You may have been a fan of the hit TV drama Nurse Jackie, but many of the antics she carried on with at work did not make her a favorite among staff members.
If you’re a healthcare professional, here are five surefire ways to get the pink slip. Read them, let them sink in, and NEVER perform these no-no’s while on the job.
1. Taking Pictures of Patients
Not only is it a breach of work ethic, but it’s a breach of privacy. Shockingly enough, many healthcare workers have been guilty of taking pictures of their patients. Last month, a nurse at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, NY resigned after she published pictures of a patient’s genitals. Not only was her license suspended, but she also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of snapping unlawful surveillance photos.
2. Drugging on the Job
A recent study of nurses discovered that between 2-5% of those that worked as RNs admitted to having a prescription drug addiction, and another 5-10% confessed to having tried a patient’s medication at some point during their career.
Dishing out drugs to friends or colleagues can also land you in hot water.
3. Blabbing on Social Media
Healthcare professionals adhere to a strict code of conduct, and vow to keep the privacy of a patient. Some, however, develop a bad case of blabbermouth on the internet and violate these codes by sharing anything and everything on Facebook – even while on the clock. Don’t let cyberspace collide with reality and keep Facebook strictly personal.
4. Not Staying Calm, Cool, and Collected
After a long shift and difficult patients, you may feel exhausted and crabby. While putting off grumpy or negative vibes at work may seem minor, it has been known that healthcare workers can lose their job for talking to a patient in an unprofessional manner.
Be polite, yet candid. If you need to take a quick breather, get yourself outside or to the restroom stat.
5. The Disappearing Act
Too many calls in sick might cost you your job. If you rack up too many absences, you may find yourself getting more than your desired time off.
Finding a replacement for a healthcare worker, who harbors critical knowledge and experience required to perform the job, can be tough. But whether it’s blabbering on the internet or calling in sick, these work no-no’s may put your career on the line.
