Well.. I guess I am going to be canned

Nurses Safety

Published

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.

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

IMO I don't see how it's your fault unless you gave the housekeeper the tape and said, "here, apply this to the bandage."

Though when hearing about what the housekeeper had done, either reporting it or removing it and replacing the bandage would have been a wise move on your part.

Good luck with your hearing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Maybe the housekeeper read the Vanderbilt post about handing nurses a mop and bucket?:down:

(I'm sorry...just trying to make the OP smile, if that's possible.)

If you are fired over that, I would say your job did YOU a favor. I really wouldn't worry about it. But if management wants to know who puts tape on whomever, I would bombard them with it from this moment forward. I cannot count the number of times a housekeeper has walked into a room and actually prevented a patient from falling instead of saying, "hang on while I go get your nurse". But if a bandaid is worth your job, I say enjoy the vacation until the next door opens.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC/LTAC.

Thanks for your responses guys. Sigh, I did not include this piece of information. The housekeeper was in an isolation room cleaning and when the patient asked if I could come in and apply more tape on her bandage, as I was gowning up, he said to me" you want me to do it". So this is where I made the fatal mistake, I said ok. I watched him and the issue is a) she has a pysch background, b.its a she and housekeeper is a he, c. did he even change his gloves. (I didn't see that part), Lastly, I did not critically think about the ramifications of this and this is a patient safety issue and he was non nursing staff. So I got canned. I am bummed of course, but I have learned from this and will not make that kind of mistake again.

Tks

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC/LTAC.

Aww tks, this is a cool dude too, he wasn't trying to get me in trouble, he was just tryin to help out, outside of his scope of course.

I really liked him as a coworker and am sad that this occurred.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC/LTAC.

She didn't know him from a can of paint. It happened real fast and it was on her thigh. Um.. she could have thought he was a perv or something.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Oh.......oops........yeah, in this case, you kinda blew that one. Really sorry to hear this. But still, termination, if at all, should be the end of it, I think. There was no harm done unless her hospital stay is increased because of whatever, if anything, from his gloves were a contributing factor. Some lessons are hard-learned, ya know? Wishing you all the best!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
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.

You can argue that's ok......:)

I actually don't see how this is a practice issue against the nurse...unless she let the housekeeper apply the tape. Sounds like they need a scape goat. I said if they fire her that would be wrong....

I didn't say I agreed with sanctioning.....what I am saying is a housekeeper has no business taping a patient bandage. The OP should have told someone what this housekeeper did so that they housekeeper can know what is allowed and not allowed AND the OP should have redressed the bandage. I would have to know more details....but at the end of the day...if something weird happens to a patient and their care during your shift.......the next person on the food chain needs to know.

We never know the whole story...hopefully the OP didn't give the housekeeper the tape and say ok. But the OP should go into the meeting with an apology and tha they have learned what to do if this ever happens to happen in the future. Going into a meeting like this telling them what you aren't responsible for and what you will and will not do...will get you fired.

Clearly this patient is a kook is the application of tape causes a worsening of their PTSD... but who knows.

I told her to check with her in case there is litigation and the sooner they know the better....it was NOT because there was an actual neglect of duty.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am so sorry this happened to you. As others have said, it does not seem to be a serious infraction, but you were caught out on a technicality. In today's climate, with beaucoup unemployed new nurses beating the streets, I guess anything goes. I'd say good riddance to this employer!

Thanks for the heads up.... I will remember this and who knows... it might save MY bacon some day.:) Hope you find a wonderful new gig with super-neat supportive management.

good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thanks for your responses guys. Sigh, I did not include this piece of information. The housekeeper was in an isolation room cleaning and when the patient asked if I could come in and apply more tape on her bandage, as I was gowning up, he said to me" you want me to do it". So this is where I made the fatal mistake, I said ok. I watched him and the issue is a) she has a pysch background, b.its a she and housekeeper is a he, c. did he even change his gloves. (I didn't see that part), Lastly, I did not critically think about the ramifications of this and this is a patient safety issue and he was non nursing staff. So I got canned. I am bummed of course, but I have learned from this and will not make that kind of mistake again.

Tks

((HUGS)) I am sooooo sorry......soooooo sorry...((HUGS)).

This stinks.... suspension with probation......take a class in patient safety but firing?

What happened to forgivness and mistakes....we have ALL made mistakes but for some reason in this world today they dump you instead of forgiving you and helping you become a better nurse.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Well, now THAT was an overreaction......if they're going to fire nurses for something like this, who knows what they do to the ones who do something really egregious, like giving the wrong patient a dose of insulin? Drag 'em out to the town square and hang 'em at high noon?

I'm not saying that what happened with the patient is right, and the OP should have been written up for it. But fired??! I'm no fan of unions, but if she works in a union hospital her rep ought to be jumping all over this.

One thing's for sure, though---I bet the OP never makes a mistake like this again. I just hope she doesn't get scared out of the profession (and I couldn't blame her if she did leave, this treatment was abominable!). We don't have a nurse to waste. Sure wish management would get that.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Isn't it terrible that these CYA lessons in nursing have to come from experience? I think I probably wouldn't have done anything about it because I know a housekeeper putting tape on a bandage isn't a problem. BUT... always CYA. Yeah, and you end up one of THOSE nurses that the other girls talk about how you can't ever do anything with out telling the boss and blah blah blah. I knew a nurse who second guessed everything she did and was always calling the manager and everyone talked about how stupid she was. But after three months in that facility and learning CYA, that :stupid: nurse was a smart nurse. The one time on my job I didn't CYA I got busted and fired. IT's terrible to have to learn the Cover Your Ass lesson the hard way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CCRN, ED, Unit Manager.
Thanks for your responses guys. Sigh, I did not include this piece of information. The housekeeper was in an isolation room cleaning and when the patient asked if I could come in and apply more tape on her bandage, as I was gowning up, he said to me" you want me to do it". So this is where I made the fatal mistake, I said ok. I watched him and the issue is a) she has a pysch background, b.its a she and housekeeper is a he, c. did he even change his gloves. (I didn't see that part), Lastly, I did not critically think about the ramifications of this and this is a patient safety issue and he was non nursing staff. So I got canned. I am bummed of course, but I have learned from this and will not make that kind of mistake again.

Tks

Oh okay that makes more sense. Still not sure how someone can sue over it though. A good money grab I suppose.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment