Suspended without notice

Today when i went to work on my usual shift i got turned away and sent to nursing supervisor office. Once there I found out i was suspended and i still have no reason why i was suspended. I was not informed of the reason nor was given paperwork in regards to my suspension. A week prior I was the triage nurse on a busy sunday and had a patient who was on a 5150 hold elope. The patinet was monitored by security guard but managed to get away. I work in a very small ER and I didnt have the resources to place this patient in seclusion. I did call the police right away and made a police report and notified the caregiver. This patient was on 5150 for danger to others. THe caregiver informed me that if he arrives there she will call the police. This happend towards the end of my shift. But the police were able to locate the patient and bring him back to the Emergency room three hours later. After this incident there was a root cause analysis meeting regarding the elopement that occured and I attented it and explained "what happend" but after the meeting I was not given any diciplinary notice that I would be suspened or written up about the incident. I worked the rest of the week and was not informed. It wasn't until today Monday that I found out I was suspened. I really need your advice if you can please help me. I am still considered a new grad so I don't know how to prepare/fight against the suspension. Please give me all the advice regarding this situation, It will be appreciated.
maybe there was an investigation going on behind the scenes, and now they're conclusive?why not call and ask them?leslie

Quote from RUN_RNToday when i went to work on my usual shift i got turned away and sent to nursing supervisor office. Once there I found out i was suspended and i still have no reason why i was suspended. I was not informed of the reason nor was given paperwork in regards to my suspension. A week prior I was the triage nurse on a busy sunday and had a patient who was on a 5150 hold elope. The patinet was monitored by security guard but managed to get away. I work in a very small ER and I didnt have the resources to place this patient in seclusion. I did call the police right away and made a police report and notified the caregiver. This patient was on 5150 for danger to others. THe caregiver informed me that if he arrives there she will call the police. This happend towards the end of my shift. But the police were able to locate the patient and bring him back to the Emergency room three hours later. After this incident there was a root cause analysis meeting regarding the elopement that occured and I attented it and explained "what happend" but after the meeting I was not given any diciplinary notice that I would be suspened or written up about the incident. I worked the rest of the week and was not informed. It wasn't until today Monday that I found out I was suspened. I really need your advice if you can please help me. I am still considered a new grad so I don't know how to prepare/fight against the suspension. Please give me all the advice regarding this situation, It will be appreciated.

I don't think there is anything you can do until you know what is going on. Then you should just respond with the facts of the situation and seek to learn how whatever the situation was (the scenario you described or something else) can lead to performance improvement. Then you get on with it.

I am sorry to hear this happened. Administrators will often suspend someone while an investigation is going on, even though a nurse did everything she could have done in a particular situation. Though you are feeling very anxious, you need to protect yourself. This is a very punitive profession, and being proactive is a good thing. Write down all the details while they are fresh in your mind. Do you have malpractice insurance? Whatever the outcome, you will survive this and your career will go on. Let us know how you do.

I would demand an explanation and/or threaten to get a lawyer. You need to know what is going on, whether you need to look for another job, are just suspended, for how long, or can get unemployment. They can't just tell you, "You're suspended" and expect you to wait by the phone. You need to be assertive and stand up for yourself. Like I said, def go back and demand to know what is going on and get something in writing to take to an attorney.

Call and ask why ( as someone else suggested), if they haven't told you ask how long and ask for a meeting. When you go to the meeting, take a lawyer skilled in medical issues with you. Do not sign anything wo legal advice!Good luck to you

Yes, definitely...do not sign anything without careful consideration. There are nurse lawyers out there. If they cannot answer your questions, you have the option to resign and that is your decision. However, before you make an important decision you obviously don't have the information. And that's what you need. Contact them, they may even tell you they don't know yet how long. But at least its a start in empowering yourself.

This is why I am SO grateful for my Union!!! Please keep us updated, this stinks. Good Luck xoxo

From the sound of it, I would be careful about working for this hospital anyway. Even if they reinstate you, please be very careful at this site. It sounds like you were thrown under the bus (not unusual in nursing). You might check with a local attorney and see what they recommend.

How much experience do you have? My ED doesn't allow you to do triage until you have 6 months off orientation for this reason - its difficult for a brand new nurse to juggle all the things you have to in triage, plus triage takes an amount of instinct and judgement that new nurses don't have or trust yet. I'm sorry you are going through this. Call in the morning, see what they say. Good luck. ((Hugs))

This is seriously BS. Everyone has the courtesy to be notified as to why they are suspended upon suspension. Godforbid you are sitting there thinking you did some serious harm you were unaware of.You sound like you handled the situation correctly. Everything falls on the shoulder of the nurse. You ahve security guards watching them.... gee I wonder if they got suspended.Nurses to not get paid enough for this crap. Sorry to rant on your thread, but what happened to you is just another example of nurses being blamed for everything and unfair workplace practices.

This is one example of the many circumstances that keep me from putting my heart and soul back into a nursing career. Look into accounting. The hateful old crones who hold the keys to the nursing kingdom will smite you viciously.