Lorie A Brown, R.N., M.N., J.D., Author at Empowered Nurses

Why Some Nurses Stay in a Toxic Work Environment

January 11, 2024 7:17 pm Leave a Comment

I hear from so many nurses that they are working short staffed and in dangerous conditions. For example, some nurses are asked to falsify charting, others complain about how they are treated by administration and coworkers and there are many other troublesome situations.

If you are working in a toxic work environment, please consider leaving. As I often say, you can always get another job, but you can’t get another license.

Nurses stay in toxic environments because we are part of a very loyal profession. We truly care about our patients and want to make sure that our patients are cared for properly.

In addition, nurses feel like the facility is already short-staffed and if they leave it will have even fewer nurses. And who then will there be to take care of all the patients? That is not the nurse’s concern.

If you are in an unsafe situation or a toxic work environment, why would you want to stay?

As humans, we nurses are wired for consistency. It’s sort of like a hamster on a running wheel. We get out of bed at roughly the same time every day, we go through the same morning routine, we grab what we can for breakfast and off we go to work. Afterwards, we come home, try to get a good night’s rest, and then repeat the entire drill starting the next day.

Now, let me recommend to you one of the best books I have read titled, Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One by Dr. Joe Dispenza. Dr. Dispenza talks about breaking the notion of being a hamster in a wheel and being very present in the moment of what is happening.

All we have is right now, we don’t have yesterday, and we don’t have tomorrow. The only thing that is happening is at this very moment. When you work in a toxic work environment, it really affects your self-esteem.

There are many reasons why nurses stay in toxic work environments one of which is because of limited job opportunities in the area. However, you do have a choice; you can move to another area for employment or choose a longer commute.

In addition, nurses are afraid of repercussions. They’re afraid that if they do find a new job they’ll be blacklisted in the community. While blacklisting is not legal, it is something that is very difficult to prove.

Nurses have amazing coping mechanisms to navigate stress and toxicity, but these coping strategies are actually only short-term solutions and should not be utilized for long term because when you are in a toxic work environment and stressed, it will affect your body and your well-being.

Should you choose to stay in a toxic work environment, know that your license can be at risk and that there really are better workplaces out there that can provide more supportive work environments where you can feel healthier, fulfilled, and have support of your coworkers.

You Have A Right To Remain Silent

January 4, 2024 10:34 pm Leave a Comment

If someone wants to talk to you and calls your cell phone, you can ignore the phone call and send it to voicemail. If they want to talk in person, we don’t need to answer the door. However, when it comes to your employer, the police or an investigator, we feel obligated to talk.

Just know, you have the right to remain silent. It is hard with your employer as they can fire you for not talking but I see it time and time again where nurses think they have not done anything wrong so they spill their guts trying to explain everything which invariably gets them into more trouble. What’s worse is when your employer wants to talk to you, they will not allow you to have an attorney present.

According to the 5th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States, you have the right to remain silent to protect yourself from self-incrimination. You are not required to testify against yourself. But, as nurses, we forget we don’t have to talk or think that if we talk, they will believe us. You should always have an attorney present if you are asked to talk to the police, an investigator, or any governmental agent. Whatever you say can and will be used against you. Even the most innocent thing you say can be twisted against you and unfortunately, most nurses don’t see it coming.

One nurse was accused of diversion and was asked to talk to the police. She went alone, unknowingly. The police officers were dressed like 21 Jump Street cops. They looked young, hip, and cool. The nurse shared everything and by the time she was done, the cops had their entire case against her videotaped and tied up in a neat bow. They did not have to pour through all the medical records to find what was ordered and what was given. I am all for honesty but there is no reason to make the police’s job easier.

Other nurses talk to the Board investigators without counsel. One nurse even had insurance that would have paid an attorney to go with her. Don’t let this be you. Your life, livelihood, and career are too important. Get the counsel you need before you talk to anyone even if it is just to talk to your employer so you can be fully prepared.

You Cannot Fail!

December 29, 2023 7:00 pm Leave a Comment

I often hear from nurses, “I’m really afraid that I’m going to fail in my business.” But the truth be known that you cannot fail!.

Failing is never starting or giving up just when they’re about to make it big.

I believe there is no failing in business. It’s all about learning opportunities and if you have a good business that solves a need, and you do the work, you cannot fail.

I base everything around intention and intention is a predetermined outcome. It’s going to happen no matter what. You already know about intention because you had it to go to nursing school and pass the NCLEX. You didn’t know what school you’d be attending. You didn’t know what would be required of you, and you didn’t know what classes you needed to take.

But somehow with the help of advisors and mentors, you were able to get into nursing school, take the requisite classes and claim your goal by becoming a Registered Nurse.

The only thing that might stop you from accomplishing this goal is if you were to quit or not even start. That’s what it is.

The only time you can fail in the business is if you don’t take any action to get the results you want, or you have a subconscious belief that is sabotaging you. Those are the only two times that your intention will not work.

Failure is not an option as long as you are committed no matter what to make your business succeed, and take the necessary actions every day to move your business forward.

Now that you know you cannot fail, and that any rocks that are in your path are just learning lessons and not necessarily obstacles. The only way past the rocks is to go through them. You can’t go above it, you can’t go over it, you can’t go around it; you’ve got to go through it! But those rocks, use them as lessons learned to help you in the future.

Criminal Matters Against EMTs

December 28, 2023 9:10 pm Leave a Comment

There have been two different notable criminal matters against EMTs.

The first involved Elijah McClain of Colorado, a massage therapist who apparently was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Police noticed he was listening to music on his headphones and thought he appeared suspicious and stopped him and used a control technique, kind of like a carotid hold that restricts blood flow to the brain rendering him unconscious. Spock did just that in STAR TREK IV to end a punk’s boombox blasting music on a bus. Since this incident, the technique has been banned.

Two paramedics showed up, one of whom gave Mr. McClain a powerful sedative called ketamine. Though he weighed about 140 pounds, the dosage administered was for a man weighing 160 pounds. By the time they arrived at the hospital, he was in cardiac arrest, and they were unable to resuscitate him.

Police officer’s body cam footage showed what happened after which a grand jury indicted the three officers and the two paramedics with a subsequent trial yielding “guilty” verdicts for the entire quintet.

The paramedics were subsequently found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and third-degree assault. Their sentencing will be March 1, 2024. EMT Jeremy Cooper could get 6 years in prison and fellow EMT Peter Cichuniec could get 16 years in prison.

Additionally, Mr. McClain’s family sued the city for violation of his civil rights, to which the city settled for $15 million, the largest such award in Colorado history.

From Illinois comes another case where 911 was called about a man acting confused and disoriented. He was an alcoholic who had no libations for the previous four days.

Upon arrival, the EMTs did not take steps to perform a clinical assessment or take vital signs while yelling and swearing, at one time saying, “I am seriously not in the mood for this dumb shit.” The patient was slammed and strapped prone onto the cot and by the time they arrived at the hospital, he was no longer breathing, and resuscitation efforts failed. Death was attributed to positional asphyxia.

The EMTs were charged with first degree murder which will be difficult to prove because it requires intention. Their trial has not happened yet.

I am not a fan of any health care provider being criminally charged, especially when they are acting within the course and scope of their job, yet here are EMTs shown on body cam footage speaking rudely and swearing at the patient. This alone is not criminal but looks really bad. Body cam footage does not lie. We will see what happens in that trial.

Trial Of Nursing School “Diploma Mills”

December 21, 2023 11:46 am Leave a Comment

Imagine the horror of learning that the Nursing School from which you graduated gave you a Diploma without proper training. There you are doing quite well in your job and suddenly you find that your License is about to be revoked because you did not attend a properly licensed School!

That is exactly what happened in Florida’s Palm Beach School of Nursing, Quisqueya Health Academy, Sacred Heart Institute of Fort Lauderdale, and Siena College of Health in Lauderhill where “Operation Nightingale,” an effort by the Department of Justice to shut down these Schools, revealed that altogether the facilities issued over 7600 fake nursing diplomas.

In 2023, 27 people were charged and convicted for their participation in the scheme. Last Friday, the final three remaining Defendants faced jury trials.

Palm Beach State College-Lake Worth Registrar Gail Russ was convicted of 13 counts of wire fraud and exonerated of five others. Recruiters, Cassandra Jean, Owner and Operator of Success Nursing Review in Brooklyn, New York and Vilaire Duroseau, Owner and Operator of the Center for Advanced Training and Studies in West Orange, New Jersey, were both found guilty of four counts of wire fraud. They now face up to twenty years in prison.

It is scary and unnerving to realize that there are people who fell for these false diplomas. The Judge specifically told the Jurors, “The absolute corruption of the nursing field by these defendants and others who work with them … This was all a shortcut designed to make money.”

Unfortunately, these get-rich-quick schemes sound great in the beginning but are truly costly in the end. The common denominator to all of it: greed.

If it looks too good to be true, it probably isn’t! There is truly a lesson here in caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.

Radonda Vaught Loses License Appeal

December 14, 2023 7:10 pm Leave a Comment

As you and other readers probably know, I have frequently brought up issues regarding the case of Former Registered Nurse RaDonda Vaught who not only had her license revoked but was put on trial following a fatal medication error of administering vecuronium to a patient rather than the prescribed Versed.

In the trial she faced a possible eight-year prison term for criminally negligent homicide and abuse of an impaired adult but instead received three years’ probation.

But the Tennessee Board of Nursing also took action by revoking her nursing license in July 2021 to which she appealed. That request was denied.

It is so disappointing that Ms. Vaught lost her license over a medication error. Granted, the medication error should not have occurred, but since it did, one must ask what does stripping away her license do to resolve the problem of inadvertent medication errors?

Boards need to be rehabilitative rather than punitive in such matters. Unfortunately, it seems the Courts don’t wish to face these situations and tend to sweep them under the proverbial rug.

To get a review from a Court, the alleged actions of the Respondent must be arbitrary, capricious and “shock the consciousness of the Court.” Therefore, it’s extremely difficult to appeal against any decisions of this nature.

In fact, in Indiana, the normally non-admissible use of hearsay in Court is admissible in administrative law proceedings with the caveat that it cannot form the sole basis of the decision. The normal protections that we are afforded in regular Court proceedings do not always apply when an issue is instead brought before a Board.
In most states the governor appoints the Board members. I can usually tell what party our governor is based on the actions of the Board. If you are concerned about the unbridled control these Boards have, I would highly recommend talking to your state representative or state senator.

Being Guilt Tripped By Your Employer?

December 6, 2023 4:32 pm Leave a Comment

Nurses at Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin, Texas were blocked from safely staffing the NICU in the Hospital’s reaction to staging a one day strike this past Wednesday (December 6, 2023).

Prior to the planned strike, the Day Supervisor and Perinatal Director would not allow some nurses to work their shifts in the Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This action left only three Registered Nurses to tend to the NICU Patients, a ratio considered unsafe even by the Hospital staffing guidelines and was clearly in retaliation for the nurses planning to go on strike. Only 3 nurses for our most vulnerable preemie patients. It is unfortunate that Hospitals feel they need to guilt-trip nurses so they can’t exercise their freedom to go on strike.

Nurses at another Hospital, Ascension Via Christi St. Francis in Wichita, Kansas are also planning to strike but any who do participate will not be able to return to work until Sunday, December 10th.

In my opinion, this may be illegal as I consider it to be an interference with the collective bargaining process to intimidate nurses to not strike by making them lose three additional days of pay.

The issues on the strike include equipment issues such as the lack of functional IV pumps, hospital gowns, blankets, and thermometers, as well as persistent problems with the Hospital issued phones that Nurses are required to use during their shift.

In addition, there are the issues of staffing and unsafe floating policies meaning Nurses are being assigned to units that they don’t usually work, haven’t been trained for and do not have the expertise required to treat their patients.

I think it is unfortunate that Healthcare facilities manipulate or pressure their employees to stay in their positions and not exercise their right to strike. This can manifest itself as guilt tripping, creating a sense of obligation, or even fostering in Nurses a fear of repercussion if they consider striking.

Addressing these concerns is crucial for the well-being of Nurses and the quality of care provided. It is imperative to create a positive work environment, including:

(1) adequate staffing,

(2) supportive leadership,

(3) respect and recognition,

(4) open communication,

(5) work life balance, and

(6) six providing resources.

Nurses play a critical role in our healthcare system and their well-being directly impacts patient outcomes. Hopefully, these are just a few of the constructive ways that healthcare facilities can improve satisfaction so that Nurses will not want to strike.

If your employer is guilt-tripping you to prevent you from exercising your rights, I say you can always get another job, but you can’t get another license.

I once had a Nurse who was terminated from Hospital A and relocated to Hospital B. Afterwards, I was pleased to hear her say, “It is so great here! Had I known how much better it was here, I would have left the other Hospital a long time ago.”

Another Nurse, terminated from Hospital B, made the same comment after starting work at Hospital A.

So, if you are working at a place that is not a good fit for you, keep in mind that there may be another place that is.

Know, Like and Trust

November 30, 2023 6:00 pm Leave a Comment

Potential clients need to know, like and trust you before they’re going to work with you. The whole idea of marketing is so that potential clients can get to know you and decide whether to work with you.

Many think, “Oh, I’ll just start a website and people will come to me.”

I did a search for Legal Nurse Consultants and that term is only searched fifty times a day, not by attorneys but by nurses looking for education.

If they do find your website, people need to know, like, and trust you before they’re going to buy from you. So, the issue becomes, how do you get known so that people like you and trust you?

One – SPEAKING. Speaking is a great way to share your knowledge and to let people know who you are and how you can help.

Two – YOUTUBE CHANNEL VIDEOS. Create a YouTube channel with videos which allow people to see you and learn from you you so they can determine if they know like and trust you. Make sure you ask that they share your videos subscribe to your channel! Feel free to subscribe to my youtube channel!

Three – FACEBOOK/ Social media allows you to get in front of people so they like you and trust you. Give, give, give before you ask someone to work with you. Find groups with your ideal clients. Check out my free facebook group!

Four – OFFER PEOPLE A CALL WITH YOU. When people talk to you, then they can determine how much value you provide and get to know, like and trust you on a call and determine if they want to work with. If you would like to schedule a call with me click here

Sending people unsolicited emails and mail do not work because of the know, like and trust factor. If you had a medical condition and received a post card from a physician you did not know inviting you to come to his office, would you go? Probably not. Just think about the know like and trust and it will guide your marketing.

I practice everything I preach!

Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck: A Nurse’s Story

5:52 pm Leave a Comment

Mackenzie Moan was one day feeling very frustrated. She is a wife and mother of two kids and studying for her PhD. Her feelings were heightened because of financial struggles. She and her husband both work in Pennsylvania, he as a security guard and she as a Registered Nurse. Even though they both make good money, she feels like they’re living paycheck to paycheck and that should not be the way it is. More so with her being degreed.

Ms. Moan discussed how they would pay their mortgage, buy some groceries, put gas in the car and they would have only $299 to $300 on which to live over the next week. She went on Tik Tok

It’s sad that nurses who are the only reason that hospitals exist are unable to make a decent living. According to Indeed.com, the average salary for nurses in Pennsylvania is $31.49 per hour. My assumption probably what is getting in Ms. Moan’s way is her student loans. But even so, inflation last year was 7.75%. Did you get a raise of 7.75%? It is unlikely.

Yet, every hospital I drive by has construction in progress. Money is being used to put back into the facility through improvements in the physical structure, but not in the workforce.

The current rate of inflation is 3.2%. Hmmm . . . did you get a get that kind of a raise?

Many nurses are looking for greener pastures. The only way to make more money as nurses is to simply work more. It takes a toll on your health and your body.

Other options include getting another job and at a higher salary. It’s sad that they pay travelers more money than their regular loyal staff.

It used to be in our society that you would go to college, get a good job and you worked until you could retire with a good pension.

Well, that’s no longer the norm in society. People change jobs for all kinds of reasons now and loyalty seems to have been tossed out the window. There are no more pensions for the most part, and it’s making it harder and harder to survive in this environment.

I don’t have any answers! My heart goes out to Ms. Moan and all the other nurses who are in this situation. My only suggestion is that nurses need to stick together and demand higher pay so that we can reap the benefits of having a degree and having a good life. No one should struggle, no one should go to a university and become one of the most needed professionals in the hospital yet not be able to make a living.

Comments? If you have any, and I feel you may, certainly I would love to hear them below.

Embracing Positivity: The No-Complaining Challenge For Nurses

November 21, 2023 3:42 pm Leave a Comment

During that part of my career when I walked the hospital hallways as a Registered Nurse, I would reach my assigned floor to receive report and couldn’t help but hear many colleagues as they complained about patients, the hospital and, in general, our profession. Immediately I would feel like energy was being drained from my body and I had to ask myself, “What the heck did I just walk into?”

Fortunately, most of us ignored the complaining as we settled into the complacency of that we were there just to do our jobs. Nursing demands resilience, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to care, therefore, creating a culture of positivity could make a huge difference.

Enter the “no-complaining challenge”!

Positivity is not just a state of mind, it’s a transformative force. In this hectic and demanding healthcare environment a positive mindset can lead to remarkable changes in both personal well-being and patient care.

While, I am not a proponent of the HCAHPS scores, the reviews patients submit about the care they received, and do not believe that nurses should be graded on those scores, I do believe that a positive mindset can greatly improve a nurse’s well-being and thus the car rendered to their patients.

The no-complaining challenge is not about ignoring valid concerns or difficulties. It is about reframing them to the more empowering version and when problems arise, knowing how to approach them in a manner that can really make change.

A no-complaining mindset nurtures empathy, encourages nurses to understand and connect with the struggles of patients without dwelling excessively on their own tribulations. This connection fosters a deep sense of compassion and improves the provided care.

I suggest starting your day BIG (Begin in Gratitude). Wouldn’t you want to go to work in a place where you share one thing: that you are grateful to start out each day? Wouldn’t that be a more supportive, uplifting environment? It encourages mindful communication, gratitude practice and of solutions-oriented approach and a support network.

I suggest that you embark on the no-complaining challenge and implement it in your workplace because it would be a much better experience for you and your colleagues to start your shift.

Please give your thoughts and share them with us in the comments below. If you did embark on a no-complaining challenge, how was it?. Did your colleagues participate as well? How did it go? Do you feel better going to work?

Thanks.

Author Archives: Lorie A Brown, R.N., M.N., J.D.