I agree with Jane. St. Joes DOES blacklist former employees. They also DO cover up very serious issues...REALLY serious! I know because I used to work there and I know some pretty horrific things that have happened (one at the hands of someone named "travis").....probably part of the reason I am on their "blacklist" now.
I just want to say to say the that a hospital in this climate of nursing shortages would be very remiss in firing "the best nurses there" because they "speak their minds about policys". It seems more like there were policies the nurses didn't agree with and so they ignored them which put the hospital in a position of liability for failing to comply with their written policy and procedures. Also, a really good nurse can usually manage his/her patients without sedating them to the point they can't be awakened the next day. This is abuse and warnings aren't required....abuse is grounds for automatic termination and for the hospital to be contemplating a report to the BRN ( after a thorough investigation)is appropriate. These are smart people but they got away with a lot of unprofessional activity for too long and for a while at least had a manager who did nothing to discourage it and in fact was very hard on staff who weren't her "pets" while fraternizing both at and away from work with others.Then finally, thanks to a very concerned and caring Dr. (Scott Sageman) they got caught, and frankly these behaviors ( and some others not mentioned)are not new at least for a few of these people. They are known for their hostile and condescending treatment of other hospital employees not in their "cliche".
VERY much an anomoly I would think given the routine counting of controlled drugs in the pyxis system and the close monitoring of computer activity...plus only select managerial employees even have access to personnel files and if you mean patients personal files unless they are working with that patient that would constitute a violation of HIPPA. I hope if you saw all theses meds in a "dresser drawer" you let the appropriate authorities know. That person needs help.
Sorry, I meant to say down time in ER may mean no patients or one or two waiting on a test or two....
To Kel. 1. ICU and ER are very different things. Down time in ICU my well mean no patients t all, or one or two waiting on an x ray or lab test...stable. ICU patients are SICK!And they are admitted to the hospital for total cre...not some studies to rule some simple thing out then go home. 2. Patients families are by in large not in the ICU at night. Even if they were they depend upon info given (or not) from the nursing satff about meds given and there effects. They my not know the nurses at the desk are bidding on stuff on ebay or on Facebook (yeah thats been happening all over the hospital)or watching the monitors since the screens face away from the patients cubicles. 3. There is a breakroom in the ICU and the admin supervisor can and sometimes did float in to help cover breaks. Also nurses cover each other....not every patient in that ICU is always an ICU level patient meaning the nursing ratios are lower ie PCU 1 patients can be staffed 3 patients to 1 rn, PCU 2 patients 4 to 1 rn and there are often patients like these housed in ICU depending upon bed availability. St Joes fired me for resons completely unrelated to my job performance or care I gave my patients. I had very good evals and was a "team player". I feel I got no warnings, no write-ups...no nothing and yet I am still incensed at some of the brush-off comments in this article. Nurses are one of the most respected professions in existance and behaviors like these and excuses like these sure as h*ll don't help.
Re: “St. Joe's, Redwood Memorial Lay Off 68”
Just history repeating itself a' la St Josephs. Remember General hospital and the "We won't close it" articles? Jobs ( and inpatient beds!) lost when they virtually closed it. What about May 2006? MANY layoffs...hospital was just too broke.....then...the fancy new tower and the social events and expensive ads to promote it. ...oops...now we cant afford all our employees. Mismanagement? Nothing new.