Whistleblower, Briana Aguirre

Nurses COVID

Published

As nurses, we all owe a debt of gratitude to Briana Aguirre.

How many of us would take the risk that she did by speaking up?

Thank God for people like her.

Specializes in ER.

I'll be honest here, I've reached the point in my career where I want to slide, quietly, into retirement. I used to speak up more, at my previous job. It didn't get me fired, but it definitely didn't help me. At this point I plan on playing the game and counting my blessings, and keeping a few full body Tyvek suits in my locker.

Brianna verbalizes for every nurse. The Ebola crisis just brings to the forefront frustrations of ALL nurses with various actions of healthcare administrations, governmental inadequacies, and our collective powerlessness in the face of obstacles in our healthcare system.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Even if she gets fired, hopefully her bravery alone will help others.

She may just get a career change...for the better. :yes:

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Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
Nurses in this situation need to consider the Safe Harbor Act for patient safety. If she gets exposed due to improper procedures/equipment, then she can spread the infectious agent (ebola) to the other patients and this act covers her intentions (for patient safety) in Texas.
The Texas Nurse Whistleblower Law can be more effective than Safe Harbor for many nurses, however it does not protect a nurse who goes to the media.

Texas Nurse Whistle-blower Law: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/billtext/pdf/SB00192F.pdf#navpanes=0

Texas Health and Safety Code 161.134 prohibits retaliation by hospitals against employees who report to their supervisors, law enforcement, or state regulatory agencies any violation of law, including patient abuse and neglect, or unprofessional or unethical conduct.

The full text of 161.134 can be found here

Texas workers are also covered by OSHA, the federal law that prohibits retaliation against employees for reporting workplace health and safety concerns.

The full text of the anti-retaliation provision of OSHA can be found here

Whistle-blower protection by state: http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/pages/whistleblower-protection-laws-for-healthcare-workers

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

Interesting list from the NNU. In sixteen states an employee has no whistleblower protection unless he or she works for the federal government.

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Specializes in OB, Postpartum, Nursery.

Saw this and think it explains situation. "Words of Wisdom from the Nurse: The nursing shortage has always had its ups and downs. About 15 years ago it was realized that there was a huge need for nurses, and for a small amount of school, you could be a licensed nurse and make a good salary. So at that time many people went into nursing saturating the supply. This plus the recession, there hasn't been a nursing shortage for about 10 years since many of the nurses who would have retired did not because of the hit to their retirement plans. This over abundance of nurses gave a lot of power to the hospitals that employ us since we could be easily replaced. Many of us remember the day of Nursing Job Fairs or being able to walk into any hospital and being told, "If you're an RN, I can start you working tomorrow!" Now that we are coming out of the recession, nurses are again becoming short in supply. They predict the shortage is going to be national in 2017. I urge and encourage all of you to prepare and use this to turn the table on hospitals. Know that during a nursing shortage, they need us more than we need them. The most desperate will be for nurse educators. Keep informed about how much other nurses are being paid in other hospitals, benefits being offered to other nurses, and if necessary, be prepared to make BUSINESS decisions for yourself as a Registered Nurse. Know that no hospital is loyal to you. You are an employee to make them money, and thus, they need to be good company to you to make you happy and to make you money. If things aren't good, during a nursing shortage, the hospital needs improve or nurses will leave. You own the license. If you go, you take your license and your skill with you."

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.
I hope she keeps a very detailed journal because if there is a fall out, she can write a book!

She could be the spokesperson for a company that manufactures hazmat equipment. It would certainly lend credence to the products.

Give it her professional endorsement and go to trade shows.

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Specializes in Vascular Access.

"For now, but like many poorly run anti-union Southern states, Texas is an At-Will state. This means that employers, not hard working Americans workers, are the political Dictators and economic Pay Masters that keep wages low and write rules/laws to protect the rich of this country. This harms and enslaves the local average American workers within those states because these workers are forced to accept the garbage pay and poor working conditions; as they have no right to work and earn a livable wage in that state! In fact American workers of those states can be fired for cause, no cause, or just for the fun of it! Therefore, she will be out of a job one way or another shortly (and she knows this, which is why she is scared and was crying on TV).

For example, the management team targeting her will have written proof that she messed up in some way because no one is perfect. Sadly, she will make a mistake due to being human and that mistake (no matter how minor) will be their justification to fire her even though they do not need justification because, again, Texas is an At-Will state. It is how the At-Will states, and those against unions and union workers, role and get away their crimes against Americans."

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I Totally disagree with this assessment! I've worked in Texas, and they pay well! As a matter of fact, I am still trying to reach that pay scale after leaving there in 2003. I get that you are pro-union, and as one poster stated, they do have some unions in Texas, but to lump all states which predominately aren't in nursing unions as "low pay-anti worker" is ridiculous, imo.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.
I Totally disagree with this assessment! I've worked in Texas, and they pay well! As a matter of fact, I am still trying to reach that pay scale after leaving there in 2003. I get that you are pro-union, and as one poster stated, they do have some unions in Texas, but to lump all states which predominately aren't in nursing unions as "low pay-anti worker" is ridiculous, imo.

I get that many nurses prefer to work in the Southern At-Will states and are OK with the anti-union atmosphere in those states (yes, Texas has some unions, but do not confuse them with being pro-union. The politicians in those states are anti-union and so are most employers... so that makes Texas an anti-union state). However, I am lumping that state with the rest of them because I had the misfortune of living and working in them too! I no longer live in one of those states so I actually get paid well.

"Paid well" to me means that I can live comfortably on one income and do not need to get a second or third nursing job to feel like I can breathe. BTW, I am not one with lots of debts and I am very conservative with money... Yet I actually had to call in sick once to work because I could not afford to put gas in my car to go to work! Sorry, but you nurses get paid enough to keep you off of food stamps. That does not mean to me that you get paid well! Also, your working conditions are a joke! When most anti-union states adopt laws to protect patient ratios (have patient ratios), I will start to think that they are serious about provider and patient safety.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Saw this and think it explains situation. "Words of Wisdom from the Nurse: The nursing shortage has always had its ups and downs. About 15 years ago it was realized that there was a huge need for nurses, and for a small amount of school, you could be a licensed nurse and make a good salary. So at that time many people went into nursing saturating the supply. This plus the recession, there hasn't been a nursing shortage for about 10 years since many of the nurses who would have retired did not because of the hit to their retirement plans. This over abundance of nurses gave a lot of power to the hospitals that employ us since we could be easily replaced. Many of us remember the day of Nursing Job Fairs or being able to walk into any hospital and being told, "If you're an RN, I can start you working tomorrow!" Now that we are coming out of the recession, nurses are again becoming short in supply. They predict the shortage is going to be national in 2017. I urge and encourage all of you to prepare and use this to turn the table on hospitals. Know that during a nursing shortage, they need us more than we need them. The most desperate will be for nurse educators. Keep informed about how much other nurses are being paid in other hospitals, benefits being offered to other nurses, and if necessary, be prepared to make BUSINESS decisions for yourself as a Registered Nurse. Know that no hospital is loyal to you. You are an employee to make them money, and thus, they need to be good company to you to make you happy and to make you money. If things aren't good, during a nursing shortage, the hospital needs improve or nurses will leave. You own the license. If you go, you take your license and your skill with you."

Where are nurses in short supply? Please post for all the nurses on AN looking for jobs.

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