Suspended and Unsure.

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I work on a telemetry/dialysis floor that has a high volume of critical care step down patients. Days are busy and stressful but I feel I always cover myself. I have been a nurse of a little over two years which no longer makes me a new nurse but I'm definitley still learning. Yesterday, I received a call from my nurse manager telling me not to come into work over the weekend and to report to her Monday morning at 10am (I was supposed to work Sat, Sun, Mon). When I asked her what was wrong she said it was due to a "patient complaint" that needed investigation and I could not work until she had more information. I know this can mean a number of things. She wouldn't even let me know if my job/license was in jeopardy. She here I am, on a Saturday afternoon, unable to enjoy my unexpected weekend off because I am pulling my hair out over the suspense of Monday morning. I'm assuming a former patient or family member of a former patient is seeking legal action against my hospital, and as an employee of the hospital, I am being put on the spot. I have asked co-workers if they have heard anything and no one has. I am reaching out to you fellow nurses to see if you can help me shed some light on all of this, especially if something similar has happened to you. Thank you

Specializes in Telemetry/Long Term and Critical Care.

Thank you for all of your responses/suggestions so far. It is a huge help in easing the stress of waiting. It is nice to know I am not the first this has happened to and I'm not alone. I will keep you posted :-)

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Specializes in Cardiac care/Ortho/LTC/Education/Psych.

Do not talk too much when you meet with her . Let her tell you what she wants . Do not sign anything before seeing HR people and your representatives ( I hope your place has those ) . Take is factual and as it is . I was told by my manager just to sign the paper and I did not before going to HR> They called her and I went back - she said she did not understand me what I wanted , yeah, sure ,whatever ...

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

I work in LTC. We have a resident that is famous for making false complaints about every 6 months about someone. No matter what, we HAVE to suspend the employee until we have a chance to interview witnesses.

This past week I was serving in the dining room and I heard him telling another alert resident how I am so mean to him, blah, blah, blah. I heard the other resident telling him "Oh be quiet she wasn't rude to you at all. I heard everything she said to you". I immediately reported to my supervisior that he was complaining about me and if he came to file an official complaint about me i had a witness and would tell her who that witness was after I had been suspended for a few days.:lol2:

Funny in my case..not so much in your case. Good luck.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Your boss is a louse. She is doing this intentionally, to make you sweat.

There is a verse of Scripture that always helps me when I get in a jam. Isaiah 54:17. Every tongue that rises against you in judgment, you will show to be in the wrong. No weapon that is formed against you will prosper. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and the LORD Himself will vindicate you.

Selah. Think on that instead of about your boss or your problems. God is the answer to your problem and He is in your corner.

Whatever you might have done wrong, if anything at all, you do not deserve to be disrespected or bullied like your manager is doing.

I am reluctant to get more Scriptural, as someone might take offense. I mean none and hope YOU are not offended. Shame on me for being a coward but this website belongs to someone else, so I'm trying to not have church right here on the site. I'd give you my email but the notice asks me not to.

Just read that verse and make it personal, praise God for His love and His loyalty and thank Him for favoring you and bringing to naught all this cruelty the manager has inflicted upon you. May everyone see your vindication.

Stop talking to others at work. It can only produce harm. Even your "friends".

Nothing to take offense about IMO, Kooky Korky. There is a huge difference between a message with words of solace and referring to Biblical sources (such as yours) and browbeating or harassment of others in the name of religion. I'd feel the same if the words had come from the Koran. Wisdom is universal.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

I am sorry you are having to go through this. I've been a nurse for 19 yrs and this has only happened to me once, thankfully. In my situation, I was suspended for 2 weeks and that was without pay. My suspension was based on one comment that "another nurse" that worked on my unit made to my manager, that I took too long in administering a dose of pain meds to a patient. Of course, it didn't matter to them that the mad was not even due when the patient asked for it, that when I gave the med, it was just in the legal time frame for the med as per MD orders.

I was not told until after the first week of suspension why I was even in trouble at all. I sat for 2 weeks with no paycheck and finally got called in for a meeting with one of the DONs and someone from HR. Long story short, the man from HR WAS NOT MY FRIEND. I don't mean that to sound ugly, please believe that. I sat at home stressing for 2 weeks and then not only does the DON berate me for almost an hour, so did the HR rep. Once my attorney handled business, and I was able to go back to work I put in my notice and got the heck out of Dodge.

Good luck to you on Monday!

Anne, RNC

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Do yourself a favor. After you determine what the complaint is if and if you need a lawyer. Don't answer their questions, if you feel you need outside help,get a lawyer. kYou must protect yourself or they'll serve you up like toast.

cat19

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I know my nurse manager pretty well. Not friends out of work, but I like and respect her very much. The w/e stress would be killing me. Normally I would never call my boss at home, but in this case I would in a minute. I would apologize profusely, then beg for any info I could get. It might be the situation is so minor SHE didn't think it was anything to worry about, without sharing that with you. As far as your license goes, it really has to be a huge mistake for your license to be in play. Good luck. One more day to go.

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Do not sign anything, or sign any statements of any kind. If they request that you do so, tell them you need to take it with you and read it over carefully in a less stressful enviroment or that you need to sleep on it. Then see if you need assistance or legal councel. If they plan to record or anything I would prob want some sort of legal counsel of your own there. The facility is out to protect themselves and their bottom line, and if they need you to take the fall instead of them, they will. Their lawyers are NOT yours even if they claim to be looking out for you.

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Thank you for all of your responses/suggestions so far. It is a huge help in easing the stress of waiting. It is nice to know I am not the first this has happened to and I'm not alone. I will keep you posted :-)

I use to be a Nurse Manager. It is obvious that this Nurse Manager thinks she is following a policy. Regardless if she is or if she is not, do not think for one moment that anyone at the hospital is on your side. No matter if it is a big problem or even a non-existent problem. The way this is being handled is unacceptable no matter which side of the table you are sitting on.

I use to be anti union. That is when I was on the administrative side of the table. Now that I am back on the labor side of the table I am pro union. And this is a great example of why nurses today need union representation. With a union this type of issue is spelled out exactly. You are made aware of the problem immediately and what actions will be taken and by whom. You get representation by a union rep and they are not administrative friendly. This is abuse, and no one can explain it away. Do not roll over on this attack, stand up for your rights!

I just witnessed a PCT being fired for excessive absence. The alleged "final cause" was an excused absence the Manager approved. When it was brought to her attention the Manager's response was "oops, I missed that." Result, PCT fired and marked non rehire. So much for any respect of the worker.

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I know my nurse manager pretty well. Not friends out of work, but I like and respect her very much. The w/e stress would be killing me. Normally I would never call my boss at home, but in this case I would in a minute. I would apologize profusely, then beg for any info I could get. It might be the situation is so minor SHE didn't think it was anything to worry about, without sharing that with you. As far as your license goes, it really has to be a huge mistake for your license to be in play. Good luck. One more day to go.

Hi. I appreciate your attempt at trying to assuage the angst the poster is experiencing by suggesting that the nurse manager just didn't think that it was all that big of deal but suspending someone for 3 days is a HUGE deal. Regardless if it is for cause or for inquiry, the mere action is in of itself a major infraction of the rights of the worker.

Even if you buy into the Right to Work state laws court precedent would frown highly on this action in a suit. Which is what I would already be working on with my labor lawyer.

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Specializes in Med Surg-Geriatrics.
I work LTC and policy at my facility is if there is any complaint, you are suspended with pay while the complaint is being investigated. If the complaint is found to be unsubstantiated, you are brought back in, no harm done.

Same thing at my LTCF it is common practice these days and yes it BITES!:mad:

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Specializes in Med Surg-Geriatrics.

Also; your co-workers say they have heard nothing? Ha! :lol2:trust me they have!

I would bet $$ your the only one in the dark here,don't talk to them any further about this!:nono:

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