WolfenspiritRN

I can identify with this. I was just terminated from a job I loved because of 3 pt complaints within 1.5 years. I am 55 years old and I am not old. At 5am, when everyone else is dragging, I am just getting my second wind. I am the one still smiling when day shift comes on at 0645. Of course I only have the two big furbabies to take care of when I get home ( and I had to drive 30 mins to get there) and they don't have to go to school or be picked up from night care, etc. I have never felt my age was a detriment, as the 50's are not what they used to be. I am healthy, don't take any meds, never used my insurance, and only missed two days of work last year (had the flu). My co-workers think I am the nicest to patients. Have never seen me be anything but patient and I have a great smile. I choose to see people as I wish to be seen and treat them accordingly. My NM doesn't understand that there are those who have huge chips on their shoulders and nothing you can do will make them happy. It never occurs to her that people lie and will say anything and without proof, it is their word against yours. I can't prove what I said or didn't say. But people I work with observe and see and yet, their opinions do not count. It is all about the pt's perception and if they perceive me wrongly then I must be doing something wrong. I was actually told this yesterday during my termination process. I admit I have a strong personality, and people do tend to remember me. I was told that may be part of the problem. Each of these 3 complaints came from difficult situations that I felt I handled in the best way possible. And my peers agreed. But not the NM. So I have two choices.....appeal and hope that I can be re-instated or start all over again, and find another place that I feel at home in. Either way, I will survive and take with me the good and leave the bad. One door closes and another one is waiting to be opened.

I had 3 complaints against me in 1.5 years. I was just terminated yesterday after the last one. A lady with a toothache on Christmas Eve that had to wait over 2 hours and got mad because I took an Emergent pt seriously while the toothache was in the same triage room wanting to know where on the list she was. I was told that it didn't matter how good a nurse I was, or what my co-workers thought of me, that the patient's PERCEPTION is the only thing that counts. :angryfire I do have the right to appeal and I will do so, but I don't know that it will do me any good. I wrote the post on Ow She Bit Me about being assaulted because I used a 12cc syringe instead of a 3cc syringe while drawing blood during an IV start on a non compliant diabetic with atrocious veins. I was suspended for 5 days (60 hours) for that one and was told one more complaint and you are terminated. Sure enough, one more complaint and I have been terminated. I wouldn't care as I am angry that this nurse manager obviously will not back her staff, but I love the shift I work, my ANM, and my co-workers. I have enjoyed working here more than any other place I have ever been. I am 55 years old and starting over gets harder and harder. I have been searching the net trying to find answers, support, anything that will help.

I was recently attacked by a pt because I didn't use a 3cc syringe to draw her blood while using a 24g cath. I had just got enough blood to fill pedi tubes and she demanded I stop and change syringes. When I said I have it she went ballistic and lost syringe, cath and refused to allow me to remove tourniquet. Called me a number of unsavory names and beat at me with her fists. Now she and her husband have made a complaint to the head of the hospital accusing me of telling her 'shut up' and then she says I held her hand between my legs.....needless to say neither happened. However, I was told today that I should not plan on working next week, and could possibly lose my job over this. I will say I had one other complaint 8 months ago, and nothing since. I am devastated. I like my job, enjoy the people I work with, and feel like I am an excellent nurse. But I just haven't clicked with this nurse mgr and I just don't know what to do. I just worked 12.5 hours, spent another 1.5 for a staff meeting and then stayed til 0930 while this subject was discussed. I drive 35 minutes to and from work...and then the nurse mgr called me at home and wanted me to drive back so this could be rediscussed and a solution arrived at. I told her I was in bed, tired after my shift, and I would be glad to come in on Monday. I was scheduled to work 7p to 7a Monday and she asked me to come in at 9am. I asked her if I should plan on working Monday night and she said no she didn't think so. I am a good nurse, experienced ER and am a team player. Nobody I work with has ever seen any kind of attitude or behavior that suggests I would lose my 'cool' with a patient or their families and my mgr said yes, that is true but that doesn't count. Hey, I need my paycheck like all of you do, and I am terrified. Any advice or support available? oh by the way, this patient is a known noncompliant and has frequently abused other nurses and throws temper tantrums often. However, I had not dealt with her and was unaware of this at the time. My mgr said well you are the only one she has ever made a complaint against. I really wanted to tell her that maybe I was the only one who identified myself by name. But I held my tongue.