Can a Hospital terminate you because of a patient complaint? Like you didnt get a patient a towel when you know you did. Or all other sorts of stupid small details that a patient with too much time on their hands can find to complain about? There is no proof these things ever happened just my word against theirs. And the hospital always sides with the patient! They give no credibility to their nurses ever.
Thanks
Donna
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April 20th, 2008 at 9:46 am
It depends. If you have a long list of complaints against you, as well as things like several unexcused absences, write-ups by your manager, complaints from fellow nurses/doctors, etc., then it could lead to termination. I have seen it happen with 2 nurses/nurse aides: one who had a long list of behavior issues & complaints, and one who yelled a profanity at a patient & their family.
Whenever someone complains about you, make sure to meet with your manager. It is important that they hear your side of the story, even if administration “sides with the patient”. In the end, your co-workers and manager should judge you based on the majority of your behavior, not on a few minor complaints like not getting a patient a towel, or forgetting to turn off their TV. Hope this helps!
May 30th, 2008 at 9:58 am
It’s absurd to terminate a nurse for a trivial complaint considering the nursing shortage! (Good managers generally know patients are often ridiculous, don’t they?)
May 31st, 2008 at 12:14 am
I do not think most hospitals would terminate you for “a” patient complaints. Everyone knows that when someone is sick they will find things to complain about It is the nature of humans. But many complaints might get you kicked out the door
July 14th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
You will never be a nurse and not have several people complain about you in your life. Just do your best and meet with your manager about it.
July 16th, 2008 at 2:31 am
So true, Calinul and Paula. Some patients and families think I am great, while others have hated me on sight. One family member got up after my being in the room for five minutes to tell the charge nurse to get her daughter a new nurse. And yes I most certainly washed my hands and was very friendly. She had issues. Luckily the charge and my supervisor know the score: patients and families can be ridiculous, demanding, and have no idea what is a good nurse. And the patients don’t feel good so they are cranky. Sometimes all it takes to have them decide I am wonderful is by having the nurse who follows me be what they consider worse. Then they are so happy to see me the next shift. But I had to tolerate their complaints all the previous shift I took care of them. The only thing you need is a good manager who knows that they are like this and who doesn’t pay them any mind. When I become a manager I will never take such silly complaints seriously and will always back up my nurses, unless as others have said here there is a definite pattern of complaints for one particular nurse and there is evidence that they are true. But I wouldn’t jump to firing him/her; it might be stress and what they need is support and some education to deal with things in a better way.