Was I wrong to refuse to help?

[flashpoint]

This is sort of long, so please forgive me in advance!

I was recently asked to resign from my job...not fired, but asked to resign. My manager felt that I am "not a good fit for the team" and that I don't have enough caring or compassion to make a good nurse. She said that clinically, I am outstanding, but that I am "really just not a nice person" and that I was "dragging down the entire team." This was the first I had heard about any of this. I have probably had 15 phone calls from coworkers askign what happened and expressing how surprised they were when they heard...they could be sincere or just trying to say something to make me feel better...I don't know.

To get to the point of my post...I am good at interpreting EKG strips...not an expert by any means, but I know what I am doing...and I have a lot of practice. More often than not when I was working, doing the interpretation on EKG strips was one of my assignments. This morning at about 0200, the ambulance brought a patient to the ER (I am a volunteer paramedic). As we were finishing paperwork, one of the nurses from the floor brought a strip to the ER and aksed me what I thought...this was a nurse that I have a bit of a history with...we had a personality conflict from day one. More than once when I was working she would argue with me about what the EKG strips were showing...most of the time I was right and she was wrong (at least according to the doctor). Anyway, I have a lot of resentment about my termination and I really have no desire to help any of the nurses who work there...especially her. The strip looked pretty benign to me, so I told her that I thought she should either consult another RN or call her nurse manager at home if she had any doubts. I added that I do not work there any more and that I will nto do her work for her. If I had seen anything on the strip that looked even a little abnormal, I would have told her...no matter how much I don't like her, I wouldn't put a patient in jeopardy because I am still on a pity potty. She called me a lazy f****** b**** and told me she was going to report me to my EMS captain....I gave her the captain's name and phone number.

My former nurse manger called me this morning and wanted to know why I refused to help. She said that if something would have gone wrong with the patient that I could have been held partially responsible. I told her that I don't work for her any more and that any problems need to be addressed with one of my superior officers. I also said that if I saw anything wrong on the strip I would have said so.

I know it really would have been better for me to just work the strip for her...I know that I still need to get along with the people at the hospital since our rescue service takes so many patients there. But...I also know that she wouldn't have even thought of asking one of the other medics to interpret the strip...she thinks paramedics are just well trained monkeys...she has said so more than once.

When I worked there, I had frequent conflicts about my role when I was there with EMS. Personally, I felt that if I was with EMS, I was only with EMS...I shouldn't have been asked to do anything that other EMTs were not asked to do. I was often asked to stay for a few hours to help the floor get caught up, clean to clean rooms in the ER, go to central supply and get things they were out of, put orders in the computer, page doctors, etc...it got to be pretty frustrating. I was told in no uncertain terms that when I was working I was NOT to assist EMS with "EMS things" like cleaning their backboards, getting equipment for them to restock their ambulance, or helping them when they were confused on the new computer charting system.

So...my rescue captain told me not to worry about it and is going to talk to the hospital to make sure the nurses no longer expect the things from me that they expected when I was staff. She is also going to make sure that management is aware that if they have a problem with me that they take it to her or the chief and not to take it directly to me.

I finally got over being nervous about going into the hospital for anything...and now this. I am really frustrated about being told that I am not a "good fit" any more, yet being expected to help when they need a second opinion.

I really don't know what the point of this point is...I guess I am just blowing off steam...thaks for reading.

[Jolie, BSN]

I agree with Gompers and mercyteapot that you did the RIGHT thing by refusing to get involved. You would carry the legal liability if your interpretation had been incorrect. It was completely inappropriate for the nurse to ask for your assistance. She should have gone up her chain of command if she had any doubts. You had no more obligation to give her a consult than any other "guest" in the facility.

[Town & Country]

Totally agree with everyone else here.............! Don't let it get you down.

[fergus51]

"I added.... that I will not do her work for her"

I thought that comment was a little catty and completely unecessary. I do think you were right in refering her to a hospital employee though and her reaction was certainly uncalled for.

[flashpoint]

I don't deny that my response was catty...she just stood there giving me her "who do you think you are to say no to me?" look. She has a long history of sitting behind the desk with her feet up while the CNAs and LPNs answer her patient's call lights, pull her meds from Pyxis, bring her the cordless phone, and fetch her charts. Had it been anyone else, I probably wouldn't have said that.

Tomorrow our chief is having a meeting with the ER manager to discuss a number of things going on between ER and EMS...I would love to be a fly on the wall for that one!

[LydiaNN]

cotjockey, I don't really think the remark was catty. I think it was blunt and to the point, telling her why you refused to read the strip. I think it is a female inclination to feel like we are out of line any time we're not sweet and polite, and frankly, what was called for here was a candid response to an entirely inappropriate request.

[Luv2BAnurse]

so she brought a strip to the ER, from the floor....Hipaa violation?

[gypsyatheart]

I don't think you were wrong in the least. In fact, I can't believe this nurse still has her job! I also agree that had you interpreted the strip, you could've been held liable! I hope you're working in a more functional environment cause that place sure sounds messed up! LOL

[LydiaNN]

so she brought a strip to the ER, from the floor....Hipaa violation?

HIPAA wouldn't come into play unless the patient's identity was revealed.

[RoxanRN]

I agree with the poster that objected to this person calling you bad names. It is possible that if you report it she will deny.

I agree with everyone here.... I know the frustration of being asked to resign and then having to still deal with them in other professional contacts.

I might suggest that now anytime you have face-to-face contact with this person, that you have your partner with you. I realize this may not always be possible. Most definitely, don't let her get you in a room with no witnesses.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

You were totally within your rights, and I don't blame you a bit. How arrogant of them to think they could have it both ways. best of luck to you.

[fergus51]

cotjockey, I don't really think the remark was catty. I think it was blunt and to the point, telling her why you refused to read the strip. I think it is a female inclination to feel like we are out of line any time we're not sweet and polite, and frankly, what was called for here was a candid response to an entirely inappropriate request.

I usually don't even like to use the word catty, but I do think there is a difference between candid ("I am not an employee here anymore, you should ask another RN if you are uncomfortable with the strip") and catty. I'm not trying to slam the op at all. I think her actions were right and the other nurse had no right to loose control like that. I just think that a better choice of words can often avoid all that drama in the first place. Then you don't have to worry about her supervisor and your supervisor and the gossip and what happens next time you see her, etc....

Lord knows my mouth has gotten me into trouble more times than I can count, but I am learning to bite my tongue and keep the personal feelings out of it. If I ever think "had it been anyone else I wouldn't have said that", then it's probably not a good thing to say to anyone. It's not about being sweet or being a doormat. I've just found that leaving the extra unecessary digs out of a discussion generally works out better for me ESPECIALLY if I have a history with someone.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I am a pre-hospital RN and occasionally transport to the ER where I am employed. There is a clear-cut role delineation so I have to agree with your handling of this instance. Good luck.