DoubleblessedRN

I think suspending/revoking her license is a bit excessive. OK I understand being terminated from her job because there are many other nurses and health professionals who have been fired for similar social media posts, but she wasn't involved in Leavitt's care, she didn't wish death, a miscarriage or harm to the baby. All politics aside, several months ago a photo surfaced of Queen Elizabeth with a bruised hand shaking the UK prime minister's hand, and she passed two days later, followed by a photo of Trump with a bruise on his hand (an implication that perhaps he'll die) Would a nurse who didn't like Trump who made a public comment such as "Come on platelets, do your thing" lose their license or would it be suspended? I doubt it.

This is absolutely sickening! Lucy Letby, Radonda Vaught, Charles Cullen, the "Nurses Who Kill" Netflix series...all these people are giving the profession a terrible name and reputation. This LPN is charged with first degree murder after finagling her way into this couple's lives, obtaining fraudulent DPOA and having the husband taken off life support, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. Please read the story in the link below https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/macomb/2025/08/01/testimony-caregiver-client-husband-life-support-linda-polk-murder/85472837007/

I highly doubt it, at least not in my lifetime. Every scenario is different which requires assessments and critical thinking that a computer can't do, and labor such as physical assessments, drawing up and administering meds, and wound care just to name a few that a robot can't do.

That RV is a very serious safety risk and liability, The debate is whether her license should be reinstated when some states continue to license nurses who are just as risky and have a proven track record to support it.

I wasn't generalizing; I just used this as an example because my employer hires nurses on probation or with a restricted license, and there was a particular RN whose scenario is very similar to that of the nurse on meth. (She no longer works at my facility) Anyhow, this particular nurse had been doing plasmapheresis on a patient and stole morphine from the pt's morphine drip or PCA and administered it to herself. She was also found semiconscious at the bedside, with a cap to a line open and blood everywhere. And this was her THIRD time on probation due to substance abuse. Among some of the terms to probation included a length of five years, and no medication administration for at least the first three years. That's pretty extensive. Some very serious harm including death could have occurred when she was found semi conscious with that patient. She's kinda set a track record that shows she is a very serious safety risk and liability, don't you think? I think it's pretty surprising she still has a license.

WHY does she want her license reinstated? WHY does she want to work as a nurse again? Is she hurting financially? Does she want to right a wrong? Does she really care about people, their quality of life and making a difference? Hard to say with so many variables. Last year in Michigan, a three year old ventilator dependent child died while under her the care of a private duty RN. The parents were adequately trained to care for their child, but the purpose of a private duty nurse was to care for the child while the parents slept, as the child required 24 hour care. The vent had been disconnected when this happened; I believe the nurse was changing the trach dressing or performing some other type of procedure or care which required the vent being disconnected very briefly. The nurse had been using meth for several nights in a row when she passed out. One or both parents found the nurse semi conscious or unconscious and their child not breathing. The child died, and the nurse was convicted of second degree murder. Did the nurse deserve it? Absolutely, positively without a doubt. It's unclear as to how long she had a substance abuse problem; she had been licensed for about fifteen years and had never been disciplined by the board of nursing, nor had there ever been any formal complaints on this nurse. But my point is, there are sooooo many nurses with substance abuse problems who are on probation with restricted licenses in which they cannot administer meds. They jump through all the hoops and make it through. And then there are some nurses who are on probation for the second and third time around, and the state continues to give them every chance in the world, knowing that the nurse is a potentially very serious risk to patient safety.

I just don't see it happening, at least while I'm still working as an RN. They've talked about it for many years and it hasn't happened, and when COVID first surfaced I think the severely critical shortage was much more realized. They've also talked about phasing out LPNs/LVNs for years as well, and that hasn't happened either. As a matter of fact there are more job opportunities now than there was before as well as some newer LPN programs less than ten years old. I have an ADN, and I'm not interested in pursuing a BSN, unless I changed my mind and decided I would like to pursue NP. There's certainly nothing wrong with being more educated. But what would be the point of spending thousands of dollars obtaining a BSN if I wasn't interested in a management, research or other position that would require a BSN? Especially when working as a staff nurse on a unit where there is no difference in pay between an ADN and a BSN. I felt that when I applied for nursing school that an ADN was the best choice for me due to my life circumstances: I just began taking prerequisites right after my children were born. I wanted to work as a nurse as soon as possible so that we could afford a bigger, better home with better schools for our children. However, my son just finished his first year of college at a university. Initially he was interested in a different health profession, but a couple months ago he decided to pursue nursing. And I told him that he should just continue to attend his current school and obtain the BSN.

That’s what a lot of this all comes down to…immaturity. All of those nurses in the video looked under 30 and probably had very few life experiences. To me, the most disturbing comment on the video was the nurse’s rude and condescending reply when a patient wanted to know her baby’s weight when the baby hadn’t even been weighed yet. I wasn’t there so I don’t know the backstory, but maybe it was the mother’s first child and she was so excited and thrilled with her new baby that she overlooked that. People tend to jump the gun or say or do impulsive things when emotions are running high, and the birth of a child is a highly emotional event. Or perhaps the mother had a long, hard labor or a difficult complicated delivery and was so exhausted afterwards that she couldn’t think straight? Come on, have some empathy and common sense.

Yes, and I have heard some say terrible things. I used to work on a unit, and there was a patient who whined a lot. In the break room, nurses and other staff were laughing behind that patient’s back, mocking and imitating them. One time, I even heard a nurse call a patient a helpless fat f***, but not to their face. The nurse said it down the hallway, around the corner and under her breath. Unbelievable. And sad. But back to the subject of those OB nurses, they give the profession a bad name. Patients put their trust in us (many of them anyway) and subsequently, we lose trust and respect. It probably changed some people’s feelings (particularly non healthcare workers) about nurses, and they may now feel after seeing the video that since those nurses acted like that, then all nurses must be like that, which we all know they’re not.

Very inappropriate and uncalled for, and I think they all deserved to lose their jobs. We all have our pet peeves, and it’s OK to vent with other coworkers and colleagues, but there is a time and a place for everything, and you want to be somewhere at a time when patients can’t see or hear you. I read that a patient who was very happy with the care she received went out of her way to give good reviews; if I were that patient and later recognized one of those nurses talking like that who had cared for me and my baby, but later saw that video, I would have wondered “is she referring to me? Does she really care about the patients, or was it all just an act?”

I sometimes do

I am proud to be a nurse, I worked for it and I earned that title in my own right. It’s just annoying. Sort of like men who are nurses who don’t like to be referred to as a “male nurse.” Or as another poster mentioned being called ma’am (although I do realize that in the south that is a very common term…a person often addresses a woman as ma’am as a sign of respect) As I mentioned, to me it feels like a toddler calling their nursery or preschool teacher “Teacher.” I was actually impressed in the past that some of the adolescent patients had the proper manners and said “Excuse me, are you the nurse? What’s your name?” I like your pic BTW!

I used to work in cardiac cath lab years ago, I agree...there are some situations when it's necessary. For example, whenever I finished holding pressure after an arterial sheath removal I would instruct the pts on s/s of a hematoma, bleeding at the site, and other potential complications, and to just holler "Nurse!” if the pt experienced any of these, because those are true emergencies that require immediate attention.

I’ve worked psych for four years and I occasionally work with adolescents. I don’t ever recall being called “nurse” by any one of them, as a matter of fact, they’re usually pretty respectful and ask if I’m the nurse and what’s my name.

I've been a nurse for 14 years now, but this hasn't occurred much up until the past few years. I work in a psychiatric hospital, and patients often address me as "Nurse.” It happens in all kinds of different scenarios: requesting a PRN med; going over the other staff's heads to try to get what they want when another staff member denies a request against policy; one time a patient had a minor altercation with another patient, and the patient shouted "Nurse! Johnny's blocking the TV!” It really annoys me. I find this synonymous to a toddler addressing their nursery school teacher as "Teacher" as opposed to "Miss (surname)” I have often told them "I have a name, and it's not nurse.” Thoughts?

It’s probably too late to be answering this question, but for anyone in the same predicament: I would not mention it during the hiring process, but if you’re hired perhaps you could confide in maybe one or two coworkers you trust. I wouldn’t really make information like that well known to others. You never know, if you ever clash with a coworker or if you are written up or investigated for a minor error even in which patient harm did not occur, that could potentially be used against you.

The way I understand the compact licensure (I don’t live in a compact state, but there is also pending legislature) is that if one resides in or declares a compact state as their primary state of residence, s/he is eligible for the compact license which will enable a nurse with that license to practice in any other compact state. However, If a licensed nurse from a non compact state obtains licensure by endorsement into another compact state, then that license is only valid in that particular state. According to the ENLC (Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact) website, there is current pending legislature in California to become a compact state. If it passes, would an Excelsior grad with an ADN who possesses a compact license be eligible to practice in California?

I work in a large psychiatric hospital, and when we take a report from the sending facility, we ask specific questions about symptoms in regards to COVID 19. I’m not aware of any patient has been turned away as a result of any yes answers as there are eight units. Vitals are taken on patients every morning (they always have been) but what has changed in regards to that is we call the nursing supervisor if a patient has a temp of 100 degrees or more, and this has occurred. A panel of labs are drawn, they are cultured for the flu, and they are quarantined until cleared to return to the regular unit. Some patients have had strep throat or ear infections, but so far, nobody has had COVID 19 nor has it been highly suspected.

I know this was nearly a year ago, but here is some good advice for anyone who ever encounters this in the future: you need to report this to your employer. Failing to disclose or report an incident is a sure way to get an involuntary separation. Be sure to state that the former prisoner would not back off after you told him/her to do so. DO find out if s/he has been discharged or paroled. If the latter, also report this to their parole officer. If corrections has no jurisdiction over him/her, see the warden of your prison; s/he may be able to either get you or assist you with getting a PPO.

The prison I work at has a health care facility and have most capabilities of urgent care. We administer TB tests and read them, we do 12 lead ekgs, administer vaccinations and educate the prisoners about their medications and the pathophysiology of their illness/injury. We frequently get prisoners who self mutilate, and we are equipped with a cauterizer and the Dr, PA, or NP can suture on site. In the event of a fracture, they go to the ED, but we have a cast cutter to remove a cast. We routinely draw labs several days per week. We do wound care, and very frequently we flush out impacted ear wax. When a prisoner has a medical complaint, they see the nurse first. If it's a true emergency, they're sent to the ED by ambulance. We can also ask the Dr, PA, or NP to see them for an urgent matter, or we can request a subsequent appointment. Whenever possible, the prisoner always comes to us with an officer, unless they physically cannot; in those circumstances, nurses respond to the housing unit with an emergency bag, drug box, wheelchair and oxygen accompanied by an officer. There is also an increased secured unit for mentally ill and difficult to manage prisoners; 2 nurses are staffed there and the large majority of the job is med passing. Hope this gives you a good idea of what correctional nursing entails and the skills that are utilized.

Dienw, the prisoner's goal was to humiliate me and see what type of reaction he could get out of me. The reason I had asked about witty comments was to make this backfire on him and embarrass him so that maybe next time a female is nearby he will think twice, and to also send him the message that his actions didn't affect me the way he was hoping they would.

Thank you nursesunny, I completely agree. You are absolutely right in regards to his actions. That is also an excellent suggestion of how to approach the situation by acknowledging the fact and addressing to the prisoner that what he is doing is inappropriate and that he will still be held accountable. I also like mentioning asking what his grandmother would think as she is a woman who he likely respects. (I believe he was raised by her). An update since my initial post: I have administered meds to this prisoner after he was issued the misconduct. He was angry with me and told me that I should have warned him on the first offense, then wrote him a misconduct if he did it again. I did tell him that that behavior was inappropriate and would not be tolerated under any circumstances, and had he done that outside of prison, he could be arrested, charged with criminal sexual conduct and would be required to register as a sex offender. I did also mention that incidents like this in prison could also affect a facility's (such as a halfway house or AFC home) decision as to whether or not they will accept him as a client when he is realeased from prison. I don't know how effective this may have been due to his emotional state at the time.

Yes Caliotter3, this prisoner does have a mental illness, but most likely moderate extent at the most. He is on this particular unit for mental illness AND difficulty managing him in general housing units, meaning he's received many misconducts. The intent of his actions was to intimidate, humiliate and test limits.

Jail and prison culture is like this: prisoners are very seasoned and skilled at manipulating and malingering. There are often hidden motives behind their actions. They lie. They play you. They push things to the limit, and they test limits. Especially with women, even more so if you're not a corrections officer. They're also very good actors. While the large majority of prisoners on the particular unit I was assigned to on the day this occurred are moderately to severely mentally ill, some of them are very sane but are also housed in that unit because of great difficulties managing them in the general population units. When this happened to me, the intent of the prisoner's action was to humiliate and intimidate me, to see what type of reaction he could get out of me, and to test limits.

So here are some comebacks that I either thought of myself or came across on a corrections officer discussion board: For a man exposing himself: Say out loud,"Anyone have a magnifying glass handy? (prisoner's name) is trying to show me his member and I can barely see anything...if that's even what it is." Or for one masturbating: "I recently read in a medical journal that excessive masturbation decreases its size" Or "(Name), they're never going to allow blow up dolls in this place so I suggest you quit asking in so many different ways." ROFLOL!!