Nurses need strong enforceable whistle blower laws!

Cute_CNA, CNA · Feb 16, 2006

I'm glad that there are more nurses speaking up for themselves so they don't get walked all over, and also can help make life a little easier for the nurses that come after them. Good for them. :icon_hug:

Keysnurse2008 · Feb 17, 2006

This is a huge issue that every nurse should be concerned with. Any unsafe act that you witness and report to that Health Care Facility ,..can result in your termination in a blatant attempt to "silence" you. That type of intimidation should be illegal in every state. Barry Adam's story is becoming ever too common and that folks is just wrong. We , as nurses, are the patient's safety advocate. We are their voice when they cant speak. If nurses do NOT become involved with their state nursing associations and take a proactive stance on attaining whistleblower protection laws.....you should be worried...bc.....who will protect your loved one from an unsafe practitioner when they are admitted?Will the nurses caring for you...or your loved one remain silent...in realistic fear that they will loose their job if they dare bring up the subject of an unsafe practitioner? We all need to wake up....and get involved. Retaliation should be illegal in every state. Whistleblower laws should be clear and provide legal protection in every state. Did this thread include the fact that after Barry exhausted all the internal grievance procedures attempting to resolve the "unsafe" situation at his hospital that he actually went to the BON and complained re: his Nurse Manager. They "blew him off"......until he won his case against his employer. That too is wrong. Now....after the fact....the BON has recanted their initial decision and apologized to Barry adams and last I heard was investigating/prosecuting his old Nurse Manager?????Has anyone got more info on the outcome of that ????????

pickledpepperRN · Feb 20, 2006

It is a worldwide problem

http://www.nurseweek.com/news/00-08/805whist.html

http://www.abc.net.au/widebay/stories/s1399124.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/1256521.stm

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...But when the patient's family sued the hospital, the case became a major victory for whistleblowers. The judge, responding to arguments from Carson, who appeared in court on behalf of the nurses, ruled that the nurses not only could testify on behalf of the plaintiff-despite objections from the hospital-but also that the hospital would be held accountable for any retaliation again them....

http://www.minoritynurse.com/features/nurse_emp/05-03-02c.html

Nurse wins - http://www.phillipsandcohen.com/CM/Whistleblowerrewardsstories/Whistleblowerrewardsstories153.asp

http://www.osc.gov/documents/press/2002/pr02_27.htm

Keysnurse2008 · Feb 20, 2006

The above was a great post spacenurse....with excellent links. I think this thread should be forwarded to all the specific forums....like the Georgia forum, Alabama forum , utah forum, etc etc etc.Along with the question of "Are you protected?" How strong are your whistleblower protection statutes?

We...as nurses....have to be able to speak up when we seen things that are not ethically or legally correct.Patients do not sometimes understand when "things" are going awry...but....we do. When patient safety "can be potentially" compromised,....we have to be able to speak up as their advocate on their behalf without the fear of loosing our livelihood(jobs benefits etc ). We...should not have to pay the ultimate price for acting as a patient safety advocate. These laws.....whistleblower protection acts....need to be clear, concise, and present in every state to ensure we are protected by public policy exception statutes so "WE" as nurse patient safety advocates can pratice by the ethical standards of the nurse pratics acts!!!

Again...this should be in every forum! :twocents: :yeahthat:

pickledpepperRN · Feb 20, 2006

TNNURSE:

Thank you for continuing to advocate for safe patient care and for caregivers.

I am appalled when I read about a state governor vetoing a whistleblower law.

They don't get it. Somehow we have to work to teach the public that nurses and other caregivers need it to protect them.

As you know doing the right thing can make your like difficult. BUT can we do otherwise?

Keysnurse2008 · Feb 20, 2006

Nurse need the protection afforded by these whistleblower acts. "IF" they are not present...it places that nurse in a horrible position.They are asked to give up their job( bc they will be retaliated against / targeted and probably terminated)....and this will all be quite legal.OR....they are left to struggle emotionally as the have to "watch" as patients suffer from the impact of that person left in their position without any intervention.Neither...is good for anyone...esp the patient. We are asked to be patient safety advocates as nurses....but with no whistleblower acts to offer legal protection from retaliatory acts by employers ...we have no protection! Patients suffer....or our families suffer as we loose our jobs and income. This is the very real consequences of NOT having whistleblower protection acts in every state....and it is unacceptable.