Unfortunate Experience with Coworkers in LTC

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

soooo today i got a call from my don saying we needed to meet because there had been a complaint about me. immediately i started panicking and crying thinking i forgot something or whatever...i was so worried about losing my certification and not being able to fulfill my dream of becoming a cnm/fnp.

well my good friend gave me a call to let me know that someone had taken a picture of me with my eyes closed at the nurses station and showed it to the don saying that i was sleeping at the nurses station.

i know who this person is because i was not sleeping but was very sleepy and sleep deprived that day and i heard her camera click and immediately opened my eyes to see her laughing at the face i was making in the picture. she then went around showing everyone the picture and giggling. i had an errant thought that maybe i should delete the picture but being that i thought we were friends i dismissed that thought. the nurses were sitting next to us and will be able to verify that i was not sleeping at the nurses station that day. i just hope i don't get in any real trouble over this.

lastly, i can't help being hurt by this betrayal because we've gone out together, had bbqs, and went to her birthday party too.

what should i do or say if anything? i am scheduled to meet with my don tomorrow.

[Ytellu]

I would advise that you go into the meeting and listen and not assume that is what she is going to talk about. If it is I would mention the names of the nurses that day that can verify that you were awake and the person who took your picture without permission caught you while blinking.

As far as the person who took the picture is concerned I would just keep your contact with her on a professional level and forget any socializing with her.

Good Luck tomorrow and let us know what happens.

[interceptinglight, CNA]

Oh my god, if it were the LTC facility that I used to work at the person with the camera could have been fired on the spot. Cameras and even cell phones are strictly forbidden because of possible violations of HIPAA laws guaranteeing resident privacy. For her to take a picture of you like that is just bizarre. If you get the nurses to back you up I'm sure there'll be no problem. As for the camera ninja all I can say is....geez....

[fuzzywuzzy, CNA]

Yeah, I would think SHE would be the one to get in trouble for having a camera at work... not to mention the fact that it's a little messed up for her to accuse someone of sleeping on the job when the "proof" she has shows that she was goofing off not doing any work either.

Where you sitting up in the picture, or draped across the desk?

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

i was sitting up in the chair but my head was tilted back a little. if you weren't there you would think i was sleeping though.

i just got back from the meeting and i found out she also reported me for inappropriate language towards her during a disagreement we had later that same day. the messed up part is she was sending me friendly texts on wednesday asking me if i could work for her sometime in the next couple of weeks....they did mention that she is not allowed to have her phone out just like anybody else and that the nurses should've intervened when the picture was taken.

overall i think it went well. don commended me for being completely honest and said she would interview the nurses that were witnesses as well.

but you never know....i just hope i don't lose this job over something ridiculous and petty like this.

thanks for your support and words of encouragement. one of my residents made me cry as well as some of my other coworkers who all asked if there was anything they could say or do to help me. regardless of the outcome i am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to work at this wonderful facility with so many wonderful people.

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

Hey just wanna give ya'll an update...so my boss called me yesterday and told me I will not be fired but instead will receive a write up and the girl who took the picture is being written up as well as moved to weekdays so I can keep my days on the weekend. And I am going to get paid for the days that I missed too!

[northernguy]

Sounds like you have a wise boss who treated this situation for what it was, a personality dispute between two aides that got out of control and ended with one of them acting inappropriately by taking the picture.

[susanlwins]

I agree with InterceptingLight's comment - cameras in ANY LTC facility or hospital for that matter are strictly forbidden on the floor, or should be. It is a privacy violation, as there are horror stories of horrible people taking pictures of their patients' conditions, peri-areas, etc. and posting them on the internet, facebook, emailing, etc., thinking that they are funny. If your DON is worth her salt, and if she is aware of the photo, she will deal with the photographer by at least suspending them, putting them on probation, or hopefully flat-out firing them. If not, you should point this out to her, that photography is a privacy issue, and your facility undoubtedly has a policy regarding it. Additionally, if the photo is the issue she brings up, get those other nurses who were there to vouch for you and you will be fine. Finally, if you are reprimanded for this incident by a DON who doesn't have a clue what she is doing, you need to take it to the next level - your administrator, corporate office (if your LTC is part of a larger corporation), or the owners. Good luck.

[caliotter3]

At many facilities cell phones and their cameras are forbidden, your friend would be fired for what she did.