How many times have you made a nursing decision during an emergent situation only to be criticized later by the “powers that be” during a briefing or “root cause analysis?” And if you had done what they suggested as the alternative, they would have criticized you for that decision as well.
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I hae been an RN for over 22 years. I am 56 years old. I was Fired from my ICU job after 14 years of dedication – i get a boot in my ass for following a drs. order to give iv demoral stat to a post-op patient! REaSoN THE DAMN BASTARD administratio gave Is because i didn’t scan the medication first! the dr was at the bedside and saw me give the med..because he told me to run and get STAt! OK ….i did this because I am a empathetic nurse for the patient who was writhing in pain… ANd TO TOP IT OFF IT WAS NOT MY PATIENT! THE NURSE FOR THE PATIENT WAS NO WHERE TO BE FOUND..
so now it is all about scanning the fuckin med and patients pain comes second place…i got fired for ‘misconduct for not scanning med.’ i see THRU THIS BULLSHIT CAUSE I MADE 38.00 AN HOUR AND THEY JUST HIRED A BUNCH OF YOUNG NEWE GRADS… AT MUCH LESS, THAN I WAS MAKING. SO NNOW I SIT HOME UNEMPLOYED AND NO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BECAUSE THE HOSPITSAL DENIED PAYMENT TO ME.. I CASHED ALL MY RETIREMENT TO LIVE ON.. I WIL MOST LIKELY FORCLOSE 0N MY HOMRE.,,, AND I AM HQVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN..OVER THE CRUEL TACTICS OF ST JAMES HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE RIPOFF CENTER ;; AND THOSE MF’S CAN SLEEP AT NIGHT//??? I AM SPENT!!is anyone out there reading this…
i do not want to work anymore as a nurse i hate nursing and i damn the administration of that particular hospital.,,, and the nurse director of icu..her daughter was just given a postiion in icu as as new grad…
OMG! I am soooo sorry this happened to you, but not surprised. Is this by any chance the St James Hospital in Butte, MT??. My first RN job was at this hospital and I was fired after 2 years of employment after delivering a baby from a precipitous birth with an experienced nurse helping me. I was also denied unemployment at first, but I appealed and wrote a 5 page explanation describing the events that led up to my being fired. The hospital was given a chance to explain their part, but did not do so satisfactorily, and I won my unemployment. Have you tried an appeal yet?? There is no good reason for any nurse to be unemployed especially with a nursing shortage. No unemployment office should support this kind of irrational behavior on the part of “powers that be” from any medical organization. You should also see an attorney. The first consultation is usually free and you can at least get advice on whether or not you have a case. Nurses are not perfect and cannot be held to this unreasonable standard. Does every nurse in the ER scan the medication first?? For that matter, how about in L & D?? Any emergent situation is always going to involve little errors during the crisis. When the crisis is over, then you can scan all of the medication and supplies used. What a bunch of BS!! It pains me to hear these stories and that is why I started this blog. There has to be a way to stop this kind employee abuse that is so prevalent in the medical world. Also, have you tried agency nursing?.
Sorry it took me so long to respond – I have been working on another project that totally consumed that the last 3 weeks.
geekRN
Hello again,
Thank you for your empathy! I had my appeal over the phone, it was a joke. My former nurse manager was allowed to ramble on about all my faults/ they even had a lawyer imply that i was negligent and in doing things “my way” i was in violation of the hospitals rules and do not deserve unemployment. My lawyer objected to the comment of “my way” and the referree agreed. I am certain i didn’t do well! Because i wasn’t allowed much talk time.
It was a nightmare because the employer was allowed to speak more than i was allowed. They made me sound like i was abusing the drugs that i didn’t scan. Even though my drug test was negative. isn’t that a hoot! like i would take the drugs… that is irrational.. ur right!
I plan to appeal again, write out in detail about what happened. I am getting tired of the fight, i still have no income.
I do start a new job at a nursing home in 2 days, it feels like im still not over what happened at the hospital. it’s llike i didn’t get a chance to explain satisfactorily, Yet they sure did. I hate the thought of getting back to the BS with all the bitchy RNs. I hate being a nurse and it is horrible…
So sorry that I am late with replying again. This site is side project that has to be put on the back burner when I have the chance to make money.
I cannot believe that with an atty. present, the hospital was allowed to speak more. Of course, this may work out to their detriment because they were irrationally accusing you of drug abuse without solid evidence. If they had suspected drug abuse, they should have confronted you long before now with suspicions based on reports from co-workers and missing narcotics during the count. How lame is that!! Big business hospitals will stoop to any level to cover for the poor decisions made by their managers. This is an outrage and you should be able to sue them and get your retirement funds back, I say. What evidence do they have for their suspicions?? What right do they have to drag your work history through the mud with unwarranted accusations? Even a union won’t help you in this situation – I know from experience. They take your money, but don’t help you keep your job when stuff like this happens. I know it will be hard to continue the fight, but many people in similar situations have won battles like this, even after friends and family abandoned them during the fight. You were already stressed to the max because of the job and now this. It is so unfair and just downright mean. I think you should fight for as long as you can, but working in LTC is unfortunately not going to be any better unless it is assisted living or you luck out and the place is well staffed and well run.
Another area to check out – occupational health nursing. Most huge distribution centers for stores like Lowe’s, Target, Home Depot, etc. have some kind of occupational health clinic. I do per diem at the Lowe’s near me and so just discovered this. Travel nursing pay well and has benefits, but that is not for everyone. Large insurance companies also hire nurses and that would be much easier the floor nursing.
It will take you awhile to “get over this” because you are going through a grieving process just like if you lost someone close to you because you worked there for so long and counted on the security and familiar environment; however, it really is more similar to an unwanted divorce due to an abusive ex-spouse!! Geeeeeez…..
I hope by now that your new job is working out for you well so that you can be strong again.
Hang in there and keep me posted,
geekRN
p.s. sorry for the foul language in my first e-mail. i was so very upset!!i am not usually so foul. The worst of all hospitals is St. James in Chicago Heights, Illinois.
No worries. The truth is not slanderous ever – it is just the plain, often harsh, truth which is what this blog is about.
Thanks so much for your comments,
geekRN