So she go after the sabotaging nurses's license or job?

nicholrwalker · Dec 17, 2005

What was the previous quote? Need more info about the situation. :confused:

Roland · Dec 17, 2005

The original thread in question is here https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/is-legal-ethical-preceptor-sabotage-student-133692.html . Note this is an issue that we will be following up in one manner or another either in the media, within the corporate ladder at the hospital in question, or before the State Board of Nursing (or possibly not at all). I would think that almost everyone in nursing would be concerned that something like this can happen, and have a unit manager say "well the preceptor felt bad for sabotaging", but then fire the student, and make the preceptor face absolutely no repercussions.

LPN1974, LPN · Dec 17, 2005

Sorry that should read "Should". The nurse in question (referenced in the now closed post" is sabotaging a student ethical/legal") actually admitted the incident on my wife's weekly evaluation. The manager of the unit said that my wife's preceptor felt bad about the incident, and that's why she didn't tell my wife until several days later. Never the less the unit manager will be terminating my wife's employment on the unit in large part due to my wife not catching the disconnected chest tube suction (although probably not the hospital, or hospital system in other words she can switch back to a med/surg unit). The question now is do we just "take this as a lesson learned" or complain up the corporate ladder or even file a complaint with the State Board of Nursing? Again she admitted to this on paper on my wife's weekly evaluation ( which we will be getting a copy this week hopefully). I have even considered letting them know that we will be writing all of the local media since I'm sure that many people would be interested in knowing that nurses at one of their local hospitals are taking actions that could be harmful to patients just to test other nurses. I know that if I was going in for a heart bypass I sure would want this information.

Yes, you better believe I would be doing something about it.

Your wife gets reprimanded and terminated but the one who actually disconnected the tube gets NOTHING?

Trauma Columnist · Dec 17, 2005

Since this is coming to us second hand, I truly doubt we are getting the entire story. Plus, since the person involved in this incident is not the one posting (it is her husband), one has wonder about secondary gain.

Lisa CCU RN, RN · Dec 17, 2005

Why doesn't your wife come give us her account Roland?

rn/writer, RN · Dec 17, 2005

Having read several of your threads, I have to make a request. Could you please give your wife a name. Doesn't have to be her real one, but reading "my wife" over and over is tedious.

Thanks

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Dec 18, 2005

I agree, it would be easier to talk to her. :)

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Dec 18, 2005

Your wife needs to seek her own counsel on this issue and fight her own battles instead of you trying to micromanage the situation.

She has done this on another thread and will receive our support/guidance there.

Life and nursing can not be planned out to every second with perfect answers and care. Not everything is equal or fair. Having interest/passion in a nursing area will lead to much more personal and professional job satisfaction than doing something just to move up the career ladder. Her colleagues sensed she was there to be able to move up but not really there due to desire to care for critical care patients. Sometimes you just gotta chalk up a nursing position to a learning experience that didn't pan out.

Again, several bb members have expressed your over involvement in HER career. After reading her post, I respectfully suggest you back off as this will decrease a lot of the pressure she is experiencing. Just finding a unit that she can excel in for a year, gain solid experience, take additional CEU courses, etc at this time is in both of your interest due to your family issues. Less stressed employee can focus on work issues more readily, OK?

HyperRNRachel · Dec 18, 2005

I am having a very hard time believing any of the incidents in the original thread or various other threads posted by ROLAND. I also do feel that most of ROLAND's threads are an attempt to gain sympathy for situations in which he feels he or his wife had no control. My issue with these type of threads is the total lack for the ability to accept responsiblity for ones own acts, knowledge, or involvment in various situations.

And to reply to the original thread. If a nurse did, in fact, disconnect chest tubes on one of your wife's patients then it was your wife's resposibility to assess the patient and the equipment. It was your wife's reponsibility to catch any malfunctions in the equipment and make the corrections immediately. It is your wife who is reponsible for such things to happen whether done intentionally or unintentionally by a nurse, a patient, or family member.

And to believe that a nurse would admit this information, have it in a written document, and not have any disciplinary action taken against him or her is ludicrous.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Dec 18, 2005

My sympathies to your wife on this sad situation.

I personally would think twice about going public and heavily legal at this time. Even experienced nurses with years of experience can be seriously hurt in these situations. Those with much less experience may find it hard to recover careerwise from this. And your wife has been through enough stress from this.

Document everything and remember that you can always change later, and go public/legal. But once you do that, you cannot go back

A well placed visit to risk management may help (have done that in a similar incident - it is amazing how quickly management's tune changed, when risk management explained the illegalities to them).

She will also need good recommendations in the future, and deserves to get them. Legal actions tend to scare off those who might be her best advocates. It isn't fair but legal action, even if right and rightous has probably ruined more nurses professionally, than it has helped in the long run.

(I am recalling that nurse that was organizing for a union in Tenn/Ken area, the hospital got upset and tried to take her license on something totally bogus.....she couldn't work as a nurse for a loooong time, and won her case, but hardly as much as she lost, careerwise, mentally, emotionally).

As you rarely take my advice, I doubt that you will now.

But I will keep your wife in my thoughts and prayers.

OahuRN · Dec 18, 2005

Hello all - this is Roland's wife - OahuRN. As many of you know, having read and I'm sure fumed over some of his posts, Roland is a bit passionate about whatever he is currently posting on. If his posts rub you the wrong way - imagine living with him!!! All kidding aside - what he wrote about my preceptor sabatoging me was absolutely true. So to clear up any confusion - I will tell you what happened. First let me say that despite Roland's post - I will not be "taking this to the media" or anywhere else for that matter. Several people in management are aware of the situation and for whatever reason have sided with my preceptor. Therefore, I feel it is best to leave this unit and go on with my career than to be bogged down with a battle I probably cant win. Anyway- this past week when I had my regular meeting with my manager and preceptor, my preceptor showed me an evaluation form in which she alluded to "setting traps" for me. She said she had done "things" to see if I would catch them. Apparently I did not catch all of them. One in particular was that she disconnected a pt's CT from wall suction for 2 hours (not the 4 Roland thought) and I did not notice this. She did not discuss what else she had done. But, as hard as it may be to believe, she really did write down on my eval that she had disconnected the CT. I take 100% RESPONSIBILITY for not noticing this - I should have seen this when I checked the levels but I didnt. I made an error but what she did was unprofessional, unethical and unsafe nursing and intentional. I said this to my manager who replied that my preceptor "felt" bad about it and that was sufficient for her. After more discussion, we all agreed this was not the unit for me and that I would immediately float to another unit and pursue other interests. For those of you who were skeptical of Roland's post - I can only say that what it actually happened. I am saddened about it but will seek another position and put this behind me. Thank you all for your supportive posts - they have given me great comfort at this difficult time.