ok, so I posted recently about working a case where the patient was living in poor conditions. I have only worked there a few times for orientation. I have worked a few shifts "on my own". I'm still not comfortable with a procedure and have been shown once and talked through it once. I think it may not be as much about being comfortable with the procedure as it is what I need to know. Knowing and doing are 2 different things!!
So 2 days ago I was told I would be receiving a call about scheduling a nurse to come in and work with me on my next shift. The call never came. So I called the scheduler about having someone come in and had to leave a message. I also sent an e-mail (CYA in writing) explaining that if I don't have a nurse there that it will be an unsafe assignment and that I can't accept it.
I finally got in touch with the scheduler this evening. She started yelling at me and telling me how unprofessional it was to wait til the last minute. I didn't wait til the last minute. I was told I'd receive a call and was being patient. But since I had not received a call this evening I decided to follow up to make sure a nurse was coming. I explained to her that if I didn't have a nurse that it would be an unsafe assignment. She yelled at me, telling me that it wouldn't be unsafe. I explained that I would protect my license and won't be accepting any unsafe assignments in order to protect my license. She yelled back that my license wouldn't be in danger (shes not a nurse). She yelled, telling me she didn't appreciate being threatened not to show up. I explained that it wasn't a threat and that I was doing what I could to be there. But that I couldn't accept an unsafe assignment. Then she hung up on me. She barely let me get a word in. Shes one of those people that has lots to say (even if its wrong) but never hears a thing that is said.
This same scheduler told me the other day to run to the office as soon as a nurse I was orienting to the case showed up. I found it rediculous that they had me orienting someone when I'm still learning the case. But she had experience with the procedure and was showing me some of that. We both were teaching each other....scary. I explained that meds would be due before the nurse to orient would arrive and that I would have to do those first. The scheduler told me the meds could wait until I got back. I ended up giving meds and getting the patient taken care of and getting the orienting nurse to a point where it was only necessary to monitor the patient while I was gone. Then I was comfortable leaving. It was a new nurse I was orienting. She was only being oriented to the case. But still, my concern was this scheduler telling me not to worry about giving meds!! When I told her I wouldn't leave the patient until the meds were given and blood sugar checked, the scheduler told me those were excuses.
What can I / should I do? This scheduler is out of control! I'm scheduled to be at work in the morning. But I don't feel comfortable accepting the assignment without a nurse being there during the one procedure.
Should I just not go to the patients home in the morning? I'm scheduled there and if I don't go, they won't have a nurse. If I go there, it will mean accepting an unsafe assignment which I'm not comfortable doing.
I'm thinking of e-mailing the DON about the schedulers behavior and also to explain that I won't be able to go in without proper training. I have e-mailed her before explaining that I'm not comfortable with the procedure because of lack of training and have asked for further training. Thats when we talked on the phone and she said someone would be calling me about being there to teach me. Thats when I never received a call and had to follow up.
Since you need the work until the other agency has work for you, chill out. You can write out your concerns and send them to the DOPCS after your resign, if you feel that is a wise move. Back off for now, or you will inflame them into providing you with a behind the scenes bad reference. This is the price a person has to pay when there is little or no work available.
I tried calling the "RN on call". Every time I have ever called her, she never answers. That has been another concern of mine and another story.
I don't want to be terminated. I'd rather quit if possible. I may be getting hired on with another agency...pending paperwork and stuff. But I don't want to quit until I know I have work available. The current agency doesn't have any other cases available right now. I need to work, but I'm not risking a patients safety/health for a check.
What other details would help?
They will tell you anything, like "we have no other cases available", to get you to do what they want you to do.
Quit now. Give notice, be sick and unavailable, get out of there. The scheduler sounds terrible, the RN on call even worse.
If you don't go to the shift you're a no call - no show and will probably be terminated. If you do show you're accepting what you feel is an unsafe assignment. It's up to you what you want to live with.
Before you move to another home health agency, perhaps you should do an honest self appraisal of your abilities. You may be expecting too much of yourself or you may not be ready to work in homes with no support. Unfortunately, for every two agencies that provide good support to their field staff, there are 98 that don't want to hear a peep from the field nurses. Just go to the homes to fill the shifts and turn in your time sheets and nursing notes. That is all they want. Going from one agency to another won't guarantee that you are getting into a better situation. Just food for thought.
I have over 5 years of home care experience. It has nothing to do with not being ready for home care. I have worked with vents, trachs, TPN, feeding tubes, etc. for over 5 years. But with something I have no experience with its different. I worked with one agency for a few years and never had any issues like this.
I have over 5 years of home care experience. It has nothing to do with not being ready for home care. I have worked with vents, trachs, TPN, feeding tubes, etc. for over 5 years. But with something I have no experience with its different. I worked with one agency for a few years and never had any issues like this.
I sent you a very detailed PM about your specific issue. You can show up for your shift without performing that procedure and call DON and discuss how she is going to get you what you need. Do not be a NO Show!! If you need the work then go and work on issues from patient's home. If DON is unwilling to help then tell her you are resigning.. Also do not abandon patient.
I do not want to sound mean but homehealth does require this procedure as standard. Not that you do not deserve training for it.
I think you have yourself so upset about the scheduler you can see straight! Do not even speak to the scheduler so straight to the top. Try to cope with the patient's environment for the patient's sake..not the agency.. If you do not show what will happen to the patient??? If you can try to get her thru Monday then agency can work on Tuesday without you if you want to resign.
Greta to hear DON called and things were dealt with to your satisfaction..Hope things get better...Be on the look-out for another position thta suits you better.
I just wanted to mention a thing about a few agencies and pay raises. I apparently have a nursing superviser who is a nurse and is my boss. However, when I asked "my boss" for a raise she said she couldn't help me out. She said that I would have to ask "my recruiter" for a raise!!!!!!!!! It made me furious that I had to ask "the office staff" for a raise!!!!!!!!!! The recruiter is not a nurse. Why do they give all this power to these recruiters?
No wonder some of these recruiters act like they do. They are in charge of the nurses paychecks!!!!!
Most agencies that are larger..do not let nursing supervisors determine raises.. They give you evaluations.. these evaluations go to Administrative dept based usually on points, determines who get raises and what percent...Many places also only give across the board raises once a year.
This is why when hired you fight for every penny.. it gives you the base you go from throughout your career there.
SDALPN
997 Posts
Should I just not go to the patients home in the morning? I'm scheduled there and if I don't go, they won't have a nurse. If I go there, it will mean accepting an unsafe assignment which I'm not comfortable doing.
I'm thinking of e-mailing the DON about the schedulers behavior and also to explain that I won't be able to go in without proper training. I have e-mailed her before explaining that I'm not comfortable with the procedure because of lack of training and have asked for further training. Thats when we talked on the phone and she said someone would be calling me about being there to teach me. Thats when I never received a call and had to follow up.