Nurse Manager Accountability?

[Truth66]

As we all know nurse managers will hold us floor nurses accountable for a wide range of things. My question is, who holds these nurse managers accountable for their actions and/or in-actions?

Two years ago we had three different residents fall out of slings from Patient Lifts. These nurse managers chose to ignore the policies of the facility with regards to conducting full investigations regarding Patient Lifts. They even went as far as ignoring a Federal safety alert with regards to a peice of equipment that was being used for the portable ceiling lifts. After about 6 months, the union indicated that they no longer wanted to pursue the issue of Patient Lifts any further.

Then two years later, nurse managers transferred a resident to a different room where the resident didn't have access to the proper Patient Lift equipment that was assessed for her. She was allegedly transferred due to family politics of her room mate. This resident was one of the three residents who fell out of a Patient Lift sling two years ago and now staff were forced to use the exact same type of Patient Lift and sling that she fell out of two years prior. Two memos that I wrote to one of the nurse managers were carbon copied to the union regarding this and it was indicated in these memos that Patient Lift Safety is still not taken seriously in this facility for the safety of both the residents and the staff. Both memos also indicated the fact that staff have still had no training from the manufacturers of two of the different Patient Lift systems used in the facility for over two years and that staff have little knowledge on how to safely recognize the differences in the equipment, such as not crossing manufacturers when selecting slings for these different Patient Lifts. Union officials have chosen not to respond at all.

One month later, a different resident was being transferred with a sling that was not compatible with the Patient Lift being used. I sugested to the nurse manager that this resident be transferred to a different room that was currently empty in order to have access to the proper ceiling lift that was compatibale with the sling being used that he was assessed for. The nurse manager refused. Staff were forced to transfer this resident, knowing that the equipment being used was not compatible.

Personally I think some nurse managers should have charges laid against them for their level of incompetance and neglegence. If they are Registered/Licensed with a regulatory body, they should not only have their Registration/Licence suspended for a period of time, but also forbiden to ever hold a management job ever again. It has become a standing sick joke at our workplace that the definition of a nurse manager is one who makes over $75,000.00 a year, pokes the pooch all day and is not held accountable for anything that they say, do, or don't do.

I could literally write a book on my work place alone with other examples, but I'd like to know if others have had similar experiences.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

Good point Truth66 - I've been thinking about this same topic. Another example is with staffing ratios. If things go wrong when we are short staffed - there isn't much recourse. It is the staff nurses fault for taking the assignment in the eyes of the BON. No accountability on part of the nurse manager for making crappy assignments.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

they are being held responsible by CNO and Risk Management, so if those people are lax then there is no accountability. As for unions, shows how limited they are in what they can do. Their best task is collecting dues.