Well.. I guess I am going to be canned

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Specializes in LTC/LTAC.

Hi all

I am a new nurse 4 mos off orientation working on a med/surge nuero floor 6 patient ratio. Its a brutal floor and yet.. I manage to survive albeit exhausted and oft times just disillusioned with the Candy Land notion of nursing I had in school.

So, what did I do? I let someone work outside of their scope of practice under my watch. Yes and now I have to go to Human Resources to have an interview b/c said patient has a PTSD issue (pysch) and it could potentially turn into a law suit. A housekeeper applied tape to a bandage, that was the practice outside of scope and told me and I didn't report it to my manager, who later found out.

I apologized to the patient, management and see the error in my ways and am now feeling like a dang fool. So, pray that I can salvage my job, but I think I will get the boot.

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Seriously? You don't need to be a nurse to give someone a piece of tape. That's not a task you need a license for.....I don't think you should be fired for that. Did you tell the housekeeper to put tape on his bandage? If she acted of her own accord, then that's her problem. You cannot monitor every single activity happening around you at every second.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

((HUGS))....I'm sorry. Even though you didn't give permission the housekeeper told you later and you didn't report it. I hope they don't fire you it would be wrong if they did....but I would be apologetic and contrite...let them KNOW you did wrong and have learned from your mistake and that you are sorry.

I am sending positive vibes.....if you ahve notify them that this may turn into litigation they maybe able to give you advice. If you don't this is exactly why every nurse should have it.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

i hope in the midst of all this that the housekeeper will be in an equally as stern meeting regarding what his/her duties are VS are not.

i suppose i dont understand.....was there some sort of adverse event related to....tape?

was it latex tape and the pt is allergic?

idk, seems silly to me. a family member could have just as easily grabbed a roll of tape sitting at the bedside and done the same thing.

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I wanted to argue with Esme12's response.

What do you mean you agree with sanctioning just because a housekeeper applied a piece of tape?

Then, because I'm a big girl, I agree. She's right. Even if a similar incident happened to every other nurse on the floor and nothing happened. Even if it's acknowledged practice that housekeeping tapes everybody's drsng PRN. If somebody wants to make an issue about scope of practice, you can be hung out to dry. It looks like you were.

I couldn't possibly be more sorry for the OP. I hope you're not fired...If you still want your job. I think if it were me I'd be looking for something else.

You know what really stinks. If the OP had reported the housekeeper, the housekeeper would be the one in the hot seat. Worrying about their job because of a piece of tape.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

It's not like the woman titrated up her propofol and turned down her precedex... If this is what we are nit picking over these days, I need to find a new line of work. Seriously?!

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

This isn't even a scope of practice issue. A piece of tape turning into a potential lawsuit? Somebody is grossly overreacting. If they fire you over this, they suck as an employer.

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So just to get this straight, you DID NOT tell the housekeeper to apply tape? She just came out and casually mentioned that she chucked a piece of tape on the guy because his bandage was coming off? How is that even something that can be sued for? I mean was the guy afraid of her or something? Screaming for her to not come near him? She ignored his requests, held him down and secured the bandage? I'm just trying to figure out where PTSD would come into all of this. It's pretty sick if this is what I need to be worried about when I finally graduate!

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Specializes in Medical Surgical.

lol at the idea of a pt claiming to have suffered ptsd over a house keeper putting a piece of tape on a bandage. What people will do to make a dollar these days.

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REALLY? This is ridiculous. ITS TAPE for crying out loud! How litigious has nursing become? It is really, really sad. I hope you don't lose your job....but perhaps you should take your nursing skills to a hospital that will better appreciate you.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
This isn't even a scope of practice issue. A piece of tape turning into a potential lawsuit? Somebody is grossly overreacting. If they fire you over this they suck as an employer.[/quote']

THIS.

I understand that the housekeeper told you that...and reporting that most likely would've save you from being called to the carpet.

I'm more baffled that you are supposed to have jurisdiction (I guess that's an appropriate word) over the housekeeper, a totally different department??? Really??!!??

(((((HUGS))))) OP, I just how you don't get PTSD when you see a housekeeper go into a patient's room.

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Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.

How can you file a lawsuit for someone putting a piece of tape on your bandage???

What happened as a result?

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