Untrue formal complaint filed with state

Nurses Safety

Published

I am a Lpn I worked for a LTC facility. I was reported to the state for not applying a cpap machine to a resident who was a dementia pt who was alert with confusion and was able to remove the cpap at will. The resident was used to applying the machine on there own nightly but due to the dementia resident would remove cpap. The DON of my facility said the machine was serviced by oxygen company on a fri morning and on monday morn when she came back it was still in plastic.I worked 3 to 11 ans am supposed to apply it and 11 to 7 shift an 7 to 3 shift is supposed to moniter it until resident got up.I was fired mon morn for not applying the machine.I applied it all weekend butbit was my word aginst hers she and administrator put in 30 days notice and srarted firing ppl and I was 7.5 mo preg.well im fighting for my license now because of the lies she told I even recorded her firing me I let her know she tgreatened me on tape sayung she was gonna have my license revoked.I also contacted oxygen comp who was supposed to service mschine but they never did.I just dropped a lawyer 3500 to save my but I dont know what to do im a single parent with 3 kids and taking care of my sick mother I cant loose my nursing license for this.also nothing happened to the resident at all nev sent via to hosp no distress just they random picked me

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Welcome to LTC. Pray tell, however- how DOES one keep a mask, of any kind, on the face of a demented patient?

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I totally understand what u r sayin. I Thank God I was fired last week for a supposed positive THC drug screen I went to my physicians office within 30 min of being dismissed and paid for a drug screen myself which was negative! Of course then it was some other reason they gave for firing me. Mind u I was oriented for 4 days on day shift and was to work 3-11. A new system for med administration was just implemented and I had no password to practice on it. I have a history of severe domestic violence and have a diagnosis of PTSD had an anxiety attack went to the med room alone and attempted to let it pass without the knowledge of my co workers and one walked in so according to the DON I lost the respect if my co workers. I will admit at first it hurt my feelings bc I have been a very good caring nurse for 10 years but I have a feeling that staying there wud have been a bad choice for my license. I have now decided to return to school and get my BSN MSN and soon after my FNP or even PA! God works in mysterious ways

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Lol so true but the question is how do they take a statement from a dementia pt and hold it up in court

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it seems to me like you did nothing wrong but the most important question is --- did you document?!?

if in your note you wrote "CPAP applied to patient as ordered at HS. patient requires frequent redirection and orientation d/t dementia. patient repeatedly removed CPAP during shift (or last hour of shift if you worked 3-11 right?), this RN educated patient on need for CPAP, pt continues to remove mask. will frequently monitor and redirect patient as needed. etc etc"

if you wrote one small note similiar to this, then there is NO WAY that'll hold up in court. however, if you didn't write a note, i suppose it's the facility's words vs. yours which is never pretty....good idea getting a lawyer. GOOD LUCK! sorry this is happening to you. move on and find a better job.

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Agree with the above poster. If someone is on CPAP or Bipap and they refuse, we typically chart it. What is done is for though, best of luck to you.

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If it was applied, why was it still in the plastic?

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Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg.

This happened to me once too. I was sooo angry. The DON there was getting canned for bad surveys and she decided to make everyone else's life miserable too. She said I left early with no nurse to replace me and reported me for patient abandonment. This never happened. Anyway, I had to wait 6 months for a hearing. Luckily, I had witnesses and kept in touch with them. I only received a letter of admonishment. This doesn't show up when they look up your lisence. So despite the unfair drama, I was able to put it behind me. It did come up again when I received an endorsement in another state, but I just had to send a letter to the BON explaining the situation. You are smart to get a lawyer, I didn't. Don't worry, you won't lose your lisence. It has to be something more serious than that to lose your lisence.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Wow. LTC is amazing. What craziness.

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Remember, it was "stated" it was still wrapped, doesn't mean it was...also someone could have rewrapped it, thinking to use it as a dust cover.

If it was applied, why was it still in the plastic?
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The resident was able to remove the cpap at will and extra equipment wqs left in room at at beside in bedside cabinet and resident was used to serving machine byself before dementia became so severe so whos to say the resident didnt set up mqchin3 with new cpap

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Well I now have a formal complai t and cant get a job and I have. Kids but luckily I saved money up but I now have to wait for court to see if they r gonna throw it out

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