As the phoenix va employee i have suffered retalation for speaking and out section four and five outlies the specific things the va uses to realitate against whistle blowing. The va has routinely intimidated any employee that brings forth information that is contrary to what they would like to submit to the public. Ten days after the national va received my report i was placed on administrative leave for a month and investigating for misconduct because i provided limited amounts of patients information in order to support my allegations of the suicide trend and the facilities inappropriate response. I would receive a written counseling stating i have violated a policy but do this day they will not tell me what i violated. This is minor realitation given the last three years. During that time we were understaffed and there wasnt staff to wash beds, answer telephones, deliver patients and transport labs. Doctors and nurses were pulled away from direct patient care to perform these duties
Blowers complaints seriously. Within vha, the problem of intimidation, retaliation may be magnified by what some consider a protective culture of the medical profession. It is often thought to be against the code to point out colleagues mistakes or where a nurse or a tendant is told it is appropriate to question a physician or surgeon. The natural tendency is to close ranks, to not die that problems exist or mirs stestakes were ma. So after we listen to the testimony before us this evening from the whistle blowers, the office of special counsel and the va will anything change after we hear what the whistle blowers have to say and how do we fix this culture and encourage all va employees to step forward to identify problems and work to address the problems. Changing a culture is not easy. It cannot be done legislatively or 33inthrowing additional resos at it. Talk is cheap. Real solutions are hard to find. It is clear to me that the va as it is structured today is fundamentally incapabl
Acting secretary gibson recently stated that he was deeply disappointed not only in the substantiation of allegations raised by the whistle blowers but also in the failures within the department to take whistle blowers complaints seriously. Within vha, the problem of intimidation, retaliation may be magnified by what some consider a protective culture of the medical profession. It is often thought to be against the code to point out colleagues mistakes or where a nurse or a tendant is told it is appropriate to question a physician or surgeon. The natural tendency is to close ranks, to not die that problems exist or mirs stestakes were ma. So after we listen to the testimony before us this evening from the whistle blowers, the office of special counsel and the va will anything change after we hear what the whistle blowers have to say and how do we fix this culture and encourage all va employees to step forward to identify problems and work to address the problems. Changing a culture is
Report the truth. Not to insult the reporters. And also the congressmen and women. Tois important that we try focus on what is really important here. That is the veterans of this country. Thank you. As an employee, i have routinely suffered retaliations. Talks about the devastating effects on patient care. In sections four and five of my written testimony, and outline specific packages to suppress whistleblowing and also to retaliate against anyone that speaks up within its ranks even without whistleblowing. The v. A. , in my opinion, has routinely intimidated any employee that has brought forth information contrary to the Public Opinion the v. A. Wishes to project. After they receive my report, i was placed on administrative leave for one month. I was investigated for misconduct because i provided limited amounts of information in order to support my allegations of the suicide andds and the facilities appropriate response inappropriate response to them. Counseling stating i have viola
Pending health applications. Nearly 40,000 unprocessed applications discovered in january of 2013. These were primarily applications from returning Service Members from iraq and afghanist afghanistan. The ewrath that ive experience include my whistleblower complaint to White House Deputy chief of staff was leaked to my manager Sherry Williams who stated in writing that she was contacting me on behalf of acting sent gibson and mr. Rob neighbors. Neither mr. Gibson nor mr. Neighbors have responded to this fact. My employment records were illegally altered by cbo manager joyce deet terse. I was illegally placed on a permanent work detail by phillip mccofsky. I was placed on involuntary administrative leave curiously at the same time the oig investigation was taking place in atlanta by acting hec director greg becker. Unfortunately, my experience is not unique at va. Darren and irene owens who work at the Atlanta Va Medical Center have experienced the same retaliation for reporting medical