Can I Lose My License For Calling Out Last Minute and Cursing at A Staff Member

[Genesislinx1215]

Hi I am an LPN in the state of Florida.

I called off 2 hours prior to a Continuous Care shift for a hospice patient. I cited car trouble.

The oncall Staff Agency associate became angry and said that I had to take an Uber or a Lyft to the job and that I could not call out.

I ignored further communications from her.

A few days later I got a text from the agency that they would be sending me my last paycheck: I was implicitly fired.

The paycheck was supposed to be sent to a new address which I provided by email twice and also spoke directly to a staff member over the phone to give it.

They still sent it to the wrong address so to date I have not been paid after 4 weeks.

When I called to resolve the issue I got into an argument with the day staff. Then I called later on because I was supposed to get a call back and got into an argument with the on-call staff where we had a very loud argument and during which I told her "I don't give a damn if you think I should or should not be paid your your I'm entitled to be paid."

We got into a shouting match where she called me an idiot and said I was ignorant. Then she disconnected the line.

Then she sent me a text that she was going to report me for abandonment due to the short notice when canceling my shift and that the phone call was being recorded (she also said the phone call was being reported while we were arguing but I didn't register what she was saying because I was angry).

My question is: as far as I know you are supposed to alert someone that a phone call is being recorded recorded before recording it.

After she contacted me with that text I told her not to text my phone or call me.

Then she sent a text that I was not authorized to call that line anymore. I then sent her a text "f--- you" then she sent me back "likewise."

I should also note that I was hired by this agency purely through phone and email: I've never met with them in person. I sent them all my credentials via email.

My question is do they have a case to make to the board of nursing for unprofessionalism and patient abandonment?

Am I able to counter the accusations with accusations of them also being unprofessional (for hiring me sight unseen) and in for not paying me appropriately?

In other words is my license truly in danger?

[chare]

[...]

My question is do they have a case to make to the board of nursing for unprofessionalism and patient abandonment?

[...]

Patient abandonment? I don't think so.

Unprofessionalism? if that is a reportable offense to the FL BON, yes, as your behavior most definitely was.

Best wishes as you work through this.

[caliotter3]

You had a case for the Labor Board over not being paid in the proper time frame. You still might want to pursue that, if only to inquire. While there is no case for abandonment, you can certainly expect a bad reference when prospective employers contact this employer. The Board is probably more interested in your professionalism when dealing with patient care. Employment problems are beyond their concern, otherwise they would have to quintuple their investigative staff.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I doubt the BRN cares. You didn't abandon anyone, you called off, presumably according to the employer's requirement (2 hour minimum or whatever

their requirement is).

Recording calls - Depending on your state, I think the law is that only one person has to

know that a call is being recorded. Since the one doing the recording knows, well, there you

go. Very stupid law. Maybe I'm wrong about it. Ask a couple of attorneys where you live.

Hiring sight unseen - presumably they verified your credentials. But it does seem pretty

odd that they didn't take your photo for an ID. Did you sign tax forms? Take any lab tests?

None of the usual misery you encounter when being hired these days?

Arguing and cursing and yelling at your coworker? While not smart, I don't think it comes under being unprofessional, doubt the BRN would get

involved.

Oh, about not getting paid - yes, report that to the Department of Labor. They do, I believe, have to pay you for work you have already done and

they can get in trouble with DOL if they mess with you about your pay. Your Senators or Congressmen/women can also intervene or direct you how

Don't use this firm as a reference if you can avoid it.

And you could consider trying to make amends, patch things up if you want to keep the job.

"You know, Coworker, I was really rude to you and I am really so sorry about it. Do you think you would be willing to forgive me? I was just so upset

about my car and when my check didn't come for so long I was faced with becoming homeless."

Anyway, good luck.

[PixieRN1]

They can certainly report anything they want to the Board; the Board can chose to investigate or chose not to. I really have no clue how that would pan out in your situation.

It may or may not turn in to anything. But repeatedly cursing them out certainly might have given them the motivation to follow thru on that threat. Which will just turn into a giant PIA for you..

Anyone can report a nurse to the BON for literally anything. Whether it is a complaint with any weight doesn't matter in the reporting phase, but the Board investigators will determine whether or not to move forward. I would be completely surprised if you completely lost your license over this. I wouldn't be surprised if they did investigate it though if it does get reported.

I have heard of the Board requiring nurses to take CEUs in areas of the complaint, i.e. documentation, Ethics, whatever they see fit. At this point, hopefully your employer was just blowing off steam and won't report.

In the future, never tell any employer to f*** off.

[quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN]

I suspect there is much more to this story than presented here. WAs it really car issues? Why not Uber or Lyft to get to work? Have there been more absences before this? Nor do we know what was going on on the other end.

Whatever happened for whatever reasons, you were rude and very unprofessional when talking to people from this agency. Something you should work on to avoid confrontations like this in the future.

Kooky Korky: When I worked via a staffing agency, everything was done online. Photo ID's can also be sent online. Any tests and immunizations are up to the worker to obtain, they are not provided by the staffing agency.

[FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN]

Hi I am an LPN in the state of Florida.

I called off 2 hours prior to a Continuous Care shift for a hospice patient. I cited car trouble.

The oncall Staff Agency associate became angry and said that I had to take an Uber or a Lyft to the job and that I could not call out.

I ignored further communications from her.

A few days later I got a text from the agency that they would be sending me my last paycheck: I was implicitly fired.

The paycheck was supposed to be sent to a new address which I provided by email twice and also spoke directly to a staff member over the phone to give it.

They still sent it to the wrong address so to date I have not been paid after 4 weeks.

When I called to resolve the issue I got into an argument with the day staff. Then I called later on because I was supposed to get a call back and got into an argument with the on-call staff where we had a very loud argument and during which I told her "I don't give a damn if you think I should or should not be paid your your I'm entitled to be paid."

We got into a shouting match where she called me an idiot and said I was ignorant. Then she disconnected the line.

Then she sent me a text that she was going to report me for abandonment due to the short notice when canceling my shift and that the phone call was being recorded (she also said the phone call was being reported while we were arguing but I didn't register what she was saying because I was angry).

My question is: as far as I know you are supposed to alert someone that a phone call is being recorded recorded before recording it.

After she contacted me with that text I told her not to text my phone or call me.

Then she sent a text that I was not authorized to call that line anymore. I then sent her a text "f--- you" then she sent me back "likewise."

I should also note that I was hired by this agency purely through phone and email: I've never met with them in person. I sent them all my credentials via email.

My question is do they have a case to make to the board of nursing for unprofessionalism and patient abandonment?

Am I able to counter the accusations with accusations of them also being unprofessional (for hiring me sight unseen) and in for not paying me appropriately?

In other words is my license truly in danger?

No, your license is not in danger.

[RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN]

I think the BON has bigger fish to fry than a petty complaint. Sounds like they purposely sent the check to the wrong address out of spite. You did not abandon any patient and you weren't going to just abandon your car to take Uber. I wouldn't worry one bit about any of this other than the bad reference they will provide any prospective employers of yours.

In the future, do try to keep it professional and don't put things like F....you in writing under no circumstance. If you can't help yourself, just turn phone off or put it away. Good luck

[blessmeindeed]

as long as you did not curse or argue with her in a patient care area...your good! but if you shout and argue around patients like at the nurses station...close to patient's rooms - you may have a problem...you can yell or argue in their office or over the phone...nothing to do with professionalism. as far as abandonment...yeah, they can report you or file a complaint but it will go nowhere...still it remains on your file.

[neuron]

Hi I am an LPN in the state of Florida.

I called off 2 hours prior to a Continuous Care shift for a hospice patient. I cited car trouble.

The oncall Staff Agency associate became angry and said that I had to take an Uber or a Lyft to the job and that I could not call out.

I ignored further communications from her.

A few days later I got a text from the agency that they would be sending me my last paycheck: I was implicitly fired.

The paycheck was supposed to be sent to a new address which I provided by email twice and also spoke directly to a staff member over the phone to give it.

They still sent it to the wrong address so to date I have not been paid after 4 weeks.

When I called to resolve the issue I got into an argument with the day staff. Then I called later on because I was supposed to get a call back and got into an argument with the on-call staff where we had a very loud argument and during which I told her "I don't give a damn if you think I should or should not be paid your your I'm entitled to be paid."

We got into a shouting match where she called me an idiot and said I was ignorant. Then she disconnected the line.

Then she sent me a text that she was going to report me for abandonment due to the short notice when canceling my shift and that the phone call was being recorded (she also said the phone call was being reported while we were arguing but I didn't register what she was saying because I was angry).

My question is: as far as I know you are supposed to alert someone that a phone call is being recorded recorded before recording it.

After she contacted me with that text I told her not to text my phone or call me.

Then she sent a text that I was not authorized to call that line anymore. I then sent her a text "f--- you" then she sent me back "likewise."

I should also note that I was hired by this agency purely through phone and email: I've never met with them in person. I sent them all my credentials via email.

My question is do they have a case to make to the board of nursing for unprofessionalism and patient abandonment?

Am I able to counter the accusations with accusations of them also being unprofessional (for hiring me sight unseen) and in for not paying me appropriately?

In other words is my license truly in danger?

Just tell her you want your paycheck.

[inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Attitude issues aren't usually reportable to the board.

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

The Board of Nursing isn't going to investigate a verbal disagreement with someone in HR, let alone pull a license over it.

You can't abandon patients that you never assumed care of.

You are entitled to pay for the shifts that you worked.