Suspended

[chellelynn25]

My SO and I work in the same facility. I'm and LPN he works in dietary. We have kept things nothing but professional, him doing his job and me doing mine. Occasionally we would end up on lunch break together, considering we both smoke and there is only one place to do so. On Monday he was suspended on suspicion of stealing supplies from the kitchen. Which he did NOT do. I was off that day because I'm dealing with cellutiits. He called me and went to come and pick him up so I did. I was off on Tue and Wed. When I found he had been suspend I called a friend of mine well former friend who is management we were friends before she became and RN and got her new position, to ask her what the hell was going on. She said she didnt know and I took it at that. Yesterday I get a voicemail from my DON saying she needs to speak with me before I come to work today. I called her back and she proceeded to tell me that I was suspended pending further investigation for threatening and intimadating a supervisor. WHAT!?!? She said that I violated policy and procedure for asking questions about my SO being suspended. I get that, that was wrong of me I'm not denying that. But intimadation and threaths? Give me a break please. I know more get off the phone with the DON and my SO receives a call from his supervisor saying that they did not substaniate the accusation of him stealing and that he could return to work. They even apologized to him. So I'm being suspended for standing up for my boyfriend for something that they decided he didnt even do! I'm willing to admit that I was wrong and shouldnt have called. But in my head I wasn't calling my friend as an employee but as a friend looking for answers. I'm not suspended for my job performance or medication errors or anything that has to do withn the way I do my work, but for being concerned for someone that I care about. What really hurts that she was my friend long before she was a supervisor and I was there for her when no one else was. I don't know why she twisted what I asked her and went to the DON. I'm hurt and confused and worried for my livlihood.

[Poi Dog]

While I understand that you were upset on behalf of your SO, I think that you were fighting a battle that was not yours to fight. I get that you are hurt with your "friend" but I have learned that at work there are no friends. CYA rules in business environments.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. This was not your intended outcome but it happened.

I hope that you are able to sort through this. Good luck.

[6mostogo]

Agree with everyone else. You were out of line. Furthermore, a NURSING supervisor has no authority over dietary matters. A cursing member of the nursing staff calling a nursing supervisor demanding information neither party has a right to? Sounds pretty intimidating to whoever this gets passed along to. Definitely demonstrates a lack of professionalism on your part. And if later you were to mention that Suzie Nursing Supervisor said such-and-such, she would also be out of line. She has her own butt to cover. Think about what you did, and sincerely apologize for your behavior. Make no rationalizations. Just apologize, state you understand why you were out of line, and that it will never happen again.

[jerenemarie]

Employees who work in facilities where their significant others also work (this also goes for family members who work in the same facility) are to be considered co-workers when on the clock. I worked in a facility where the mom was a nurse & her 2 daughters were nursing assistants...if we had any work issues with any of them they knew better than to ask questions of management about what was going on as we made it very clear that when they were on the clock they were co-workers, not family; know what I mean?

Thanks,

Jerenemarie

[AgentBeast, MSN, RN]

Well your first mistake was "Crapping where you eat/putting all your eggs in one basket." Those cliches have stuck around for a reason. NEVER EVER work for or at the same place as your SO. If the place goes under your are SOL, if one person get's in trouble/fired from the place it's obviously going to affect the other person. No good can possibly come of a situation like that. This is common sense stuff here.

[TDCHIM]

Well your first mistake was "Crapping where you eat/putting all your eggs in one basket." Those cliches have stuck around for a reason. NEVER EVER work for or at the same place as your SO. If the place goes under your are SOL, if one person get's in trouble/fired from the place it's obviously going to affect the other person. No good can possibly come of a situation like that. This is common sense stuff here.

I don't entirely agree. You certainly have a point regarding the issue of income loss if the company goes under. However, depending on the setting SOs/spouses can successfully work together, even if one faces issues with management. Now, when it comes to one spouse/partner being a member of management and another not - that I wouldn't advise. But if both management and employees handle things professionally, the arrangement can work out quite well.

[himilayaneyes]

I generally agree with everyone else. You acted unprofessionally in calling your former friend regarding your SO's personnel file. Sincerely apologize to the DON and your former friend. Supervisors aren't friends...regardless of the department. Good luck.

[chellelynn25]

I'm going to defend myself a bit here mainly because everyone has decided to tear me a new one.

The phone call made to my former friend was made to her cellphone, I asked her what was up? Did not curse at her. She stated that she didn't know anything about the situation. I took it at that I did not ask or try to pry information from her. I know that nursing has no rule over dietary and that there wouldn't have been anything that she could have done anyway. I DID NOT ask her to act on my boyfriends behalf in anyway, I was simply a friend calling a friend because I was upset over a situation. I've admitted fully that it was wrong of me to call her I've acknowledged that. Hindsight is 20/20. In the end there was no evidence that my boyfriend did anything wrong and he was called back to work. I get the fact that she is management, but at that point in time it was not employee calling supervisor, poor judegment on my part yes. But I am going to reinforce the fact that I did not threaten anyone.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

I'm going to defend myself a bit here mainly because everyone has decided to tear me a new one.

The phone call made to my former friend was made to her cellphone, I asked her what was up? Did not curse at her. She stated that she didn't know anything about the situation. I took it at that I did not ask or try to pry information from her. I know that nursing has no rule over dietary and that there wouldn't have been anything that she could have done anyway. I DID NOT ask her to act on my boyfriends behalf in anyway, I was simply a friend calling a friend because I was upset over a situation. I've admitted fully that it was wrong of me to call her I've acknowledged that. Hindsight is 20/20. In the end there was no evidence that my boyfriend did anything wrong and he was called back to work. I get the fact that she is management, but at that point in time it was not employee calling supervisor, poor judegment on my part yes. But I am going to reinforce the fact that I did not threaten anyone.

I'm guessing the posters think you cursed when you wrote that you called her to ask "what the hell" was going on. None of us were there, so all we can go on is by what you wrote.

I know you meant well and wanted to support your SO, but it wasn't a matter for you to get involved in, even if it was only a well-meaning "what's going on?" call--this was a matter between him and his superiors.

I hope you can work things out with your DON. Best of luck.

[lucylu 777]

I am so sorry you have to go through this. It is not easy on you and I can assure you it's very uncomfortable for your ex friend. I use to work with a group of women and loved my job until I made a mistake and applied and got the supervisory position, once I was their supervisor the demands, requests and complains got so out of hand that I regretted every day my position. No matter what I did - it was never enough. Worst job of my life. I think that even after you apologize and admit your mistake, things will never be the same and there will be a tension, if you are willing to tolerate it in the name of keeping the job than do it, but I think another place of work and a fresh start may be better. I wish you luck.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

Sounds like the drama of a LTC?