Case 2: Across town, Mindy was also called into her supervisor's office and the conversation went like this: Supervisor:

[answerhappygod]

Case 2: Across town, Mindy was also called into
her supervisor's office and the conversation went like this:
Supervisor: Mindy, you're one of our best phlebotomists. What
happened?
Mindy: The scanner wouldn't scan his bracelet. I don't know why. I
tried to locate another scanner, but couldn't. I drew him every day
last week, so I felt sure I had the right patient. So I used the
manual backup process.
Supervisor: The process you used was not the process we
have in place when a scanner fails. You should have found another
scanner or had arranged for his ID band to be replaced so your
scanner would function properly. Besides, our manual method
requires you to visually compare the labeled tubes to the ID band.
If you had done that, you would have discovered your
error.
Mindy: I know, I forgot about that step.
Supervisor: Our processes are all in place for instrument
malfunctions, and our backup procedure is well established. How can
we prevent this from happening again?
Mindy: I don't know the backup protocol that well. I've never had
an ID band not scan. I think we all need more regular reviews of
the backup processes. I don't think any of the phlebotomists know
what the downtime plan is. I think we should bring it up at
tomorrow's huddle on every shift. It should be part of everyone's
annual competency assessment, too.
Supervisor: Thankfully, this didn't result in a serious
incident. I'll check to make sure the downtime protocol is
still in our SOPs, and remind the staff to review it. The next time
something like that happens and you don't know what to do, ask
someone. There's a process for every contingency here, so you
should never have to guess.
1. Did the supervisor handle the situation
appropriately? Why or why not.
2. Was there something the supervisor should have done
differently?
3. When is disciplinary action appropriate? Should
termination be the only disciplinary action? Why or why
not.