So, I've worked in LTC in Colorado for a while now, but have just been hit with a doozy!
My new D.O.N. decided that she was going to cancel orders for one narcotic and write orders for a completely different one. When the P.A. showed up and asked who cancelled his orders, I had to refer him to her. He complained to her about the need for her to follow his orders (not the other way around) for about 20 minutes but did not report the incident. Later, she started treating me like I was the one who turned her into him. Well, I did, but not because I wanted to!!! Within a week all my hard work at the home was for naught. I was fired for insubordination (I could barely look her in the eye, so it was partly my fault).
I'm not going to take this lying down. No way!!!
Who do I report her to though? The state surveyors that come to the home, the board of nursing? I only talked to one person about this so far, and they said my license might be in jeapardy. What?!?
1. Speak to an attorney if you really feel your license is in jeopardy and not just idle gossip. Do NOT say anything else on these boards and get it deleted if you can. (If you choose to go legal route)
2. Some facts to accept: This is not an environment you want to continue to work in, and no matter what course of action you pursue from here on, (a). you will never be comfortable at this place again (b). you will never get a good reference from that DON
That being said, we cannot give legal advice on these boards but we can give some mental health advice:
Your nursing brothers and sisters are behind you 100%. You did not do anything morally, ethically or legally wrong. Your manager has issues. I wish you the best of luck in finding a facility that deserves your skills and will treat you with respect!
If your workplace was that bad, then you definitely don't want to go back. If you didn't do anything wrong, then don't worry about your license. I would definitely write a letter to corporate if they have a corporate headquarters and write a letter to the state BON. You may have a wrongful termination lawsuit if you really want to fight back. However, I wouldn't return to that work situation. Find another job that treats you with the respect that you deserve. Also if you want to seek legal advice...I definitely agree with the previous poster that you should see delete this thread. Good luck to you.
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
1. speak to an attorney if you really feel your license is in jeopardy and not just idle gossip. do not say anything else on these boards and get it deleted if you can. (if you choose to go legal route)
i wonder if it will even get to the point where the op's license is in jeopardy. it seems to me that the don will certainly be more at risk for changing a doctor's order without consulting him/her, especially regarding narcotic orders.
2. some facts to accept: this is not an environment you want to continue to work in, and no matter what course of action you pursue from here on, (a). you will never be comfortable at this place again (b). you will never get a good reference from that don
i agree that this is certainly not a place you would want to work in, because it seems like this don is a renegade. i would not want her to be on my resume!
that being said, we cannot give legal advice on these boards but we can give some mental health advice:
your nursing brothers and sisters are behind you 100%. you did not do anything morally, ethically or legally wrong. your manager has issues. i wish you the best of luck in finding a facility that deserves your skills and will treat you with respect!
totally, without a doubt, without question agree with this. you did the right thing, and moreover, you probably saved some patients from having unbearable amounts of pain because the don changed the narcotic orders. this is just too much to comprehend for me. what on earth gives her the right to change a doctor's order? i hope she gets not only fired, but also gets her nursing license yanked. if i am not mistaken, she can even be brought up on criminal charges for this. i don't think the dea would look kindly on this, and certainly the doc that ordered the narcs would not stand by her.
Oh wait-I must be missing something. Since when can a nurse arbitrarily change a doctor's order? It seems to me that THIS is the bigger issue.
Yes. If I were you, I would report this to the board of MEDICINE for prescribing without a license to do so. That will probably bite her in the ass and the PA would possibly back up your story if you contacted him/her.
All other posters are right about not working there anymore -- good riddance to that job. I am guessing the DON got rid of you because she knows that you know that she did this and that is was wrong, and wants to eliminate the evidence.
So, I've worked in LTC in Colorado for a while now, but have just been hit with a doozy!
My new D.O.N. decided that she was going to cancel orders for one narcotic and write orders for a completely different one. When the P.A. showed up and asked who cancelled his orders, I had to refer him to her. He complained to her about the need for her to follow his orders (not the other way around) for about 20 minutes but did not report the incident. Later, she started treating me like I was the one who turned her into him. Well, I did, but not because I wanted to!!! Within a week all my hard work at the home was for naught. I was fired for insubordination (I could barely look her in the eye, so it was partly my fault).
I'm not going to take this lying down. No way!!!
Who do I report her to though? The state surveyors that come to the home, the board of nursing? I only talked to one person about this so far, and they said my license might be in jeapardy. What?!?
Any help is much appreciated.
The DON was outside of her scope of practice.
I also don't understand, how he could not have known who changed the orders.
Every time I write a verbal order (and it has to be a verbal order from a physician if I write it) I sign which MD I took the order from, and then my name beside it.
To me, if she did anything less, she is guilty of forging an order for a physician.
I would fight that tooth and nail...she had no grounds to fire you.
wee_oneRN
120 Posts
1. Speak to an attorney if you really feel your license is in jeopardy and not just idle gossip. Do NOT say anything else on these boards and get it deleted if you can. (If you choose to go legal route)
2. Some facts to accept: This is not an environment you want to continue to work in, and no matter what course of action you pursue from here on, (a). you will never be comfortable at this place again (b). you will never get a good reference from that DON
That being said, we cannot give legal advice on these boards but we can give some mental health advice:
Your nursing brothers and sisters are behind you 100%. You did not do anything morally, ethically or legally wrong. Your manager has issues. I wish you the best of luck in finding a facility that deserves your skills and will treat you with respect!