Suspension

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Can a DON just suspend a Nurse if they came in 50 minutes before their shift, look at the assignment, the floor is very short staffed, with 2 nurses and 48 patients, 5 aides ,on call is called , no resolution to the situation , it's just basically, it is what it is, the nurse hadn't punch in and asked the oncall to consider this a call in and left back out of the building 10 minutes after entering.. but recieve a phone call later in the evening stating Suspension pending further investigation... what could possibly be being investigated?? Its not abandonment, it's 50 minutes before shift, he hadn't punched in...

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Can a DON just suspend a Nurse if they came in 50 minutes before their shift, look at the assignment, the floor is very short staffed, with 2 nurses and 48 patients, 5 aides ,on call is called , no resolution to the situation , it's just basically, it is what it is, the nurse hadn't punch in and asked the oncall to consider this a call in and left back out of the building 10 minutes after entering.. but recieve a phone call later in the evening stating Suspension pending further investigation... what could possibly be being investigated?? Its not abandonment, it's 50 minutes before shift, he hadn't punched in...

Yes. 50 minutes before a shift is not enough notice in any place I've ever worked. You'd need to be in an ER smashed up somewhere, not just strolling around your place of employment deciding that you'd "rather not".

If their staffing is always horrible, you're right to move on to greener pastures although you may have gone about it the wrong way. If it was an infrequent type of situation, it was rotten for you to take off "sick" knowing how critical staffing already was.

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There is a policy for call off time. If I came in early to check out the situation.. then called off, I would not have worked half off my shifts.

A suspension is warranted.

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Can a DON just suspend a Nurse if they came in 50 minutes before their shift, look at the assignment, the floor is very short staffed, with 2 nurses and 48 patients, 5 aides ,on call is called , no resolution to the situation , it's just basically, it is what it is, the nurse hadn't punch in and asked the oncall to consider this a call in and left back out of the building 10 minutes after entering.. but recieve a phone call later in the evening stating Suspension pending further investigation... what could possibly be being investigated?? Its not abandonment, it's 50 minutes before shift, he hadn't punched in...

Of course the DON can suspend you for this. The 'investigation' is the employer asking the "oncall" what the heck happened and mulling over whether or not to fire you over this.

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

You can be suspended or even fired for any reason in an "at will employment" state (most states). There was no discrimination involved, so it's not illegal.

So basically they don't need a reason to fire you or suspend.

It wasn't patient abandonment, so it is not reportable to the BON/BRN as abandonment.

That's the technical answer- but did you expect there to be no consequences for not working your scheduled shift?

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Specializes in MDS/ UR.

You think that is an appropriate thing to do? I am surprised you weren't fired on the spot.

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Most DONs that I have worked for, I suspect, would not have bothered with the suspension. They would have contacted the individual to come pick up their final check.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

That took cojones- I'll just say that.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

I just want to make sure that I have this right. You came it early. You saw the assignment and said "yikes, we are really short staffed." Had the on call person called, saying that there was a call off. Then you left.

It's not really abandonment if you didn't take an assignment, but I cannot even imagine a nurse a worked with keeping his/her job after pulling a stunt like that. Be happy that you got away with just a suspension--for now anyway.

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"What could possibly be investigated?!" The fact this nurse was able to work (came into work to check things out just fine) saw the assignment and took off. Lol THAT is why they are being investigated and I'm shocked your friend/coworker is still employed.

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Specializes in 15 years in ICU, 22 years in PACU.
Can a DON just suspend a Nurse if they came in 50 minutes before their shift, look at the assignment, the floor is very short staffed, with 2 nurses and 48 patients, 5 aides ,on call is called , no resolution to the situation , it's just basically, it is what it is, the nurse hadn't punch in and asked the oncall to consider this a call in and left back out of the building 10 minutes after entering.. but recieve a phone call later in the evening stating Suspension pending further investigation... what could possibly be being investigated?? Its not abandonment, it's 50 minutes before shift, he hadn't punched in...

Correct. Not abandonment because the nurse did not accept the assignment.

But it IS: Tacky, sneaky, sleezy, unprofessional, morally questionable and easily grounds for termination.

If the nurse hasn't punched in, he has no business looking at the assignments or any of the employer's paperwork. He is essentially a person off the street trespassing and violating patient confidentiality.

Buh, Bye.

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Yeah if it was an employment at will situation I'd can him. You need coworkers that help out when times are tough not run away

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