Very upset ethics complaint

Nurses Safety

Published

I work on a busy medsurg floor currently without a director. I'm the CC. The assistant manager is currently acting as interim director. Management has sent "helper managers" . They put these people in place and don't bother to introduce them to us. They show up and start telling us what to do, the last the nurses call pregnant girl, clipboard, or skippy (because she seems to get paid for skipping up and down the halls. She was useless as far as helping with any nursing task and went around telling to do incidental tasks when the nurses are crazy busy. She has reported nurse who didn't react positively towards her. Resentment to towards her was very high. Now in the last week we have a new "helper manager" she has the demeanor of a rattlesnake and orders the nurses to do things that are improper such as: directing a nurse to deaccess a port without a doctor's order, twice she told nurse to "give it anyway" when oriented patients refuse flu and lovenox injections. I've reported these things to my manager but he has done nothing. I gave 3 weeks notice two weeks ago. Yesterday I spoke to the person above my manager, she told me I don't need to finish my last week of notice. This happen to another charge nurse when she tried to report drug diversion. They want to make CCs who report unethical behavior go away. I'm terribly upset and feel this is unfair (i need that last weeks paycheck) what should I do?

If you knew that "they want to make CCs who report unethical behavior go away" why did you even risk this? As your employer is under no obligation to allow you to work out your notice, there's nothing that you can do now. If you haven't done so, you might consider contacting human resources regarding your rehire status, and how your employment termination is going to be reported.

Best wishes as you move forward.

I risked it because it's a patient safety issue and something that can impact my nurse license. Also it was reported to me. I have an obligation to report what is reported to me. It was after I reported the actions that I was denied finishing out my notice. I have been told it's wrong to punish someone for reporting unethical behavior.

Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
I risked it because it's a patient safety issue and something that can impact my nurse license. Also it was reported to me. I have an obligation to report what is reported to me. It was after I reported the actions that I was denied finishing out my notice. I have been told it's wrong to punish someone for reporting unethical behavior.

If you can absolutely prove it's retaliatory, you may be right. How much energy do you have to fight this? Get it in writing that you have been invited to leave with two weeks notice and go to your new job (I am guessing you have one?) happy that you're not in a bad situation anymore.

I risked it because it's a patient safety issue and something that can impact my nurse license. Also it was reported to me. I have an obligation to report what is reported to me. It was after I reported the actions that I was denied finishing out my notice. I have been told it's wrong to punish someone for reporting unethical behavior.

My thought is to report this other manager's behavior to the BON in your state Only APRNs have prescriptive authority and to give anything to a patient who wants to refuse treatment and is cognizant of the risks and benefits is assult. You may need to report this facility to the labor board as well because you are a whistleblower and if you do not report them to the government you are not protected.

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