I work for a rehab/ long term care facility. I was a nurse on the rehab unit, and I loved it. A couple of weeks ago, I was asked out to dinner by one of my patient's grandsons, and I accepted. We had a great time, and decided to date. My DON found out, and moved me to a dementia unit. She said that there were "regs" that said I couldn't work on the floor anymore. This guy wasn't hanging around, and comes in once a week to visit his grandmother. When he was there, I still continued my med pass or whatever it was I was doing. My care towards his grandmother did not change, nor for my other patients.  This has created a whole string of events. Malicious rumors and bad feelings from other staff that had to move from thier position to accomodate my move from the rehab unit.  When I went to work the other day, I heard nothing but these horrible rumors, and was very upset, to the point where I knew I couldn't do what I needed to do on the job, so I let the supervisor know and told her I needed to leave. She said "Ok." When I came in the next day,  the DON said she was told I had just left.  I explained what happened, and she got statements form all the staff that witnessed what had gone on, and found that I was telling the truth. She then told me she was suspending me for 3 days, because it was a form of job abandonment.  Ok...I'm very confused. Is there really a reg that exists? And did I really do something wrong?  I have been in nursing for 18 yrs., I get along with all my coworkers. We are all shocked at what has transpired over the last few days. 

Ask for a copy of the policy.  If it's not published, it's false.

 Rehabnurse, I just asked my husband this question (he is a lawyer)  and here is the answer first I am told I must instruct the following, "My husband is not offering legal advice to you, he is not your attorney, he has not read the facts of the case, okay (don't ya just love lawyers) anyways his opinion is that if your supervisor gave you permission to leave you did not abandon your job, as long as the supervisor stands up and states this they will have a hard time saying you abandoned your job, next if their is a policy about personal relationships with patients and family members then you must go by that, other wise the concern may be that it could be perceived by other patients that this particular patient will receive "better" care from you because of your interest in the family member. As stated by the others it can be a sticky situation I agree with you it should not be in this particular setting, but hey it must be a slow pace job and this is excitement and gossip everyone loves that, right?

It sounds to me like you could take this further. Probably the best thing is to do like you have already done, start looking elsewhere. Once something like this happens, you will always be under the microscope.