Will it return to a good work environment again?

greenfiremajick · May 7, 2010

Wow. Good luck to you and I applaud your courage and decision.

My short time being a nurse I have seen so much in the last 2 1/2 months. I love the place I work and loved the people I worked with until last night when I was witness to my evening supervisor verbally be abusive to a resident by degrading her in front of numerous staff several times. I have played it over and over in my head and am left with the look on her face and her broken body language that screamed helpless. I couldn't sleep last night at all and keep thinking I wish I would have just said thats it... everyone out of the room. Right after it happend I wrote everything down. exact phrases that were said. What was said afterward,etc. I did call this am and reported to my ADON who had me come in and give my oral and written statement and the investigation was started. I don't know what happened. I know they ?'d the resident as well as the cnas that were present. The DON came and casually stated, the evening supervisor will not be here tonight and someone will be covering the dining room. Of course then the gossip or the truth started. I don't know.. I think some of the truth was mixed in with lots of extras. and i had every cna on the unit pulling members from housekeeping and maintenance, basically anyone who would listen in on this. then, i had to be the "b****" they made me out to be by telling them to answer call lights and it doesn't take 5 people to pass one tray down the hall when there are lights on the other 3 halls going off. The 11-7 crew came in and stated they received over 20 calls about the situation that the supervisor was fired(although I don't know this to be true or if they just put her on leave until after conducting the investigation). I am sure everyone knew it came from me because it was written all over my face last night after it happend. But, I knew when I reported I would be prone to such behavior. Funny thing is... very few people liked her. She was tough and crossed the inappropriate line several times with employees. It was bound to come to surface to a resident and I am sure has had in the past, but not reported. Tonight was horrible night. Although I knew this would happen, it's a lot harder when it is happening. Do you think it will get better as time goes on? Do you think they think I am trying to get everyone fired? I wasn't.. I actually learned a lot from the supervisor that did this. I believe clinically I probably learned the most from her. I just did what I knew was the right thing to do. if I didn't report it I would be just as guilty as she was and that I could not live with. I will tell you what was worth it though, when i first was on the unit tonight, the resident was sad and withdrawn and had such sad eyes. when the managemetn left the res. room after ?ing her and I walked in you could see on her face she was relieved and smiled the rest of the night. That is worth all this hassle and what is still left to come... any advise on if it is going to get easier?

roser13, ASN, RN · May 7, 2010

You absolutely did the right thing and I am proud of you. The happiness on that resident's face should be all you need to see to realize that your actions were worth the short-term hassles you will face on your unit.

And yes, I believe that the uncomfortable atmosphere will pass. It just takes time.

Nurse_Tricia, LPN · May 7, 2010

I hope you are right that it will pass. My stomach is in knots. Thank goodness i have tonight off..

luvRNs, BSN, MSN, RN · May 7, 2010

Kudos to you for advocating for your patient.You're the type of nurse I would want caring for me :yeah:

Keep going to work with your head held high, and stay above the backlash. When the rank and file discover they can't rile you, and that you continue to be fair and to provide good care, they'll back off. I would not be surprised if you don't have some who are quietly supporting you, and you're just not aware of it.

You're a hero in my eyes, and in your patient's :hug:

salsa12 · May 7, 2010

Well done! Bullies need to be smoked out and not tolerated, like they are in so many places because people are too cowed by them. There should be no tolerance of that kind of behavior, especially in nursing and medicine in general, where more than just egos are a stake! Thank you and keep up the good work.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · May 7, 2010

Good for you!

You did the right thing and that's not always easy. But it is always good. You be proud of yourself and let the nonsense roll off your back lke water off a duck.

It will pass.

JenniferSews · May 7, 2010

It will pass. People have a short memory for former employees. Just keep doing your job and it will blow over before you know it. People will remember that you did the right thing and you'll be a good example to your fellow employees.

Nurse_Tricia, LPN · May 9, 2010

So, last night it was a better environment. Of course I was met with several different welcomes and not welcomes. a couple people came up to me and thanked me for "single handedly getting rid of her." which is not the case and i had to say i didn't do such a thing. then i had the cna's and nurses whom would not speak to me. one cna even refused to work her assignment on my unit (she only had one of my rooms, the other of her rooms were the other nurse on my unit). the funny thing is the acting weekend supervisor allowed her to go to the other side where theyworked with one more person than usual and we worked one less. I kinda feel that if the facility condones this behavior then it sends a message not to report suspected abuse. I feel she should have been sent home if she refused her assignment. The nurse coming on was short with me and made the comment several times in a loud manner stating" well i;m not handeling that and since we have no supervisor anymore". the funny thing is the supervisor who was reported left at 11 on the dot and never once took care of any 11-7 issues that arose. I guess I best have my resume updated as it looks as though it may be a case of just posters on the wall that state you must report all suspected abuse and in reality they don't want to hear it. :sniff:

Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN · May 9, 2010

How lucky your patients are to have someone like you advocating for them! :yeah:

Nurse_Tricia, LPN · May 11, 2010

I just need some words of encouragement and some hope right now. I went to work today only to be greeted by a nurse who I went to school with. She asked, "What did you do?" I stated I didn't do anything but my job. I went to clock in and at the time clock all I heard was how everyone was upset because the supervisor was back..(most of these cna's wouldn't speak to me over the weekend though because they thought I got her fired.) So, now I know it will be awkward, but I am professional and will just do my job like any other night.. Then.. I find out I am training a new LPN for my unit. UMMMMM.. I have only had my license since March 2010 and I am training????????? OK. It become apparent with the mentioned above and also the rumors that I am training my replacement. But, I conduct myself in a professional manner and now I am worried about the residents getting the TLC they deserve. This poor kid, and he is a kid of just 19, I tried to stuff 2 months of learning all the little quirks about each and every resident, their likes, dislikes, how to sooth them to bed, etc.. into 8 hrs of information.. I explained to him that he needed to give a 5 second back rub to every one of them because many of them barely ever are touched and it is comforting. i was sad that tonight or tomorrow may be my last night. Then... in the middle of the pass, I was called by the supervisor into a meeting with her friend, one of the cnas . the cna then proceeded to interrogate me because she didn't like the tone of mine when i confronted her about walking away from me when i asked her a question. After about 5 minutes i finally just said i wasn't going to sit there and let them do this. So, I went back to stuffing the new kids brain full of the little special things.

Is this how it is??? Are there facilities out there that will welcome caring, compassionate employees who want to make their residents lives just a little richer?? I can't imagine unless the cnas who were present during the verbal abuse on the resident lied for her(many didn't like her) . Are there facilities out there that care and would make the necessary changes if it were for the wellbeing of the resident??????? I don't want to lose hope. I wouldn't do anything i did different if had to do again. I would report it again. Maybe I did make a difference if it is only the next time the supervisor will be more cautious before she confronts and berates a resident. There has to be someone that would value an employee like me, right???????

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · May 11, 2010

You reported it to your ADON, correct? You did the right thing.

I can't speak for all places but I have been in places like yours and also in good ones.

But are you SURE you are being replaced? Are you sure there are no openings elsewhere in the facility?

Go ask the ADON. She sounds stand-up, and might be honest with you.