terminated

[luminous]

Our co-worker was wrongly terminated, for neglecting her severely ill, septic patient. There were witnessess to support her but our manager did not listen or gave them a chance to weigh the situation but instead she sided her ANM. Our co-worker felt so devastated. Her union rep is useless, we should say, no follow ups has been done but just to wait for her letter of termination of employment.

[RN1982]

Is there something you wanted to ask us? We can't give legal advice if that is what you are seeking.

[leslie :-D]

there is an appeal process.

she can fight this to the very top.

this needs to take place before even considering 'wrongful termination'.

best of everything.

leslie

[GuvnerH]

Your co-worker can contact the local labor board to file a complaint or contact an employment lawyer. If she were infact wrongly dismissed she could sue her employer.

[lunden]

best of luck to her and hope everything works out

[MrsMommaRN]

The union doesn't stop with the rep. Check out who the local president is. Keep going there is a process. Good luck to your friend.

[Jen2002]

I have seen instances similar, although it was a CNA. I have had to go higher up in the union, because my manager felt it necessary to secretly audio tape the midnight shift. Yes, recorders were hidden under all the nursing desks! I learned real quick the chain in the union. Good luck to your friend.

[bagladyrn, RN]

If her termination seems inevitable, or she opts not to fight it, you could, as a coworker offer to write her a letter of reference, focusing on her positive qualities. This would be particularly helpful if you have worked as charge. You could also offer to give a reference if called. If you have connections at other facilities, you could pass these on to her.

[bellasage]

She can request a review. She has to be willing to go beyond the nurse manager in this case.

[noc4senuf]

IF it is in an "at will" state, then there does not have to be a reason for a termination to happen.

As another poster stated, the person could contact someone else higher up in the union but, if this is the route that they wish to take it needs to be done quickly as there are time limits.

Another question is, if reinstated, what kind of atmosphere is it going to create for this person??

[ANnot4me]

I was terminated once and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. At the time it was devastating and it eventually took me away from nursing for two years. I was bitter and angry and got little support from my peers. The situation involved a charge nurse who was negligent, I was new and she was a "friend" of the managers.

I did handle it poorly, but I was young and a new nurse. The manager was mad as a hatter and within a few months nearly every nurse on that ward resigned -- including her "friends." I fully understand how devastating this is for your friend. I am glad to hear you are supporting that person. There is nothing worse than to be slandered and it is even more devastating when your peers all put the blinders on to keep a job.

I found another job easily enough (thanks to a lovely former manager) and continued on my way with a valuable lesson about people in general and the nursing profession. Since that time, I have again left nursing, but on my terms.

Like the saying goes, "I've been thrown out of better places."

[justme1972]

I don't think we have enough info to even have a judgement on what happened. The OP stated no details other than her co-worker was supported by others but gave no indication of what her co-worker did or didn't do.