My jurisdiction is: california, fresno county
I am an Rn working at a local hospital and i was placed upon administrative leave pending an investigation, I work in the post surgical recovery unit where i was asked to assess a comatose patient by the Rn who was managing her recovery. The patient was in the unit for 35 + minutes and was still comatose. I conducted the assessment by shaking the shoulder of the patient calling her name to wake up, shining a light into her eyes and upon seeing that she has no symptoms of awakening applies a deep pain stimuli by squeezing a nipple and looking for a response. The patient did not respond to any of this stimuli, she had no under the eye movement, no twitching of any body part that would indicate any reversal of her comatose status. I told the Rn recovering the patient to immediately call the Anesthesia department and for them to come immediately to the recovery room and reassess the patient. Usually a patient is sitting up looking at you in this time frame, I suspected that there may be a neurological event that may have happened, and that a stat CT of the brain may be indicated. I was suspended 2 days after the incident. I told my nurse manager that i followed the procedure as i had been trained and provided documentation from the internet that other hospitals, doctors, Rns Paramedics have used this method to illicit a deep pain response. The matter is still up in investigation for misconduct. I also have had a history with my manager and she has tried on many occasions to punish me. I forced her to accept my position in the unit with my union help simply stating that she had to hire in house before seeking an out side source. I met all the requirements per the hospital policies. She immediately started an writing me up for anything she could think of, With my unions help she was eventually told to cease attacking me or a harassment claim would be filed. I am 6 years away from retirement and have a lot to lose, I have a 2d meeting soon and think that i may need to hire outside attorney to represent me. There are no current policies for applying a deep pain response, nor have i received any training that states to use this method over this method. I fear a wrong full termination, as well as my age this close to retirement.
I am an Rn working at a local hospital and i was placed upon administrative leave pending an investigation, I work in the post surgical recovery unit where i was asked to assess a comatose patient by the Rn who was managing her recovery. The patient was in the unit for 35 + minutes and was still comatose. I conducted the assessment by shaking the shoulder of the patient calling her name to wake up, shining a light into her eyes and upon seeing that she has no symptoms of awakening applies a deep pain stimuli by squeezing a nipple and looking for a response. The patient did not respond to any of this stimuli, she had no under the eye movement, no twitching of any body part that would indicate any reversal of her comatose status. I told the Rn recovering the patient to immediately call the Anesthesia department and for them to come immediately to the recovery room and reassess the patient. Usually a patient is sitting up looking at you in this time frame, I suspected that there may be a neurological event that may have happened, and that a stat CT of the brain may be indicated. I was suspended 2 days after the incident. I told my nurse manager that i followed the procedure as i had been trained and provided documentation from the internet that other hospitals, doctors, Rns Paramedics have used this method to illicit a deep pain response. The matter is still up in investigation for misconduct. I also have had a history with my manager and she has tried on many occasions to punish me. I forced her to accept my position in the unit with my union help simply stating that she had to hire in house before seeking an out side source. I met all the requirements per the hospital policies. She immediately started an writing me up for anything she could think of, With my unions help she was eventually told to cease attacking me or a harassment claim would be filed. I am 6 years away from retirement and have a lot to lose, I have a 2d meeting soon and think that i may need to hire outside attorney to represent me. There are no current policies for applying a deep pain response, nor have i received any training that states to use this method over this method. I fear a wrong full termination, as well as my age this close to retirement.
