People who flat out lie to get you fired

[Ms. Nurse Assistant]

Earlier I made a thread about the new home health job that I have, and how much I enjoy it.

Well, it appears that I have a problem. I don't know what it is, but everytime I work with women I seem to always be the *target*. I personally do not care if I don't fit in with cliques or if they don't want to be my friend, I can deal with that. But when it starts to mess with my reputation and my position with a company professionally it becomes a problem.

There is a particular aide who calls the house and talks to the elderly lady when I am on my shift. At first I figured they had become good friends and she carries the relationship outside of work. But in fact, it seems that this aide just calls to *spy* on me. She asks the patient where I am in the house, and what I did so far.

One particular shift the elderly lady asked if I liked to sit on the porch and I replied that I was fine being in the living room with her. The aide happened to called that day, and the lady must have mentioned it to her. I spoke to the aide and she said, "Ms. Morrison said that you did not want to sit on the porch today. she said you would have rather sit in the living room".

I told her that yes, I refused to sit on the porch. And it's a personal decision and I don't understand why she is confronting me about this. I let it pass and didn't think much of it.

Recently, I was called in by the RN to speak to her in the office. Apparently, an aide flat out lied on me and said that I sit in the basement all day while the patient is upstairs by herself.

She even said that the day I relieved her, I ran straight to the basement the moment I got there and never came back upstairs.

The RN said that when she heard this she removed me from the schedule and that I was very close to getting fired.

I really do not understand what is going on and why these two particular women are making up these lies and calling the house to spy on me. What makes it even worse is that one of the aides in particular was 19 hours late for her shift that I had to cover for her. The NERVE of her. The other one was nearly an hour late last night.

I seem to always walk on eggshells with every job that I have. This time I was very lucky, because I have gotten terminated because of incidents involving other women lying on me about my lack of job performance.

[faith2468]

Go buy Russell Simmons's Book "DO YOU."

After reading this book you will be able to handle any on the job problem. Do your job always to the best of your ablilities as if you were been watched. Go over and beyound your job duties if time allows. This way when those women call and want to spy on you that little old lady want have anything but praises to say about you and they will then stop being messy.

[Guest343211]

I had this happen to me in med/surg.

Really, it has less to do with your performance than .e manager not wanting to rock the boat with the established employees and the underlying equilibrium.

I would, however, ask if calling your patients is acceptable behavior.

Good luck.

Wow, someone actually gets it and sums it up perfectly well. I mean other issues here notwithstanding--the issue regarding manager not wanting to rock the boat with the established employees, etc. You totally nailed it! This is the general state of affairs, especially mid and mid-upper level nurse managers/administrators. You really nailed it!

And really, that kind of leadership is so sorry and way too prevalent in the field of nursing.

[Guest343211]

I too remember your past posts and I agree that you may need to do some soul searching on why you seem to have issues at work. If you are being targeted then you want to watch everything you say and do, don't give them any reason to go running to management. You do have a past record of being terminated which is unfortunate but I would be careful not to let it impact on any future positions.

If I was in a situation where someone lied about me being in the basement as you described I would have the RN contact the patient and ask them for the truth. If your being accused of something then you should be given a fair trial. Did you ask the RN to confirm this with the resident? That way you can prove the other aide was lying and have it dealt with. It would make her look rather stupid now wouldn't it?

She can try; but admin. does not have to--unless she is under some represented contract. They can conduct investigations, half-baked investigations, or none at all. It's probably At-Will-Employment. Nurses need to seek places of employment with sound and balanced representation.

[benitarae]

I remeber my first job. I was there for 6 months before I found another job. I was a float charge. On one of the floors the charge comitted herself for ATOH abuse and was out about 6 weeks. I was assigned as charge until she returned. When she came back she mostly refused to talk to me, and she looked at me with almost pure hatred. I was a new nurse, I didn't know what to do. So I just went about my business. Then I started getting called into the office regarding incidents I had not been aware of. They started calling in the aides without my knowing it. One of the nurse managers followed me on a couple of shifts because "It doesn't take the other nurse as long as you to pass out meds". (The other nurse would predraw her meds, sometimes not giving them until she had time, and sign them out for the correct time). I told the manager who was following me that I did not know what was going on, but I thought I should give my notice as I felt this was a no win situation. She told me that she did not know what was going on either, but that now administration was coming down on her! (She had always reported that was doing everything right.) I still do not know what all that was about. But I know I liked the new job better! I do agree with one of the posts above. You should speak with someone in administration and find out what's going on-NIP it in the bud. Also, be aware of the SAVIOR TYPE PERSONALITY. They are almost like MUNCHAUSERS'S (can't spell) SYNDROME people. They set you up so they look like the hero! They get noticed.

[Katie5]

If worse comes to worse, get a video camera for a period of time at least. If it is allowed, that is.

[KungFuFtr]

I would be civil about things...Meaning civil suits due to slander.

[caliotter3]

I too remember your past posts and I agree that you may need to do some soul searching on why you seem to have issues at work. If you are being targeted then you want to watch everything you say and do, don't give them any reason to go running to management. You do have a past record of being terminated which is unfortunate but I would be careful not to let it impact on any future positions.

If I was in a situation where someone lied about me being in the basement as you described I would have the RN contact the patient and ask them for the truth. If your being accused of something then you should be given a fair trial. Did you ask the RN to confirm this with the resident? That way you can prove the other aide was lying and have it dealt with. It would make her look rather stupid now wouldn't it?

Unfortunately, many times the client will back up the real troublemaker instead of telling the truth, whether or not the client has a degree of forgetfulness or dementia. There are home health clients who love to be the center of drama and love nothing better than to pit the nurses or home health aides against each other. When the home health agency supervisors do nothing to investigate or stop the behavior, the clients are reinforced in their drama-seeking behavior. It is entertainment for them.

[southernbeegirl, BSN, RN]

well, i'm sitting here waiting on ruby to show up :)

[FowLaf24/7]

If one believes they were fired for the reason that others lied, then file a grievance with the facility. I personally do not believe this is even possible. If one believes they were let go simply due to the fact the management believed the lies, then one would not wish to work for such an establishment in the first place.

[silverbat]

ok, I am confused.. how can someone be 19 hours late for a shift?????? what kind of shifts do you work? 24 hours on?