Nursing student and CNA accused of abuse...HELP!

[roboticroses]

I have worked as a CNA for over 2 years at a nursing home and never had any problems, always got good evals. The only reason I haven't got excellent evals has been due to call-offs. I have a great working relationship with all of my co-workers and my nurses know I am a good CNA. But yesterday an incident happened which I immediately reported. I was in a room with a resident who is very combative with an orientee CNA helping me. I'm 7 months pregnant and was trying to get this elderly man's pants off to change him when he kicked me hard in my belly. Impulsively I smacked him on his lower leg. It did not leave a mark, it was a quick, reflexive slap and didn't make a sound. He never said ouch or anything because it wasn't done with real threatening force, like I said, it was a reflexive snap. Regardless of how harmless it was, I knew that it was wrong and was an incident. I immediately reported it to my charge nurse. He told me not to worry about it and that a similiar thing had happened to him as a CNA and just to go back to work. I passed down the incident in my report to oncoming CNA. In my 2.5 years as a CNA I have been kicked, pucnhed and hit numerous times without incident. Today I was called to work and brought into the director's office where the director as well as the director of nursing and the new CNA whom I was orientating that day were seated. After giving both sides of our story (she had ran off and told a different nurse QUITE a dramatized version of the story. Throughout the other CNA's testimony, both directors repeatedly questioned her about changes in her story. Yesterday she had said what had happened the way it had, but today her story was much more severe. It was obvious that neither director believed her story. After she left the room, they told me that they know I'm a good CNA, and that both of them are mothers, understand, and don't know they would have reacted differently. They both said they know that I am not an abusive CNA but that they are required by state law to report it as such. I was immediately suspended. They said it was very, very unfortunate this was happening to me, and that they wanted me to keep my job but that from a legal standpoint it wasn't looking good for me because I admitted to making contact with the resident.They said they would have to do a full investigation, though there are no other witnesses and that they would try to get it finished ASAP. But that if state decided on patient abuse I would lose my job and it would go on my permanent record. So I have a few questions for whoever can answer. Will the good word and support of my co-workers and bosses help me? Is it more than likely I will lose my job? If so, what is the repeal process like. And finally and most troublingly, I am a pre-nursing student and have invested a lot of time and money into my education with the hopes of getting into nursing school. I have close to a 4.0 GPA. Will this prevent me from getting into nursing school if state decides on abuse and I fail to sucessfully repeal? I'm so forlorn and upset and can't believe I would have been better off by lying through my teeth and that this incident could crush my hard work and hopes for my future and for the future of my unborn!

[hppygr8ful]

First of all take a deep breath - What you did was wrong regardless of the circumstances. It is never appropriate to strike a patient even lightly. However just because an investigation is being done doesn't mean that the sate will find on the side of abuse. All healthcare workers and professionals are mandated reporters and as such are required by law to report "Any reasonably suspected abuse to the regulating agency". Where I work if something is observed or reported the person involved is immediately suspended while an internal investigation is conducted. If they end up reporting it to the State that person is usually terminated. However if the incident is not found to be abuse the record of the investigation is filed and kept in case someone does report it and the State comes to do their own investigation.

If you are terminated remember you have a legal right to review and ask for a copy of your personelle file. They cannot deny you this. You should also ask them to show you the documentation of their investigation into this incident, although they don't have to provide you with a copy. If you really feel that you are being unjustly treated you can hire an attorney but that may open a S-storm of trouble.

Whereever you work in the future I recomend that you take certification in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention. My company requires all new hires be certified before they have patient contact and that they recertify every two years. This training helps you to know what to do to prevent those reflexive responses.

Good luck to you

Hppy

[nurseamyg]

correct. it is never appropriate to strike a patient. you should be patient and humble enough at work and exhaust your rage somewhere else but not in the workplace and definitely not with your patients..

[rinaric15]

hi i am so sorry to read about this, what i think is what you have done was totally reflection that what your mind does automatically to prevent an accident i know you did not mean to hit him intentionally. and go with hppygr8ful advice whenever you work in future take certification in Non-Violent Crisis Intervention.