 |
|||
|
|
Best for All Concerned
"I'm sure you understand the hospital's position, Ms. Driesler." The Human Resources supervisor was a typical corporate drone, formally polite and wholly insincere. "While the medical review board did not explicitly blame you for the tragic mistake, nevertheless you were not cleared of wrongdoing. The attempt to shift responsibility to the surgeon did not reflect well on your own credibility. Dr. Gallatin has been with us for nearly a decade and has an outstanding reputation in the medical community. To suggest he would show up intoxicated for major surgery is absurd."
Elise knew what was coming. The good Doctor Gallatin had been drunk and everyone knew it. And no one would admit to it or the hospital would be liable for who knew how many botched operations. Easier to sack her, leak her name to the press and preserve the status quo. Dr. Gallatin would be quietly transferred to teaching and kept far way from treating patients in the future. Meanwhile Elise Driesler, R.N., would take the blame for permanently crippling a child
"I regret to inform you that the hospital trustees have decided to terminate your employment contract, effective immediately. We believe it is the best course for all concerned. Under the circumstances we cannot provide references. I'm sure you understand."
Elise understood all too well. She had been devoted to Tom Gallatin, right up to minute when he had turned on her at the board meeting. She had followed his instructions on what to say when she testified; words he had twisted to cover up his own mistakes. His reassuring whispers in bed the night before had proven to be nothing more than empty words. In hindsight the manipulation was obvious.
The woman across the desk from Elise rambled on about severance pay and insurance. Elise tuned it out; nothing mattered now. Her career was ruined. No hospital in the country would hire her after the publicity. She could have lived with it all if only Tom had been there. But no, Tom had betrayed her to save himself. The one person in the world she counted on had thrown her to the wolves to save his precious career. No one seemed to understand she would do anything for Tom, no matter what he asked. Even Tom didn't appear to appreciate what he meant to her.
"Ms. Driesler?"
Elise turned her attention back to the personnel exit interviewer. A nice euphemism for the hatchet man , Elise thought to herself. "I'm sorry, you were saying?"
The woman put down the forms in her hands and stared hard at Elise. "Look, I'm going to be honest for a minute. I could lose my job over this but you're getting a raw deal and everyone knows it."
Surprised at the woman's bluntness Elise shifted in her chair and gave her full attention.
"Gallatin will never touch a scalpel again. The board was a whitewash; off the record the rest of the team made it clear he was drunk. There's no justice in you catching the heat for this," the woman shook her head in disgust, "but we don't always live in a fair and just world.
"I can read between the lines here, Elise. You trusted him, and in return he set you up. I'm sorry I can't do anything about it, but if you'll allow me I would like to put you in contact with someone who understands what happened to you, and why."
She slid a card across the desk. Curious, Elise picked it up. The front had a man's name, Clancy Yates, a title of Director of the Facility, and an e-mail address. There was no phone number or street address, not even a city. "Facility? What kind of facility?"
"I can't give you any details. Now you have no reason to trust me, but I think it would be worth your time to see if Mr. Yates can offer you some options. Look, I happen to know this man. He's helped me in the past. There's no connection to the hospital; it's just something I want to do to help make the best of a bad situation."
Elise slipped the card into her purse. Why not , she told herself, it's not like I'm going to be doing much in the future .
|
|
|