I have a friend who is a doctor working in a University Hospital. He has been working for this hospital almost four years. Last year, because his outstanding academic/ clinical work and research (he published over ten paper in major publication yearly), he was granted “Tenure” if he is still an associate professor.
One day at the beginning of this month, he received a text message from the acting director from his division asked him to take one month of voluntary leave of absence, otherwise they will suspend him. There was a nurse complained my friend raised his voice in a case after she was not able to provide the appropriate assistance to my friend 3-4 times. She said my friend threatened her by saying “I want to kill someone”. But my friend actually said “It is killing me” to express his frustration. The nurse exaggerates the whole thing and complained to the acting director. The acting director made the decision without listening to(refuse! Actually) the story from his side nor interview the fellows who were in the case as well because the management thinks my friend’s position could affect the fellows career and the fellows most likely won’t say anything against him. By the way, my friend did not realize he offended the nurse and he took a sick day off for nearly 4 years working at that hospital.
This is a very ridiculous situation because my friend has been out of the office and no one from the management ever tried to contact him or talked about the incident with him. It seems more like politics in play. And the false rumors have been spreading around by the acting director and the nurse.
After my friend heard the complain and spoke with the acting director on the phone, he mentioned he’d like to make an apology to her, but the acting director did not allow him to talk to the nurse because he thinks my friend might give her pressure. (ridiculous!!!). There is reputation damage to my friend and possible financial loss if the hospital won’t let him return to work before the investigation is done. My friend hired a lawyer to represent him in this case to against the acting director because there was no investigation in this incident and he never had a chance to tell the story from his side. He wanted to fight for his fairness. The university has a lawyer to handle this case as well.
Now the department ordered an investigate on this incident, but it seems everything is to against my friend because there is a medical board meeting called to evaluate if his license should be suspended because of work place violence. Both lawyers are excluded from the medical board meeting. So far, the lawyer has not been able to do anything but passing words from the hospital lawyer.
My friend’s difficulties with this acting director started when he announced to my friend that he unilaterally hird a private practice doctor to join my friend’s group( My friend is the head of that group) without any discussion or interview process.
And two weeks ago, this acting director decide not to re-appointed other two doctors that work for my friend, now in my friend’s group there is the only one doctor got to stay which is the one hired directly by the acting director. By the way, the acting director knows nothing about the specialty my friend’s group is. They are different types of doctors.
My questions here are:
1) Does the acting director have the authority to make a critical decision to punish someone without getting all sides of evidence? (no talk with my friend, fellows, only from the nurse)
2) If my friend file a grievance complaint against the acting director, is it helpful at this time? One of his other coworker will file one to against the acting director’s not re-appointing him without specific reasons.
3) What the medical board meeting like? What should my friend be prepared for it? The member in that board basically heard all the stories against my friend.
4) Is this incident really a workplace violence?
5) My friend had been very nice to the nurses by inviting them to games, buying drinks for them.
6) I am pretty upset that one person did over 1000 good things and made a little mistake. People only see that little mistake from him!
7) Basically right now, the school tried to exclude my friend’s lawyer from this case. What should he do and what can his friend do to help him?
I appreciate any input. I just post it here for advice. Thank you.
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