Refused my first assignment today.

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I never thought this day would come so soon with me only having 2 years of experience as a nurse but it came and happened today.

I refused my first assignment. I felt I would not of been able to give safe patient care with the load I was expected to have and with limited resources. I stood flat footed in front of the DON and administer of the facility and said "No" I have to admit I was shaking in my boots a bit however, I was prepared to be fired on the spot or quit right then in there. Neither happened as we were able to work something out.

The day shift nurse also refused the same assignment in the AM, so that should give management clue that what they are asking is unsafe.:uhoh3:

I'm currently sending my resume out as I type. I got to get away from this facility.:mad:

Specializes in Med/Surg - E.R. - Pediatrics.

Welcome to the Club,

Im now a out of work lvn for refusing my assignment, but even so, you cant tell me I did the wrong thing...

The way I look at it is, if they want to place me in an unsafe environment then that is a place I don't want to work at.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
One good lawsuit from a mistake from short-staffing will nix any petty salary savings they claim to receive.

Sadly....they don't care.:crying2: They just don't care.......:crying2: Now in a job market like it is now....they feel they can do as they wish as it is easy to find someone to fill your slot.:devil: Sacry really......:uhoh3:

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from hereonin, keep good notes (for yourself).:twocents:

leslie

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Welcome to the Club,

Im now a out of work lvn for refusing my assignment, but even so, you cant tell me I did the wrong thing...

The way I look at it is, if they want to place me in an unsafe environment then that is a place I don't want to work at.

Dearest Weebee,

Have no doubt that you did the right thing. Have no doubt that you are not alone. You are so right in recognizing that an unsafe environment is one that you don't want to work in.

It is a sad thing indeed for nursing to be such a highly regarded and trusted profession, when nurses with values and ethics and patient care as a priority are fired for having integrity.

Everyday a nurse is fired for some demonstration of integrity whether it's refusing unsafe assignments or refusing to falsify records or refusing to participate in agency politics or sniping.

Some people are NOT comfortable with people of integrity, and more often it seems it's the people running the show.

I wish I had more to offer you than my understanding. I was fired February 1 for my refusal to falsify records. With the economy circling the bowl and the fact that there are two nursing schools within 30 miles of here, I remain unemployed and am having to appeal my denial of unemployment benefits. My plan is to return to school for a specialty certification and to possibly move to another state. Until school starts, I will continue to volunteer nurse at a free clinic, where my ethics and values are appreciated.

I can sincerely say that I know where you are coming from and I wish you all the best.

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Specializes in Med/Surg - E.R. - Pediatrics.

LOL, I had to appeal my unemployment denial as well (which I won) by addressing the laws that govern nursing and the fact that I did not walk off the job as my employer claimed. Which just showed me, I made the right decision.

Dearest Weebee,

Have no doubt that you did the right thing. Have no doubt that you are not alone. You are so right in recognizing that an unsafe environment is one that you don't want to work in.

It is a sad thing indeed for nursing to be such a highly regarded and trusted profession, when nurses with values and ethics and patient care as a priority are fired for having integrity.

Everyday a nurse is fired for some demonstration of integrity whether it's refusing unsafe assignments or refusing to falsify records or refusing to participate in agency politics or sniping.

Some people are NOT comfortable with people of integrity, and more often it seems it's the people running the show.

I wish I had more to offer you than my understanding. I was fired February 1 for my refusal to falsify records. With the economy circling the bowl and the fact that there are two nursing schools within 30 miles of here, I remain unemployed and am having to appeal my denial of unemployment benefits. My plan is to return to school for a specialty certification and to possibly move to another state. Until school starts, I will continue to volunteer nurse at a free clinic, where my ethics and values are appreciated.

I can sincerely say that I know where you are coming from and I wish you all the best.

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Sadly....they don't care.:crying2: They just don't care.......:crying2: Now in a job market like it is now....they feel they can do as they wish as it is easy to find someone to fill your slot.:devil: Sacry really......:uhoh3:

Not only do they feel they can do as they wish, they strictly are doing as they wish. If you won't go along with the substandard program, then they have on hand dozens of applications of people who will.

The economy is emboldening these sort of management practices. The only way for it to stop is for all nurses to practice with integrity. But, as I mentioned in another thread, people practice the morals and ethics they believe they can "afford." Many people are functioning from a position of fear. Fear of losing their job or fear of failing their families. They allow these fears to sway them to put aside their ethics and do what they think "must be done." Many employers realize it and they exploit the fears at every opportunity.

These fearful folks would do well to consider the possible consequences of their actions. Suppose they accept unsafe assignments and despite their best efforts a patient has an incident or poor outcome resulting from a breach in the standard of care. Doing you best in an unsafe assignment is NOT going to save a nurse's license when the nurse is investigated by the BON. The bottom line for the BON will be that the nurse knowingly accepted an unsafe assignment. Then the nurse will be without a license in this same depressed economy and crumby job market.

The choice seems to be:

Refuse an unsafe assignment and possibly lose your job and yet keep your license.

OR

Accept an unsafe assignment , keep your job (for now), knowing that your are jeopardizing patient safety and your license. Continue to accept unsafe assignments and you will likely find yourself without a job AND without a license. Then you can possibly have the added bonus of finding yourself in court as a defendant in a medical malpractice suit. Even if you have your own medical , chances are that once you knowingly accept an unsafe assignment, your breach of the standard of care will be viewed as an intentional tort and your insurer is no longer required to cover your defense costs or pay any judgment or settlement on your behalf.

Folks really need to see the big picture.

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Specializes in LTC.
Not only do they feel they can do as they wish, they strictly are doing as they wish. If you won't go along with the substandard program, then they have on hand dozens of applications of people who will.

The economy is emboldening these sort of management practices. The only way for it to stop is for all nurses to practice with integrity. But, as I mentioned in another thread, people practice the morals and ethics they believe they can "afford." Many people are functioning from a position of fear. Fear of losing their job or fear of failing their families. They allow these fears to sway them to put aside their ethics and do what they think "must be done." Many employers realize it and they exploit the fears at every opportunity.

These fearful folks would do well to consider the possible consequences of their actions. Suppose they accept unsafe assignments and despite their best efforts a patient has an incident or poor outcome resulting from a breach in the standard of care. Doing you best in an unsafe assignment is NOT going to save a nurse's license when the nurse is investigated by the BON. The bottom line for the BON will be that the nurse knowingly accepted an unsafe assignment. Then the nurse will be without a license in this same depressed economy and crumby job market.

The choice seems to be:

Refuse an unsafe assignment and possibly lose your job and yet keep your license.

OR

Accept an unsafe assignment , keep your job (for now), knowing that your are jeopardizing patient safety and your license. Continue to accept unsafe assignments and you will likely find yourself without a job AND without a license. Then you can possibly have the added bonus of finding yourself in court as a defendant in a medical malpractice suit. Even if you have your own medical malpractice insurance, chances are that once you knowingly accept an unsafe assignment, your breach of the standard of care will be viewed as an intentional tort and your insurer is no longer required to cover your defense costs or pay any judgment or settlement on your behalf.

Folks really need to see the big picture.

:yeah::yeah::yeah: Exactly my thinking. Fear allows nurses to put their license on the line everyday to feed their families and save their homes. This is so sad. Wow. How can we get a law passed that will allow nurses to have safe assignments not based on quantity of patients but more on acuity.

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It is really irritating to hear how much this goes on and half the time no one speaks up.

Congratulations and I'm sure you will find another job soon. Keep your head up.

:nurse:Cindey:nurse:

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