False accusations.

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I work as an LPN at an assisted living facility while I'm in school to be an RN.

I got a call over the radio Sunday that a grumpy family member wanted to complain to someone about his father's care (something that had nothing to do with me.) I said I'd be there in five minutes. A second later I got a call from a CNA saying there was an emergency in the room next to the grumpy family member's father's room. I rushed to that room and found the CNA with the resident who had fallen and broken both his legs. So I called for an ambulance and did all the things necessary to send someone to the hospital. Then, literally as we are pushing the screaming man out the door of his room, the grumpy family member confronts me and says, "Are you the guy that said he would come to my father's room 'in five minutes'?" And I said, " . . . yeah, that's me." Anyway, the guy complained that I chose to treat the patient with the broken legs before listening to him complain about his father. So I listened to his complaints, told him I would pass them on, and went back to work. By the way, his complaints were stupid.

The next day my supervisor tells me that the grumpy family member complained to someone that it took me a half hour to arrive to help the resident with the broken legs.

I don't even know if this will get me in trouble, but it has me pretty angry and upset. What are everyone's thoughts on this situation? Especially if I get fired over this can I sue the scumbag for damages? I have witnesses who can say I was there in a minute.

I won't do this, but part of me is tempted to find where the guy lives and break his legs. I just get kind of irritated when people randomly make serious false accusations against me.

Having worked Security and as a former police officer, I would have told the whiner, "Get Over It!!!! When someone was very sick or injured, I took care of them, first, end of discussion. No, I did not care about crybabies or whiners. I would document every thing that happened and inform management, as soon as possible, before the whiner could say one word. The CEO of the company could have been at the door and I was going to help the sick or injured resident, end of discussion. The sick or injured were paying thousands per month for help. I was helping a very sick resident, she was burning up with pneumonia and the drug delivery person was mad that I was not at the door. He was rude and I told him, "CRY ME A RIVER."

I have absolutely no patience, whatsoever, for someone who thinks they are the center of the universe over a very sick or really hurt elderly resident. Those people really tick me off. I will tell them nicely what happened the first few times. If they are still rude, they get the facts of life, like it or not.

Too bad, I was not there as the officer, you would have been helping the person in question. I would have told him, "The Nurse is helping an injured individual, how can I help you?" If the individual started complaining about the Nurse, I would tell him more than a few things that he did not want to hear, when it comes to helping the very sick or injured elderly, I have no qualms about using rudeness, to help that person. I care about helping that person to safety and hospital. I do not care about whiners, bellyachers, or complainers. I did not let people hit nurses, use foul language with nurses, or any of this style of ******* behavior. If someone decides to be obnoxious, they were going for a ride in the local police jurisdiction squad car, in cuffs. I know, "they were such a nice guy." One guy was intoxicated, try to break into the retirement community, we had him taken out in cuffs, public intoxication, attempted breaking and entering, etc. Shocking, he had a record, I had to laugh, the nursing staff was freaked out, after I calmed them down, went back to reading my paper. Just another day at office. My attitude was like "All In The Family." Archie Bunker made fun of this police sarge, because he had a Polish last name. The police sarge gave Archie a report to type and it was going to take all night, it was five pages. Archie said, "Sarge, this is going to take all night long!" The police sarge, "If it is, you better start typing!!!"

He only used armed robbery on how many people or he murdered a few people, "HE WAS SUCH A NICE GUY."

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
A simple phone call would have (maybe) averted all that. As RNs we need to multitask and that means consider everything at once and act accordingly. Once I received the emergency call I would have radioed and told whoever to tell the family member that an emergency happened and you would be with them as soon as possible.

Your attitude is extremely unprofessional. Hopefully if you become an RN you will have a better outlook. You're going to be working with a lot more then just a grumpy man and you need to be ready.

You are probably not going to like what I'm going to say........I think that saying to OP is extremely unprofessional and needs a better outlook is pretty harsh.

When I was a supervisor of a large facility....there will always be those whom cannot be pleased....EVER! I have had disgruntled families walk into a Trauma room and demand a cup of tea......selfish idiots!:banghead: I know that rude family is "frightened"/upset/frustrated....but there are limits and a duty to human decency.....besides just having manners.

If I know someone is waiting to complain and I have an emergency interrupt my promise to be someone where......I will make sure that some how they get the message. Not that it will appease them. But I am in a hospital with staff members available to help me. In an LTC with severely limited resources.....is a challenge.

It is not a statement of the OP's professionalism or their outlook on nursing. I think it showed an ability to respond to an emergent situation quickly and efficiently by assessing the injured patients needs and acting appropriately. AND the OP did so in 30 mins...not bad....I'm impressed.

OP....you did the right thing. You attended to the most critical patient needs first. Which is what you should have done. Unfortunately, in the current climate today in medicine.....that is not going to be recognized as a job well done because of this family member.

You did a good job in following up with the family member and OBVIOUSLY they aren't going to be appeased......the next time....find a way to inform the family member what is your delay by sending someone to inform them. I would not engage them in a phone conversation because they will begin their complaints since the "have you" on the phone and you will, have to cut them off which will enrage them more.....but send someone with a message. Not that it will help but at least you tried.

I hope you don't get disciplinary action for you did no wrong. But in the climate today......I just can't predict how they will react. It is a shame how nurses are treated......so much disrespect....no support....shameful. I would say that you realize that you should have gotten a message to the family that was complaining to notify them of your delay but your concern over the injured patient took precedence. Tell them that you have learned from this situation and in the future you will be better able to deal with the situation at hand.....

I know....:sarcastic: a bunch of bureaucratic garble...but it works.....and no you can't sue the family member.....darn shame too....it might teach them manners.

((HUGS))

so your supervisor takes the word of others over yours? and your coworkers? who is more trustworthy... the irate family member, or the (hopefully) trusted, licensed/certified employees? I think the fact that the pt had a fall, broke his limbs, and cost insurance bux, under the watch of health care professionals, is what would really get you fired... and seriously s a supervisor myself, if a family member told me that, it seems highly unlikely that anyone would allow an elderly person to lay on the floor with broken appendages, FOR THIRTY MINUTES... heres how it goes in my mind hearing that from fam " so let me get this straight, one of my nurses allowed this man to lay there for thirty minutes? and you also let this man lay there without alerting the nursing staff? not that its your position but man thats cold if you did..." I call BS... invalidated d/t ridiculousness...

A simple phone call would have (maybe) averted all that. As RNs we need to multitask and that means consider everything at once and act accordingly. Once I received the emergency call I would have radioed and told whoever to tell the family member that an emergency happened and you would be with them as soon as possible.

Your attitude is extremely unprofessional. Hopefully if you become an RN you will have a better outlook. You're going to be working with a lot more then just a grumpy man and you need to be ready.

I like his attitude. It was VERY professional, just not Nursie Good Littel Girl. I think like a man, and I don't see anything wrong with it. 2 broken legs trumps any non-emergency. OP, hopefully your attitude will permeate nursing, and will be one of the driving forces that transforms nursing from women's servile work into a bona fide profession that gets appropriate respect for the amount of skill and intelligence and effort it requires.

I'm a female who left RN nursing school. And one of the reasons I hated that school was simply that the women of nursing apparently have still not figured out how to empower themselves, unlike all other normal human beings who have careers.

In this case, the LPN had to respond to an emergency. When the LPN didn't show, the customer should have gone to the desk and inquired "What's up?" and then should have been told to sit down and wait, because there is AN EMERGENCY ahead of him now.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Wow - if you had not made the person with 2 broken legs the priority you would have been burned at the stake and appropriately so.

Let it roll off your back. I am sure admin no matter how "customer friendly" they must be will understand that you had zero choice.

Welcome to the crappola side of nursing where unrealistic expectations can never be met.............:arghh:

Specializes in Peds, School Nurse, clinical instructor.
I like his attitude. It was VERY professional, just not Nursie Good Littel Girl. I think like a man, and I don't see anything wrong with it. 2 broken legs trumps any non-emergency. OP, hopefully your attitude will permeate nursing, and will be one of the driving forces that transforms nursing from women's servile work into a bona fide profession that gets appropriate respect for the amount of skill and intelligence and effort it requires.

I'm a female who left RN nursing school. And one of the reasons I hated that school was simply that the women of nursing apparently have still not figured out how to empower themselves, unlike all other normal human beings who have careers.

Are you serious with these statements?

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We need to remember that everyone has thier own opinion and we need to bo respectful of that. allnurses promotes the idea of a lively debate. This means you are free to disagree with anyone on any type of subject matter as long as your criticism is constructive and polite. Additionally, please refrain from name-calling....it is divisive, rude, and derails the thread.

Our first priority is to the members that have come here because of the flame-free atmosphere we provide. There is a zero-tolerance policy here against personal attacks. We will not tolerate anyone insulting other's opinion nor name calling.

Our call is to be supportive, not divisive...we can agree to disagree without being disagreeable. Gerald Ford

You did the right thing by not giving in to the demands. That only fuels the fire and makes needy people think that ALL of their demands come first. It's important to set limits with people like him. If he can't understand that you were caught up with an emergent situation that is his problem and don't even let it bother you. I really hope you do not get in trouble for this, things like that make me slowly lose my faith in humanity.

Specializes in kids.

I think we all forget that THIS is (supposed to be) the place to vent our frustrations in a safe manner (and not be criticised!)

CLEARLY IT IS INAPPROPRIATE TO DO SO IN A PUBLIC FORUM OR EVEN WITH OUR FAMILY MEMBERS..........

I find it frustrating that we are so critical of one another. Maybe those who need to be professional 24/7 and never let off steam need their own forum for that.......

and let the rest of us kvetch in peace!!!:cat:

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