Suspended without notice

Published

Today when i went to work on my usual shift i got turned away and sent to nursing supervisor office. Once there I found out i was suspended and i still have no reason why i was suspended. I was not informed of the reason nor was given paperwork in regards to my suspension. A week prior I was the triage nurse on a busy sunday and had a patient who was on a 5150 hold elope. The patinet was monitored by security guard but managed to get away. I work in a very small ER and I didnt have the resources to place this patient in seclusion. I did call the police right away and made a police report and notified the caregiver. This patient was on 5150 for danger to others. THe caregiver informed me that if he arrives there she will call the police. This happend towards the end of my shift. But the police were able to locate the patient and bring him back to the Emergency room three hours later. After this incident there was a root cause analysis meeting regarding the elopement that occured and I attented it and explained "what happend" but after the meeting I was not given any diciplinary notice that I would be suspened or written up about the incident. I worked the rest of the week and was not informed. It wasn't until today Monday that I found out I was suspened. I really need your advice if you can please help me. I am still considered a new grad so I don't know how to prepare/fight against the suspension. Please give me all the advice regarding this situation, It will be appreciated.

This is one example of the many circumstances that keep me from putting my heart and soul back into a nursing career.

Look into accounting. The hateful old crones who hold the keys to the nursing kingdom will smite you viciously.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

This is one reason I'm getting out of nursing soon. I'm tired of being the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong - as an agency nurse as well, we get double the blame, even if something is not our fault. I've never covered up any supposed mistakes either. I think it's pretty illegal not to notify u as 2 the reason 4 ur suspension - I'd be getting some legal advice, otherwise I'd be marching to the nurse managers office today to DEMAND an explanation. Think they owe u that much at least!

Nursing is just getting to be so much BS piled on top of everything else, that it isn't worth the stress anymore.

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I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Only in nursing are so many good people treated so badly (suspended, fired over things they have not control over). Sadly, suspensions usually lead to termination. So it might be best for you (your career) to resign....

If at all possible, you should get some legal advice. Maybe your carrier could help you.

Best of luck,

DeLana

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What an evil bunch you work for! Are you sure they didn't tell you why you are suspended or give you any instructions? They probably didn't, I just wonder if you were so in shock that you are not recalling?

I think you should write down all the details of the elopement - names, times, who you notified, how and when, and all of it and do it right now.

Then, contact your union or an attorney or your malpractice insurer (maybe not yet on the latter) and see what they recommend. Make sure any attorneys you speak to work for YOU and do not already represent the employer.

Start looking for a new job now. It's likely you will be terminated, I imagine, although I really don't know, of course.

You might want to ask your boss why she let you come to work, only to send you packing. I don't know that I'd be marching and demanding, but I would be calling and asking, stating that you really feel you deserve the courtesy of being informed of just what the problem is and stating that you are sure things can be satisfactorily resoved, but how can you if she doesn't tell you what the trouble is. You are likely free to take someone with you and you can be darned sure that the boss will have HR or another witness with her. They are too cowardly to ever talk to staff alone and always want a witness. You likely have the right to record the meeting, as they will.

Do start looking for another job. AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT MENTION THIS TO A POTENTIAL NEW EMPLOYER OR TO ANYONE ELSE, LIKE COWORKERS, NEIGHBORS, ANYONE. YOU'VE ALREADY COME HERE AND LET THAT AND YOUR PRAYER CLOSET BE ENOUGH. THE MORE PEOPLE YOU TELL, THE HARDER IT WILL BE FOR YOU.

Is the Security guard in trouble? How did this elopement occur? Whose primary responsibility is it, per written policy, to make sure elopement doesn't happen when Security is guarding the patient?

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This is one reason I'm getting out of nursing soon. I'm tired of being the scapegoat for everything that goes wrong - as an agency nurse as well, we get double the blame, even if something is not our fault. I've never covered up any supposed mistakes either. I think it's pretty illegal not to notify u as 2 the reason 4 ur suspension - I'd be getting some legal advice, otherwise I'd be marching to the nurse managers office today to DEMAND an explanation. Think they owe u that much at least!

Nursing is just getting to be so much BS piled on top of everything else, that it isn't worth the stress anymore.

She could be perceived as a threat, wind up arrested, worse. She needs to be very careful.

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Call your immediate supervisor ASAP. You deserve an explanation.

A security guard was responsible for monitoring this patient. Not you!!! Sounds like you took on the guards duties by calling police and the caregiver.

You cannot possibly watch a prisoner while providing care for ER patients. If the facility is expecting you to, get out now!

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Specializes in ICU.

So now nurses are supposed to be guards, too? I would think the security guard would be more at fault than you. What were you supposed to do, tase the patient to keep him from leaving? If this guy was that much of a threat, the police would have provided someone to stay with him. Nobody should expect the nurse to. However, in my state, you can be fired for any reason. You can also quit for any reason, but the state does not back you up if you are fired. Plus we have no nursing unions here. Nothing here protects the nurse.

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Specializes in ltc,hospice.

I would also like to mention, that they sound extremely disorganized. Their is no logic here, if they feel you should be suspended for performance reasons, then why let you work all week! I can just picture them running around like chickens without their heads...blowing something way out of proportion and trying to find a scapegoat. This is so typical unfortunately. Be kind to yourself at this time. I am so tired of seeing this happen so often to good nurses!!!

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First of all I would like to thank each and every one of you that gave me some great advice! I am so happy that I came to this site for the support. I called HR today and got my answer. I have a meeting scheduled with my CNO, risk mangaement, and HR. pretty intimidating. But i have been preparing myself and my argument through out the day. I will also be meeting with a lawyer tomorrow morning as wel to ask for legal advice. Thank you all once again and I will notify you what happens in the afternoon! Please keep me in your prayers! Thanks once again :redbeathe.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

Best of luck to you

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Take your lawyer with you to the meeting! Just the presence of a lawyer should cause them to immediately cut 95% of their BS for fear of a lawsuit.

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I am very much looking forward to the outcome of this meeting. Good luck to you. Even though you may have done everything absolutely correctly in your situation and followed your facilities policies and procedures, you may face termination anyway. Especially if you don't take your lawyer with you. Hopefully, you will do a conference call during this meeting.

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