tough being a patient advocate

[nurse0541]

I've had a recent experience at a public health clinic. I went in as a registry nurse to work in a clinic. While there I noticed that the other nurses were using unwrapped syringes and needles. I inventoried the store room and found boxes of old syringes with yellowed paper and nine boxes of unwrapped syringes and needles that had been scotch taped closed and put back into an unlocked storage. I spoke with these nurses including the supervisors about the high risk of infection with using syringes that have been removed from the sterile wrapping. Once removed, the syringes are no longer sterile and could have been tampered with plus there was no way of telling how old they were. No one had any concerns with the use of these syringes, they were more concerned with money. I properly disposed of the nine boxes of unwrapped syringes and needles plus the old syringes with the yellowed paper. An unknown number of these syringes had been used. The patients at this clinic were also being treated abusively in the manner of speech that the nurses would use and in making the patients wait for hours for no good reason whatsoever. Some patients were told to leave and come back again three days running. The Department of Health Services and the Doctor in charge of public health was made aware of what was going on by those of us who were concerned and the patients were advised of how to file a complaint, the nurses involved banded together and lied to the director. Those of us who stood up for patient rights and safety suffered retaliation. I'm registry, I can move on, some nurses can't. The bottom line however, is the patients and if these practices will continue and how to stop them. How many of you feel the same way, sickened by callous treatment of patients? How do you handle it? :angryfire

[TazziRN, RN]

Most of us refuse to work for a facility like that, that's how.

How did those nurses suffer retaliation? If they have proof they do have legal recourse.

[nurse0541]

The nurses suffered retaliation in that the work place became hostile, uncooperative, they were humiliated in front of the patients, unfair work loads heaped on the ones who spoke up and they were constantly "hen pecked" by the supervisors and the nurses involved in the mistreatment of patients. I filed the necessary reports and then informed the agency that I refused to return to the clinic to finish my contracted month with them and why I refused. The sad part is that the agency was more concerned with their contract than what kind of clinic we were being sent to. I'm moving to another agency.

[Haunted]

I would also follow up with emails to the county supervisor, mayor, health department and a few zingers to the local newspapers. Keep copies for your records. Take it all the way up. That's not so tough. Telling the truth is easy.

[VegRN]

I've had a recent experience at a public health clinic. I went in as a registry nurse to work in a clinic. While there I noticed that the other nurses were using unwrapped syringes and needles. I inventoried the store room and found boxes of old syringes with yellowed paper and nine boxes of unwrapped syringes and needles that had been scotch taped closed and put back into an unlocked storage. I spoke with these nurses including the supervisors about the high risk of infection with using syringes that have been removed from the sterile wrapping. Once removed, the syringes are no longer sterile and could have been tampered with plus there was no way of telling how old they were. No one had any concerns with the use of these syringes, they were more concerned with money. I properly disposed of the nine boxes of unwrapped syringes and needles plus the old syringes with the yellowed paper. An unknown number of these syringes had been used. The patients at this clinic were also being treated abusively in the manner of speech that the nurses would use and in making the patients wait for hours for no good reason whatsoever. Some patients were told to leave and come back again three days running. The Department of Health Services and the Doctor in charge of public health was made aware of what was going on by those of us who were concerned and the patients were advised of how to file a complaint, the nurses involved banded together and lied to the director. Those of us who stood up for patient rights and safety suffered retaliation. I'm registry, I can move on, some nurses can't. The bottom line however, is the patients and if these practices will continue and how to stop them. How many of you feel the same way, sickened by callous treatment of patients? How do you handle it? :angryfire

I feel your pain, I am in a similar situation. It is not easy to tell the truth as the other poster indicated. I have attempted to improve the level of care at my institution for several years to minimal avail. I have gone through all the chains of command and still not much has changed except I am looked upon with scorn because I am sticking up for pts and the substandard care. Supposedly, I am "telling on people" for bringing to light numerous instances where pts have been harmed, nearly died or just had an all around substandard level of care. It hurts. Where I work, maintaining the bare minimum level of care and maintaining personal friendships with people are more important than safe pt care. I am looking for another job.

Good luck

[leslie :-D]

does anyone have a cell phone w/a camera?

leslie

[CHATSDALE]

the problem with bureaucrats are that their jobs are too secure..getting rid of state or federal workers that are incompetent is next to impossable

i have known nurses who left jobs that they loved because their co-workers were so lazy and their patients were at risk and complaints were ignored

[nurse0541]

I really loved that job, but left for the reasons you stated. I also began to feel unsafe myself. If people are going to be dishonest in the workplace and endanger patients, it's amazing what they will do when someone bucks their system and speaks up. The only decision I can come up with is leaving and following up on reports. Retaliation is always a huge concern. Someone mentioned cameras but then that could be interpreted as a HIPPA violation, one would have to be careful.

[nurse0541]

HAPPY ENDING! - Thank you for all of your responses! Very shortly after originally posting this concern I filed a complaint with the county public health dept and the department of health services. I also let the county know what transpired in the meeting prompted by the doctor in charge of the county's public health system. I also had the support of the nurses and clerical staff who were witnesses. It was hardly a week that went by when a big clean up of the dept had begun. The supervisor who was in charge and covered for the "problem nurses" is "quitting" and will be replaced with a nurse I know who is empathetic to the patients' rights and needs and who has the strong ethics necessary to stand up for these rights. She is also the nurse who had witnessed all of the occurrences I listed. Woe to those troublesome nurses! They have no choice but to clean up their act! Yeah for the patients! They will now be getting quality care! Of course, as I expected, the troublesome nurses tried to blame me for the issues in the clinic, HOWEVER, I had many witnesses to the contrary including the new supervisor who was a fellow nurse in the adjoining clinic. A minor side effect is that my agency has not backed me up and blames me for putting their contract in danger. Fortunately, there is a shortage of nurses and there are a lot of other registries. I already found one who gave me $3 an hour pay raise! Thank you all again!

:balloons:

[nurse0541]

I am still a babe in the nursing field. I have been in healthcare since 1992 in EMS, but only a nurse for two years. After this experience and after some of the other things I have witnessed, I may specialize in a field where I can really function as a patient advocate. Any suggestions?

[nurse0541]

i'm just so tickled right now!

[indigo girl]

Thank you for making a difference, Nurse0541.

It is tough sometimes, to do what you think is right, and

go against the crowd.

I admire your tenacity. Congratulations on the victory!!

It must be so sweet.