Fired for expressing concerns about patient safety and care!

Nurses Safety

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I need help please. Just not sure what to do now. Getting right to the particulars.

I was working in a So Cal Hospital in a Psychiatric unit. I was assigned a set schedule.

1) I was suddenly assigned to work 8 days straight Wed - Wed (8 hour shifts / this schedule would also mean that I would be working overtime without getting paid for it.) I consulted my union rep. and at her advise requested my set schedule back.

2) After numerous AWOL's and patients attacking each other, I expressed concerns on patient care and patient safety when probed by my manager. Within 4 business days of these two incidence I was called in the office and told "You are not a good fit." "You did not pass probation."

3) Come to find out that there are people have expected for some time that the Union was in-bed with administration. The union rep stalled for almost two weeks before telling me that my start date was my hire date.....regardless of the date I had on the paperwork from HR stated. I have never received a complaint from anybody for any reason. After bringing to HR's attention that 90 calendar days from the "date of hire" had passed, HR stated they would get back to me after hearing the managers side of the story.

After several days I am advised that my date of hire was not until my first day I hit the floor. They refuse to address the ethical issues or the fact that I have signed paperwork from HR which clearly states my date of hire as documented by the hiring HR representative.

I was Fired because I was a good nurse and attempted to prevent further issues with patient safety. I was fired because I questioned why I was working 8 days straight. I was fired NOT because I was a poor nurse or because I lacked critical thinking skills, but because I was not a Quiet Nurse.

I am just floored! I have a child to take care of and feel that he is now suffering for my decision to do the right thing. Should I really have to sacrifice patient care and POTENTIALLY MY LICENSE in order to provide for my child? Advice would be appreciated please. What are my options from here?

Huh? Relevance?

From my position, nursing is supposed to be a profession, or at least an evolving one. Treating nurses as wage slaves is counterproductive to optimal outcomes.

Nursing is becoming a wage slave job- the CEO's and finacial adminstrators and nursing administrations are making it that way- to shut up, nurses who complain about valid issues. Face it- they can't beat us with whips but they can threaten our paychecks!!

Nursing is becoming a wage slave job- the CEO's and finacial adminstrators and nursing administrations are making it that way- to shut up, nurses who complain about valid issues. Face it- they can't beat us with whips but they can threaten our paychecks!!
No doubt. Again this is why I say have another job on the side. There may be a whistleblowing issue. I agree that those other entities should be notified, but I have seen places clean up their acts just long enough to get through an investigation or inspection. The OP will be labeled as a disgruntled employee, and/or "favors" will be exchanged. Sweep, sweep. It's under the rug. It may or may not help to notify someone from Congress. It's nice to have hard facts.

I have faced the same issue.

The place I worked trained me one day and put me on the floor by myself as the only experienced RN on the floor. My ADON had never even been a floor nurse and was a new graduate. I expressed concerns that I did not know where things were, and I did not know enough to work the floor. I asked my ADON for help and she stared and smiled at me, a previous friend of mine. I was told if I wanted more training that I would have to come in for 16+ hour shifts. 8 hours of training and then work my shift.

I was finally let go for no reason because even with everything the way it was, I do not play around with peoples lives and there was no good reason to "discharge" me.

I felt horrible and I feel like I do not want to be nurse if I am putting a life at risk, thats the opposite of why I wanted to be a nurse.

Anyway, I totally understand and I am having a hard time finding another job. I did get unemployment because it was found to be unjust termination, but still it was a termination and I have never done a thing wrong.

Sorry for your situation. If you figure it out let me know.

Wow, there are some nurses who are really uninformed about the status of their industry and our country as a whole.....

Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, LTC.

Girl, hear what Peter Paul and Mary are sayin about doing the right thing....If I Had a Hammer.....

Thank you for doing the right thing and being a patient advocate instead of .....like the others:-)Peter, Paul & Mary - If I Had A Hammer - YouTube

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Your intelligent discourse took a hit when you decided to blame Obamacare for your personal problems. I was sympathetic until that. You made a choice and suffered the consequences. Medicare, Medicaid and healthcare reform had no bearing on your inability to maneuver political minefields in order to promote best outcomes for your patients.

How much change is being enacted now that you are not there to make any difference at all? You missed the forest for the trees.

Best of luck on your job search.

1 Votes
Specializes in Registered Nurse.

samadams8,

I can't see how I made any assumptions in what I said that you replied to. I was giving my view of what has happened to some people, including myself, as new nurses. Going back, the OP (and other people mentioned) were in new positions if not new nurses....so they were "new nurses" at that job, in that facility. I did not assume anyone that posted here was a new nurse or graduate in my statement.

"Balance, fairness, support; this is what nursing needs most IMHO".

That is what nursing needs but not always what she gets or gives....unfortunately.

samadams8,

"Balance, fairness, support; this is what nursing needs most IMHO".

That is what nursing needs but not always what she gets or gives....unfortunately.

Too true Nurses. It's beyond sad to me.

Specializes in Public Health, L&D, NICU.
Hi hkrntobe,

culture. I would cause a major riot if they tried to schedule me 8-in-a-row. That is NOT acceptable anywhere unless you are the one picking up extra hours or agreed to that schedule. If you were hired with a block schedule, then that is what you should be working. They are pulling one over on you and I would go back to HR and ask for copies of the policies. Then take that and copies of your hiring contract to a lawyer for a free consultation.

!

My schedule when I worked at the hospital was 8 on 6 off. Perfectly acceptable, and not all that uncommon, at least where I am. I didn't enjoy my 8 on, but my 6 off was awesome. But I agree, if she didn't sign on for that it's a bit unfair.

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