morango576

Hi everybody! I've got some news about that patient... My agency called me this morning saying that DCF called and wanted to talk to me, and the office manager gave me the investigator's phone number. Then she said "Is that about that patient so and so (her name)?" I was stupid enough to say "Yes". Then later I realized how dumb it was to say that. I should have said "it's confidential", or whatever. Anyway, I called them and spoke with the person and I told her that the agency asked me that question, and what I answered. The investigator said: "well, it's none of their business, why are they asking you these things? They should know they should not." THen I thought "I know, I'm too dumb to have answered them." But anyway. I told them the agency called my pt's daughter after I had wrote the first report on the bruises, saying that I was concerned with the safety of my pt. YOu know what the investigator said? "They had no business calling the pt's family to tell them you had written a report and that you were concerned with her safety! That should have been kept confidential!". I told her after that, the daughter started treating me horribly, and saying all the time that maybe they didn't need me anymore there. Then it created that weird uncomfortable situation between family and me. Now I am just wondering if the agency is going to tell the patient's family that I contacted DCF and they'll be after them. Wouldn't this be against the law, since the information is confidential? What can I do to protect my rights? Thanks for reading!

As I was leaving the agency on Friday, one of the girls who work there at the office said "Do you like purses? If you want to look, I have a bag here full of them..." And all these other CNAs looking at the purses and buying... and I was the one thinking "this can't be a serious agency"...

Yes, Ms. N.A.! I agree with you! You can never be too good. I think I failed on this. I am wondering what kind of aide they sent to that patient I had. I'm sure no matter how good she is, there will always be a complaint. And the other (underlying and serious) issues will keep on...

I know, Cali... that shows that they really care for us workers out there.

I think that lady (upper management, I guess) that called me that evening said something to my office manager. I know they were very nice to me when I went there today. Or tried to.

I agree with you, Nursel! They are just trying to make me feel bad for what I did. I don't feel an inch bad about quitting the case. It wasn't because I'm new. It was because it just wasn't right. Anyway, the only thing the person of the Elder Abuse Hotline gave me was her name and ID #. I don't know how I can look up the case, etc. I would REALLY like to know what will come out of this. Oh by the way... the agency has assigned a new CNA for that patient. I wish her all the best.

I was thinking about not quitting right now... I want to stay for some more time until I can find something else to do. That's why I will just keep this patient for now.

Good afternoon to all! I went to the agency today. I had to file a patient complaint form, which I did. I stated that it became a question of safety for myself to work there, as I had already informed the agency that these issues were going on. I also said that the patient and I got along really well and that unfortunately the family members made it impossible for me to follow my aide assignment sheet. Also I mentioned that I had alerted the agency about the verbal abuse going on... towards my patient and also towards me (the son yelling at me all the time). At the end I mentioned that the daughter forbid me to call the agency to talk about these issues, threatening to talk to her care manager and quit the agency altogether. So I asked the girl there to make me a copy for my records, which she made. Now I'm saving every copy of everything I write down. The office manager and the personnel specialist met with me privately in another room to ask me what had happened. I told them everything, that this has been dragging and now I can no longer work there, although I enjoyed helping my patient. They were very polite and understanding when I explained everything, and they said they understand that I'm a new CNA and that I will learn as time goes by how to deal with people (did I deal with the family wrong?). Anyway, they said the daughter told them that I "required them to be at home at certain times and called them 'incessantly' on their cell phones". HOGWASH!! I explained to them that the only time I called the daughter on her cell phone was like 15 min before I had to leave, since she didn't live with her mom, and Bozo (my pt's son) who was there refused to sign my paper or decided to go to Walmart and wasn't back yet. I told them I had to leave by 11am because I had to drive to my other pt's house and be there at 11:30am, and there were times that I was late because I could not simply leave my patient at home by herself. I told them that they were making this game with me, knowing I had to leave. They said "well, you could have called us and we would have called them". I said, "I told you guys a couple of times when I came in the office that this was an issue". Well, I think I did ok. I hope. I was honest and stated all that happened. Early this morning they had called me to ask to substitute for another aide, but I couldn't. When they called me then I knew they would not fire me. That was a good thing. Anyway, I guess this is taken care of. I told them for now I don't want any more new patients. I am starting to look for other agencies, or starting my interpretation job a few hours a day, also my school. I have to thank you all so much because you have been following through with me on this ordeal, and you guys have been so supportive!!! THANKS SO MUCH!

Thanks Cali! I will follow your suggestion... :icon_roll Will let you know tomorrow how it went.

Thanks Cali! Well, I am talking to the client's daughter right now, and she really likes me. She said "if it depends upon us, they will NEVER find out, I promise yoU! I really need and like you!". I told her, the only thing is, if I quit the agency, she will have to accept another aide from the agency to replace me. I told her she cannot tell the agency she doesn't want anybody else from the agency anymore. I agreed to basically work on the weekends for her. Right now I go Mon-Thur. I explained to her that if we don't do this way, then they will definitely know something is going on. Tomorrow I have to go to the agency and drop paperwork and get my check. I wonder what my office manager is going to say. Thanks again!

oh thanks, Nursel! I am not there yet, still on pre-reqs... Well, the lady took my report, I tried my best to be accurate and remember everything. What is going to happen now? Are they going to call me back? I really would like to know what happened to my patient... I care for her.:redpinkhe Thanks!!!

Cali-- I'm sorry but I did not get your point on that other case. I'm dumb... Yes, I know they can sue me if they want to. The question is: how would they find out? At the same time I want to do it, I'm scared as well. Hard enough to pay for nursing school, let alone give away $2500. I don't know... I don't...

then... I don't know... i think I better not (don't have $2500 lying around)!

I know... as a matter of fact my agency has that policy. I am scared to death of working for this family and the agency finds out. $2500 in fines! I understand why they would have this policy. But at the same time, the really can't control what I do with my life after I leave the agency...

I'm concerned with who is going to back me up on this...

I have another question: my other patient's family said if I ever quit my agency, they will pay me privately to watch her father and mother... I kinda know what you guys are going to say... but say it anyway?!

a letter of resignation??? How do I make one?? I had never done one before.

thanks muffin-girl! I am tired of my agency, to be honest...

I was going to drop my schedule part time anyway, because I'm starting nursing school now, so I don't want to kill myself working while going to school.

actually I already had an interview... but it's for a interpretation company where I will be working from home. I will be working part time for this company and if the agency doesn't fire me, I will still keep my other patient, which will be part time as well. If I get fired (or I decide to quit... I'm gettin fed up with my agency's attitude anyway), then I will try finding another agency or go full time with this new company.

Hi guys!!!!! Wow that feels good that you guys were thinking about me... :icon_roll Well, I just got off the phone with Florida Elder Abuse Hotline... I hope this is who I had to reach! Anyway, the lady who took my message spoke so fast, I had to ask her to repeat the questions twice or more. She asked for the name of my agency and address and phone number, my name and address and phone number, patient's name and address and phone number, and the whole situation going on. I told her i refused to go to that patient for safety reasons beginning this morning. I told her I had filed written reports with the agency, but apparently nobody took an interest to go see her or investigate. I told them that my RN supervisor told me that it was common for Alzheimer's patients to hurt themselves, but I thought that was weird. I told her about my pt's behavior of locking herself off, of wandering off (back in Dec. when I wasn't working there yet), of the police calling DCF on my pt's daughter, of my pt's son shoving my pt. against the table during her breakfast, of him snatching her towel away from her when she was using it as a bib, of all the screaming and belittling going on in front of me, especially at the time of administering medication (by her daughter). Well, I think I told her mostly everything. I hope I didn't leave anything out (like I said she talked too fast for me). I wonder what's going to happen now. Will they be contacting me? Will my agency be contacting me regarding that? I thought that my office supervisor would be calling me this morning like she said she would, but when I got home this afternoon after my other pt, there was no phone call from anyone. I don't know if she's waiting for me to go there on Friday and she will chew me out or something like that (for what, really??). Or fire me? Well I feel better for telling the abuse hotline about that. I thought about my patient all day today. Wondering if her daughter took the rage on her, for me quitting the case. Anyway, thanks guys, from the bottom of my heart... you have been a great support to me!:heartbeat

will have to go to bed and try calming down... I'm just thinking how well my patient and I got along and how much I helped her, I'm sure I did. She always appreciated me. Maybe if I keep thinking of this positive aspect of the situation, I can cope better. Thanks to you all, you've been great!!! will let you guys know what happens tomorrow

I definitely will. I am more exhausted of this whole thing than anything else. I know tomorrow I will have to speak with either this lady "supervisor over everyone", or my office manager. Either tomorrow or Friday. All I wanted is for her to stop pushing me and now she's probably going to chew me out for not going tomorrow, blahblahblah... Many things are going through my mind right now... I'm so tired.

Atheos has scared me now. Oh gosh. I feel like a fool for not writing my own stuff down.

oh... I see. Like I said, I'm new in all this. Learning. You just made me think of something. At the bottom of my daily chart, there is a blank spot there that asks if there is any change in client's condition. One time, I guess my 2nd or 3rd week at the agency, I wrote down that my cliet was very confused one day and that I talked to my RN supervisor over the phone to inform her. I got chewed out by the office manager because I wrote it down on the daily chart, although it specifically said to if any changes. I asked why. The manager said "The RN doesn't want anything written in there. If you need to report something, you can call her and talk to her directly". Thought it was weird... how is she really going to remember what I told her? And, if somethign comes up in the future, how can I prove that this issue was addressed to them? See... now I understood where you are going with this. It's a good point I had not thought about.