Midwest Headshrinker
Full Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2020
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 22
OK, I am an older male NP (from a real established, "brick and mortar" midwestern nursing school, not a on-line type), and here is my story.
I work in a community mental health clinic. It is me, one other NP, and a great psychiatrist-we manage the medications of over 2000 hardcore psych patients. Probably 99.5% are Medicaid, and 70% are on SSI, or SSDI. Lots of schizophrenia, schizoaffective d/o, bipolar d/o, and BORDERLINES! I have never had any issues in over 30 years of psych experience (other than the occasion threat to my life, violent patient on the unit, etc...), and keep working at the clinic, as I feel that I am helping those most in need.
Well anyway, about a month ago, I saw a older female patient (older than me), and our session went fine. I have seen her for over six years. She is a borderline "deluxe model", and also has periods of paranoia and delusional thinking. None the less, about one week after our last session, I get this "crazy" letter at work from her, which rambled on about nothing. Real weird, indeed. I have gotten this type letter before, so I just read it, and held onto it, which was a smart move.
Anyway, out of the clear blue, several weeks ago, I get this call from HR, who tells me that this patient has filed a sexual harassment complaint against me. She alleged that during our session, I tried to engage in sexual activity with her, right there in the office, w/ people all around the clinic. HR showed me absolutely no mercy. Honestly, you would have thought I had been charged w/ murder, for how I was treated.
I was told that I was suspended, was NOT to have any contact with anybody in the clinic until their "investigation" was over, and I was to not get near the facility. I was not given any rights, and I couldn't call anybody, to at least vent my feelings and shock, over such a crazy accusation. Plus my suspension was w/o pay.
Well, they conducted their "investigation", and I was recently notified that I was cleared. No apologies, no nothing. I asked the HR person, "Do you know what you just put me through for over one week?" (depressed, angry, unable to sleep), and this person said "no"--just like it was no big deal. I asked this person, "What if I had a wife and three young children at home?). No sympathy, nothing.
I am going back to work this week, but I am scared to death now to be in an office, alone w/ a female patient. Psych is different than IM or FP, where a medical assistant can come in during an exam, as a chaperon. I was tempted to retire, and be done w/ it, but I am going back w/ utmost fear of this happening again. Bottom line is, what is a male provider to do? You certainly can't put a camera in there? HIPPA laws will burn you big time!
Despite her severe mental illness, I would have never expected this patient to do what she did. So please help me figure out a way to keep safe from this happening to me, or even you. If you have an answer, please post it!
And BTW, for all you MD Psych Residents, I agree with much of what has been written about NP's. Many, who had years of hospital RN work before becoming Psych NP's are very good. Many (not all) of those NP's, who get their certifications, with much of it on-line, are horrible and even dangerous. I worked nearly 20 years in every type of psych environment there is prior to becoming an NP, and learned a lot from good MD's, and learned what not to do, from bad MD's. All NP's should have 4-5 years hospital experience, before being allowed to become NP's, and treat patients, unsupervised.
And finally, I have seen posts about what NP's make. Here in the midwest, A new NP will start in the $50-60 dollar per hour range, and a real experienced one, might make $100. In areas where there isn't a psychiatrist within 50 miles, and complete independent practice is allowed for the NP, he or she might make $125-$150 per hour.
I do believe that the people who run health care today are trying to replace as many MD's as possible (FP, IM, peds, psych)--purely for $$ reasons. Heck, a few months ago I had a kidney stone, and the first person to see me at the urologist office was an NP.... Still, a good psychiatrist will always have a path for a great/successful career, no matter what happens w/ NP's!
I work in a community mental health clinic. It is me, one other NP, and a great psychiatrist-we manage the medications of over 2000 hardcore psych patients. Probably 99.5% are Medicaid, and 70% are on SSI, or SSDI. Lots of schizophrenia, schizoaffective d/o, bipolar d/o, and BORDERLINES! I have never had any issues in over 30 years of psych experience (other than the occasion threat to my life, violent patient on the unit, etc...), and keep working at the clinic, as I feel that I am helping those most in need.
Well anyway, about a month ago, I saw a older female patient (older than me), and our session went fine. I have seen her for over six years. She is a borderline "deluxe model", and also has periods of paranoia and delusional thinking. None the less, about one week after our last session, I get this "crazy" letter at work from her, which rambled on about nothing. Real weird, indeed. I have gotten this type letter before, so I just read it, and held onto it, which was a smart move.
Anyway, out of the clear blue, several weeks ago, I get this call from HR, who tells me that this patient has filed a sexual harassment complaint against me. She alleged that during our session, I tried to engage in sexual activity with her, right there in the office, w/ people all around the clinic. HR showed me absolutely no mercy. Honestly, you would have thought I had been charged w/ murder, for how I was treated.
I was told that I was suspended, was NOT to have any contact with anybody in the clinic until their "investigation" was over, and I was to not get near the facility. I was not given any rights, and I couldn't call anybody, to at least vent my feelings and shock, over such a crazy accusation. Plus my suspension was w/o pay.
Well, they conducted their "investigation", and I was recently notified that I was cleared. No apologies, no nothing. I asked the HR person, "Do you know what you just put me through for over one week?" (depressed, angry, unable to sleep), and this person said "no"--just like it was no big deal. I asked this person, "What if I had a wife and three young children at home?). No sympathy, nothing.
I am going back to work this week, but I am scared to death now to be in an office, alone w/ a female patient. Psych is different than IM or FP, where a medical assistant can come in during an exam, as a chaperon. I was tempted to retire, and be done w/ it, but I am going back w/ utmost fear of this happening again. Bottom line is, what is a male provider to do? You certainly can't put a camera in there? HIPPA laws will burn you big time!
Despite her severe mental illness, I would have never expected this patient to do what she did. So please help me figure out a way to keep safe from this happening to me, or even you. If you have an answer, please post it!
And BTW, for all you MD Psych Residents, I agree with much of what has been written about NP's. Many, who had years of hospital RN work before becoming Psych NP's are very good. Many (not all) of those NP's, who get their certifications, with much of it on-line, are horrible and even dangerous. I worked nearly 20 years in every type of psych environment there is prior to becoming an NP, and learned a lot from good MD's, and learned what not to do, from bad MD's. All NP's should have 4-5 years hospital experience, before being allowed to become NP's, and treat patients, unsupervised.
And finally, I have seen posts about what NP's make. Here in the midwest, A new NP will start in the $50-60 dollar per hour range, and a real experienced one, might make $100. In areas where there isn't a psychiatrist within 50 miles, and complete independent practice is allowed for the NP, he or she might make $125-$150 per hour.
I do believe that the people who run health care today are trying to replace as many MD's as possible (FP, IM, peds, psych)--purely for $$ reasons. Heck, a few months ago I had a kidney stone, and the first person to see me at the urologist office was an NP.... Still, a good psychiatrist will always have a path for a great/successful career, no matter what happens w/ NP's!
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