No Call, No Show

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I am curious about the response I will get from this situation.

I am a Nursing Supervisor. We recently hired an LPN who was an inter-facility transfer from another state practicing under an out-of-state compact license. She called out sick for 1 shift (Day 1), stating she was in the hospital. Missed her next 2 shifts (Day 2, Day 3) without calling (but we marked her as sick assuming she was still in the hospital as we had not heard anything). The next 2 shifts after that ( Day 4, Day 5) she was "No Call, No Show". My DON contacted her, and I'm not certain what her excuse was for not calling out for those last 4 shifts but my DON agreed to put her back on the schedule stating that the LPN told her she had a return to work note. The note indicated she was cleared to return to work prior to the NCNS shifts (Day 4, Day 5). So now, she was scheduled for 2 more shifts and AGAIN - "No Call, No Show" for both shifts (Day 6, Day 7).

As the employee in question is a NURSE (LPN) and not just a CNA/MHT I feel that this presents a professional and ethical dereliction of duty that should be actionable from a Nursing Board point of view. Though it isn't exactly "Patient Abandonment" I feel that such an untimely (and chronic) absence without the courtesy of notice presents a patient care issue. It is difficult to replace a nurse on short notice, especially when you don't know if the missing nursing is going to show up late without calling (She has arrived as late as 9pm for her 7pm shift without calling to state she would be late).

In total she has missed 7 shifts in a row, even after calling our DON and assuring us she would work. I just don't like it and besides termination I feel that she should be held accountable by a nursing board from an ethical point of view. Nurses are held to a higher standard because we are one of the most trusted professions. Therefor, a nurse should be held accountable, and her license disciplined, in the face of chronic "No Call, No Show" absences.

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I am curious about the response I will get from this situation.

I am a Nursing Supervisor. We recently hired an LPN who was an inter-facility transfer from another state practicing under an out-of-state compact license. She called out sick for 1 shift (Day 1), stating she was in the hospital. Missed her next 2 shifts (Day 2, Day 3) without calling (but we marked her as sick assuming she was still in the hospital as we had not heard anything). The next 2 shifts after that ( Day 4, Day 5) she was "No Call, No Show". My DON contacted her, and I'm not certain what her excuse was for not calling out for those last 4 shifts but my DON agreed to put her back on the schedule stating that the LPN told her she had a return to work note. The note indicated she was cleared to return to work prior to the NCNS shifts (Day 4, Day 5). So now, she was scheduled for 2 more shifts and AGAIN - "No Call, No Show" for both shifts (Day 6, Day 7).

As the employee in question is a NURSE (LPN) and not just a CNA/MHT I feel that this presents a professional and ethical dereliction of duty that should be actionable from a Nursing Board point of view. Though it isn't exactly "Patient Abandonment" I feel that such an untimely (and chronic) absence without the courtesy of notice presents a patient care issue. It is difficult to replace a nurse on short notice, especially when you don't know if the missing nursing is going to show up late without calling (She has arrived as late as 9pm for her 7pm shift without calling to state she would be late).

In total she has missed 7 shifts in a row, even after calling our DON and assuring us she would work. I just don't like it and besides termination I feel that she should be held accountable by a nursing board from an ethical point of view. Nurses are held to a higher standard because we are one of the most trusted professions. Therefor, a nurse should be held accountable, and her license disciplined, in the face of chronic "No Call, No Show" absences.

Fire her and move on with your life. I doubt the BON will be interested in her no call/no shows. Your staffing people were equally irresponsible to let it continue on for so many days in a row. I'd be irritated working short for so many days because management saw fit to give second and third and sixth chances to someone instead of replacing her with someone more reliable.

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Seems to me it's an attendance issue, which is an employment/employer issue, not a professional, BON issue. Just deal with it and move on. It sounds like you are feeling resentful about her being given so many chances by your DON (over your objections, I'm guessing), but trying to get her in trouble with the BON isn't really going to fix any of this (and probably wouldn't work, anyway).

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Any possibility of drug or alcohol problems??

That was the first thought that came to me. Particularly the pattern of absenteeism. I don't know what story she gave the DON, but ...

I could see her transferring to your in-corporate facility as an attempt to maintain employment and retain her PTO, seniority, salary and HEALTH BENEFITS.

I don't know how far a BON would go to investigate her without something more specific than a rotten, lousy attedance record.

But if there is substance abuse issues, she has an illness and she is prob well-skilled in manipulation and story-telling. I'd watch her very closely and alert the DON of any suspicions. You would then have some ammunition with which to contact the BON.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

The BON isn't going to waste time on this. There was no risk to the public and no patient harm or even risk of patient harm, since the nurse in question wasn't even there to harm them.

Terminate the employee and mark them as not eligible for rehire.

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Can't abandon a patient when you don't show up to get one. Job abandonment sire, but that's an employer problem, not a nursing board one.

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Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

Take her name off your roles and move on

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Specializes in Surgical, Home Infusions, HVU, PCU, Neuro.

I agree this is an employee/ employer issue rather than a BON issue, my facility would have terminated after day 2, 3 NCNS. Bad professional conduct that's for sure

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You subjected your staff to shortages caused by your believing in the fairy tale of this nurse's showing up seven times and you think the BON should discipline her? :roflmao:

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Just Fire her and move on with life

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Just fire her and be done. her loss, your gain.

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Specializes in NICU.
I am curious about the response I will get from this situation.

I am a Nursing Supervisor. We recently hired an LPN who was an inter-facility transfer from another state practicing under an out-of-state compact license. She called out sick for 1 shift (Day 1), stating she was in the hospital. Missed her next 2 shifts (Day 2, Day 3) without calling (but we marked her as sick assuming she was still in the hospital as we had not heard anything). The next 2 shifts after that ( Day 4, Day 5) she was "No Call, No Show". My DON contacted her, and I'm not certain what her excuse was for not calling out for those last 4 shifts but my DON agreed to put her back on the schedule stating that the LPN told her she had a return to work note. The note indicated she was cleared to return to work prior to the NCNS shifts (Day 4, Day 5). So now, she was scheduled for 2 more shifts and AGAIN - "No Call, No Show" for both shifts (Day 6, Day 7).

As the employee in question is a NURSE (LPN) and not just a CNA/MHT I feel that this presents a professional and ethical dereliction of duty that should be actionable from a Nursing Board point of view. Though it isn't exactly "Patient Abandonment" I feel that such an untimely (and chronic) absence without the courtesy of notice presents a patient care issue. It is difficult to replace a nurse on short notice, especially when you don't know if the missing nursing is going to show up late without calling (She has arrived as late as 9pm for her 7pm shift without calling to state she would be late).

In total she has missed 7 shifts in a row, even after calling our DON and assuring us she would work. I just don't like it and besides termination I feel that she should be held accountable by a nursing board from an ethical point of view. Nurses are held to a higher standard because we are one of the most trusted professions. Therefor, a nurse should be held accountable, and her license disciplined, in the face of chronic "No Call, No Show" absences.

Woah there,hold on,if she is not fit for your place just fire her,why are you trying to destroy her.

This is the type of administrative over kill that makes many leave the profession.

You do not know what her life or situation is other than not showing up at work.

You can fire her so do that.

Reporting to board what is that?She did not kill anyone,use drugs,or beat you.

Abandonment ,I love the way administrators love to threaten nurses with, what was abandoned ? Her job?

She was not at work taking report and doing an assignment.

I would recommend you learn to love your fellow imperfect man.

Job abandonment is an issue for the employer not the BON.

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