They killed a patient, then came after my career

A sentinel event occurred against a disabled patient. I was charge nurse the shift immediately after. My fellow travel nurses told me what happened. I saw administration coach staff members on their charting so that everyone’s story lined up. They didn’t mention that the AED was not charged, nor the crash cart supplied, nor giving SEVEN EPI-PENS to the unconscious pt with no circulation, among many other things they did wrong.

Several agency nurses and I debriefed over the situation in private. I vowed to report it. Someone snitched on me to administration.

I told my agency that I was worried about this contract, that the hospital messed up and covered it up, that I felt they would go after the licenses of any agency nurse who might be critical of them.

Admin pulled me into an investigatory meeting over a med pass scan override under the direct supervision and guidance of a union staff charge RN.

The next day I was told my contract was ending for that med pass situation. I called my agency and told them what I had been told.

My agency called me back and said they were told a different reason. They said I was accused of distributing magic mushrooms and needed to take a drug test.

I didn’t mind, given that I had no such thing in my system. But my agency bungled the chain of custody forms and needed to test me later.

In retrospect I owed them nothing and should have done nothing for them over hearsay lies, but I knew that I wasn’t taking anything but CHD sleep gummies and prescriptions.

72 hours after my contract ended I peed positive for THC (legal in contract state and home state otc) and my prescription.

The agency severed ties with me and reported the accusation of distributing magic mushrooms, as well as the drug test results, to the board of nursing.

I thought it was all rather funny. Their story didn’t make sense, they lied and thus have no proof, and they bungled the process. What could go wrong?

A month later the board of nursing called me on a fact finding mission. I told them my story and gave them everything but the text messages between myself and the agency.

It has been five months since then. Jobs have dried up here and my multistate license is on indefinite hold while the investigation is on hold. At least I think it is an investigation. I have not been told on way or the other. Nobody has contacted me but my career and mental health languish in the lurch.

I’m not the only traveler who witnessed things and then had admin come after them professionally. But at least I’m not one of the unfortunates who “happened” to be down the wrong hallway while a violent patient “happened” to have their door unlocked, so that they are beaten severely.

I don’t know what to do.