http://www.texasnurses.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=509
http://www.cbs7kosa.com/news/details.asp?ID=13685
I had a consultation with a nurse yesterday about a workplace matter and I told her to proceed carefully when you decide your next course of action in a dispute with a physician and a hospital. Other nurses will tell you "do it" and "go for the gusto" "do what's right" "I wish I had your strength", etc. but you need to speak with an attorney, preferably a nursing law attorney before you decide whether or not to whistleblow and how to whistleblow. There are many courses of action and you need to make an informed decision because you may be surprised to learn that the same folks who pushed and prodded you to "fight the man" will tell you "I can't get involved" "I need my job" "I am not comfortable helping you now" when the __ hits the fan.
Most nurses don't have their own professional liability insurance (for a civil suit or Nursing Board investigation) or the financial resources to "do battle" with a physician let alone a hospital or healthcare system. You add criminal charges (legal defense of criminal charges is not covered by professional liability insurance anyway) and a Nursing Board complaint and possibly a civil suit for slander and libel and it can be overwhelming to say the least.
Most hospitals and physicians have an attorney(s) or a law firm(s) on retainer. Compare and contrast this to nurses, who primarily represent themselves in workplace, employment, State Nursing Board, professional, and legal matters involving nursing practice.
I am not familiar with the Texas incident and I am not speaking to the Texas incident. I am planning to donate a few dollars to the cause and I hope everything turns out okay for the nurses involved.
I do know that nurses as patient advocates of course advocate for patients; but nurses also need to advocate for themselves. Sometimes this means slowing down, taking a step back, and getting a neutral and an objective party involved to provide a realistic evaluation of the situation and the courses of action.
Sometimes going out with "guns blazing" and a "scorch the earth" approach is not in the best interest of the nurse.
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