3 Nurse Aides get canned to save a charge nurse's rear end - Is this a common practice?? (license, employment)
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Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
11,974 posts, read 25,462,489 times
Reputation: 12187
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I was working my unit as a n.a. one night when a healthy and independent 83 yr old man fell. Despite the fact that he was screaming that his tail bone and hip were hurting the charge nurse chose to set him up in a wheel chair and put him back in bed rather than our standard procedure during a fall where a resident complains of pain or hits their head where they are held still and taken to the E.R.
A few days ago myself and the other 2 nurse aides who worked his hall that night were suddenly fired for no logical reason - 2 excellent n.a women were searched for having a cell phone and I was fired for "subordination".
A few days before I got pulled to work another unit and heard that rumor had it that upper management had called a "Code Blackout" (which means LPN's are told to give you hell and write you up until you quit or are fired) on the n.a.'s working the hall that night the man fell and was forced up by the charge nurse. Supposedly the facility was facing a lawsuit from the man's family and needed s scapegoat (aka "we fired the worthless n.a.'s that caused his fall") to cover up the charge nurse's blatant malpractice.
I'm not sure what's common in the nursing industry, but the story doesn't add up as protection from a lawsuit. Firing the three of you makes you more likely to testify against the charge nurse. Furthermore, the firing of "the worthless n.a.'s that caused his fall" won't change the outcome of the lawsuit. They're still liable for what happened to that man. Everything you shared just don't make sense.
I'm not sure what's common in the nursing industry, but the story doesn't add up as protection from a lawsuit. Firing the three of you makes you more likely to testify against the charge nurse. Furthermore, the firing of "the worthless n.a.'s that caused his fall" won't change the outcome of the lawsuit. They're still liable for what happened to that man. Everything you shared just don't make sense.
What also doesn't make sense is that the man can probably tell exactly what happened on his own.
Quote:
Originally Posted by censusdata
A few days ago myself and the other 2 nurse aides who worked his hall that night were suddenly fired for no logical reason - 2 excellent n.a women were searched for having a cell phone and I was fired for "subordination".
1. I don't see what having a cell phone has to do with this man and
2. Subordination - what exactly did they say you refused to do?
Quote:
Originally Posted by censusdata
A few days before I got pulled to work another unit and heard that rumor had it that upper management had called a "Code Blackout" (which means LPN's are told to give you hell and write you up until you quit or are fired) on the n.a.'s working the hall that night the man fell and was forced up by the charge nurse. Supposedly the facility was facing a lawsuit from the man's family and needed s scapegoat (aka "we fired the worthless n.a.'s that caused his fall") to cover up the charge nurse's blatant malpractice.
Times are tough right now, I wonder if there were cutbacks and they didn't want to pay unemployment?
Go to unemployment and have them prove why they fired you.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
11,974 posts, read 25,462,489 times
Reputation: 12187
Let me clarify a couple things...
1. I'm not wanting to sue the facility, I just want to know if this is a common thing in the nursing industry. I've heard that since the nurse aids have such a high turnover rate in nursing homes (nearly 100% turnover per year) that they will fire a nurse aid w/ little reason since they figure you will leave on your own anyway
2. To my understanding I and my 2 co workers were fired to discredit us IF we tried to come forward OR in the event of a possible lawsuit they could tell the family that bad nurse aides caused their father's death and that they "took care of the problem"
3. The only legal type action I would consider would be to get that charge nurse's medical license revoked. She completely ignored the facilities official fall procedures and the pleas of 2 LPN's and several Nurse Aides by refusing to leave him on the floor with his head supported while EMS was called.
I honestly feel the she murdered the man and that the lives of other residents are at risk until she is removed from the facility and/ or put in prison.
1. I'm not wanting to sue the facility, I just want to know if this is a common thing in the nursing industry. I've heard that since the nurse aids have such a high turnover rate in nursing homes (nearly 100% turnover per year) that they will fire a nurse aid w/ little reason since they figure you will leave on your own anyway
2. To my understanding I and my 2 co workers were fired to discredit us IF we tried to come forward OR in the event of a possible lawsuit they could tell the family that bad nurse aides caused their father's death and that they "took care of the problem"
3. The only legal type action I would consider would be to get that charge nurse's medical license revoked. She completely ignored the facilities official fall procedures and the pleas of 2 LPN's and several Nurse Aides by refusing to leave him on the floor with his head supported while EMS was called.
I honestly feel the she murdered the man and that the lives of other residents are at risk until she is removed from the facility and/ or put in prison.
It does not matter if you want to sue or not you must talk to a attorney so you protect yourself.
they will be able to advise you what your options are and how and if you want to go after that nurses license. You do not want your reputation to be marred from this if could prevent future work so go talk to a attorney.
You may be advised by a attorney to have them or you contact the family of the man and testify on their behalf this will also protect your reputation as a NA but again only a attorney looking at the facts will be able to advise.
Never heard of blackout but the patient should have been sent to the ER. Thats for sure. I was fired one time in my career and to this day I cannot figure how they got away with it. In SC you can be fired at will.. Crazy . Hope y'all found good jobs.
I am an RN by the way.
I've been working in nursing homes for 18 years and have not seen that happen. People fall all the time, no one gets fired for it unless there is some obvious negligence.
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