became violent. I don't remember them getting into that aspect of her anger on the show. I think if she reacted even remotely like that toward patients, it would have been noticed long ago. But, no matter what her reasons or problems, I still say she belongs in jail for treating another person like that.

VeryPlainJane · Jun 10, 2005

I'm surprised it took so long.

.

Marie that's what I was thinking...I saw the show; in one of the clips she was beating him with her scrubs on! What a great testament to our profession.:angryfire

live4today, RN · Jun 10, 2005

I saw the show when it aired, and was waiting for Dr. Phil to tell the parents the children would be placed in a temporary foster care home, or with relatives until the couple received the help they needed. Where are the kids now?

The woman should be terminated from her job, and not permitted to work with elderly patients, children, or any patient of any age who is not in a mental or emotional state of good health to defend themselves.

After her therapy, if she proves to be showing progress with continued therapy as an outpatient, she should be allowed to work as a nurse perhaps in a setting where she does not spend private time with patients. She could use her license in a nontraditional setting of healthcare where she won't have direct contact with the patients.

Rehabilitation works for some, but not for everyone who goes through it. For the children's sake, I am not sure I'd give that couple their kids back. It just isn't a safe environment for them where they will always be subject to abuse if their parents (particularly the mother) has a setback at some point in time.

Does anyone know where the children are at this point?

phyllisf · Jun 10, 2005

IMO, that woman commited 1) aggravated assault 2) attempted murder when she beat him with the bottle. If it had been the other way around, with her being the drunk, and her husband tossing her around, slapping her, slamming her head on the floor while she was unconcious, and beating her with a bottle, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. He would be in jail by the time the producers saw the tapes. Why isn't she?

Call me insensitive, but I totally agree with this one. Yes, that woman is in a horrible position having to deal with an alcoholic husband...but no matter what he did/does, she did not have the right to lay a hand on him. She needs some time to think this one out. And I think it's in the best interest of those kids to be placed in foster homes away from that violence until those adults can figure out where they are headed in life. Some role models, huh?

Mystery5 · Jun 10, 2005

People do have a responsibilty to get out of situations before they totally snap. You can't use that as an excuse. Remember, alcoholism is considered a disease these days, and anyone who is drinking to that extent is not acting under their freewill at all. Hopefully, the husband is getting help too. The kids need to be in temporary foster care.

I knew a woman years ago who witnessed her father kill her mother! What a horrible burden to carry in life. She saw that as a teenager. She had young children when I knew her, and would sometimes go visit her father in prison.