What happened
A Clinical Nurse Manager in WA was handed a notice of concerns one afternoon. It listed five sets of allegations about her performance and conduct, and asked her to attend a meeting the next morning with a support person.
She believed the allegations were unfair and couldn't be backed up. She contacted NPAA that same day.
What we did
Her NPAWA case manager prepared her written response and went to the meeting with her as her support person. She disputed the allegations and kept asking for the details behind them. Her case manager also raised procedural fairness concerns when she lost access to work systems and rosters while on leave.
As the weeks went on, she decided she didn't want to go back. Her case manager suggested a without prejudice discussion with the employer to negotiate a separation, and she was happy to go ahead.
The outcome
No disciplinary outcome was ever issued. Her case manager negotiated:
- 6 weeks' pay in lieu of notice, so she didn't have to work out her notice period
- an extra 2 weeks' pay for the time she was away from work
- the investigation dropped, with no findings and nothing recorded on her file
- a positive reference
She was very happy with the result.
Support when you need it
Why is the NPAA different? We believe that real change in healthcare STARTS with empowering frontline nurses, not bureaucrats.
If you are a member of NPAA and need assistance with a workplace issue, please submit a member support ticket on your dashboard, or contact us at 1300 263 374 - hotline@npaa.asn.au
Not a member yet? Don't face workplace challenges alone. Join NPAA today and get expert support when you need it most.
