I was a practicing RN for 17 years. I have experience in Neonatal Intensive Care, Progressive Care, Home Health and Nursing Homes. I loved being a nurse...it is all I ever wanted to do. I am the one in my family who always took care of everyone. As a neonatal nurse I felt there was nothing better than caring for babies. When I began caring for adult and elderly people I realized they are all as wonderful to care for as babies!
Almost 3 years ago after I had many health issues and chronic pain, of which I only took Tylenol, ( my own choice ), I was working 12 and 16 hr days due to the short staffing issues our major hospital of the area had. We worked with limited auxilliary staff. One Respiratory Therapist covered our monitored unit along with either the ER or ICU. There were times I had Vent pts needing treatments I had to wait on because the RT was in a code on another floor. Phlebotomists were short too and it was difficult to have timed labs drawn...such as PT/INR's. We no longer had the ability to draw labs ourselves.
I was called in on all of my days off and went because I felt a responsibility to care for patients. I'll admit I was extemely exhausted..although I did not even realize it at the time.
I began to be written up for things such as complaining there was not enough staff. My co-workers said it brought down the unit morale. Eventually I was written up for excessive overtime. I stated they called me in every day and they stated "I should have known to say NO". It got worse. Our unit was small (a 12 bed unit) and the nurses had gathered in a circle to talk...I went over to join and was told I needed to stop doing that! They stated I was nosy ( I probably am - I like to be in the middle of the group!). I thought we were all friends. It was very stressful in the next weeks. I was unable to get help from my co-workers. It got worse and worse.
Finally, 2 incidents within a month of each other happened.
#1) A terminal pt with end-stage cardiac and renal disease was admitted with Calciphylaxis and associated problems..Her legs were black from the knees down. She was barely conscious and would not eat or drink. We could not give IVF because she was on dialysis. The Doctor discussed a feeding tube, but, they never did it. A renal Doctor told me he had done all he could for her.
The day I had her she had been in for 2-3 wks and had a fem-pop that day. She came to me alert but BP started crashing. I called the surgeon who was in the OR and got STAT IVF hung. I then got orders to tx to ICU..I could not get to standing order IVF because it had potassium which had not been put in by pharmacy yet. It was taking them up to 3 hrs post-op to get our meds at that time. I called ICU to give report and was put on hold. Co-workers...some of whom were still avoiding me ran to take pt to ICU. When I got ICU I told them her BP was 60/40 and was on her way to them. The nurse from ICU was angry she was on her way.
Later a statement in legal papers said I could not have been on hold because the nurse receiving the pt was floating to another unit. I was accused of "laughing and chatting" on the phone for an hr and neglecting my pt. I tx her 1hr and 20 min after I got her on PCU. Within 2 wks I was accused of another incident and suspended then terminated from my position.
I worked 8 more months as a nurse for another company before my license was suspended for at least a year. My year was up in May 2008.
I took a Nurse Refresher course and CE's totalling 115. I obtained counseling. I took a Real Estate course and passed my exam for REALTOR.
I am a Mary Kay Consultant (they encourage a positive outlook). But as far as a job all I can find are minimum wage jobs. I have no other real experience..I have to build up to make money in Real Estate...which I'm working on. Buy the way...I was also accused of being "lazy".
I know I am smart enough and hard-working enough to do something else, but, I know I will never feel complete again without being able to be a nurse.
I just turned in my reinstatement application to the investigator. I won't know anything until at least December 2008. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers.:heartbeat
angel4gramma
129 Posts
My prayers are with you. The sad thing is when they have decided to get rid of a nurse they do everything including lying about situations.