Hello Lynn, I totally agree that the med- surgical nurse should have talked to the charge nurse. She could have expressed her concerns about not accepting the assignment. I believe she has the right to refuse to work in a area that she is unfamiliar with, to protect her license. And I also agree that, she could have stayed and tasks for the other nurses to help out. Patient abandonment is defined as the premature termination of the professional treatment relationship by the health care provider (HCP) without adequate notice or the patient's consent (Tabers, 2005).
