After nurse's suicide attempt, hospital asks others to report for duty

New Delhi, Oct 2: Two days after a nurse working at the ILBS Hospital here attempted suicide alleging harrasment by its administration after she was sacked, the hospital on Sunday urged other employees to shun "any disruptive activity" and report for work.

Many nurses at the Institute of Liver and Billary Sciences (ILBS) were not coming to work after the incident on Friday.

"Management appeals to all the employees of this institute to remain uninvolved in any type of disruptive activity and report for work as per roster and strive for excellence in patient care," said a statement issued by the hospital.

The ILBS statement said that this nurse Jeena Joseph was appointed on April 17, 2012 and on completion of her contract period, her performance found unsatisfactory. However, her contract was extended by only one year with clear instructions to improve.

"Despite this, she was again found deficient in discharge of her duties. Fearing non-extension, she started approaching external agencies, media and political circles and started making wild and baseless allegations against the ILBS senior management. The performance during extended period was also evaluated and found unsatisfactory," said the ILBS.

Nevertheless, she was again given a further extension of six months, but during this extended period, she "indulged in gross indiscipline, misconduct, and instigating other staff members, which have brought disrepute not only to the Institution but also to the noble profession of nursing", the ILBS said, adding her services were terminated on September 28.

The ILBS said this has been wrongly perceived by a section of the employees as a sign of high-handedness on part of ILBS management.

"ILBS management appeals to all employees to view this termination as an individual case of disciplinary action based solely on Ms Jeena's individual misconduct and unprompted by any prejudice against any other employee," said the statement, adding their absenteeism/mass casual leaves/dharna/ agitation/disruption etc was neither in the interest of patient care nor conducive to ILBS' reputation, and also in violation of court orders.