Abandonment

[Nurseynurse1418]

I work in a busy ICU. When I arrived to my shift at 3pm I felt fine. I admitted a patient at 4pm who was very critical (on multiple drips,etc). I charted his admission assessment but after that was unable to chart until about 8:45pm. Around 9pm I suddenly felt very ill and was getting sick in the bathroom. I was continually sick until 9:30. I then told my charge nurse that I could no longer work and had to leave. The nurse who was taking over asked me what drips the patient was on but I was physically unable to give her a full report. I clocked out at 10pm. Now I am being suspended indefinitely and my license is being threatened for abandonment by my boss. Anyone have experience with this? I had nothing charted because when I sat down to finally chart, I was suddenly ill and was also unable to give report.

[Nurseynurse1418]

Why would I do that?

57 minutes ago, ruby_jane said:

While this is all fresh in your mind, write it down on an 8x11 notepad or journal or something that cannot be altered (like they'd see if pages were ripped out). Sign it like a nurse's note and keep it. Just in case.

Why would I do that?

[AddictionNP, MSN, RN, NP]

44 minutes ago, Nurseynurse1418 said:

Why would I do that?

Why would I do that?

So that you have an accurate recount of what exactly happened (with correct timeframes) just in case your previous company decided to take legal action. I'm glad everything worked out and that you are feeling better.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

18 hours ago, thinbluelineRN said:

So that you have an accurate recount of what exactly happened (with correct timeframes) just in case your previous company decided to take legal action. I'm glad everything worked out and that you are feeling better.

@nurseynurse, a long time ago (10 years or so) the majority of charting was done on paper. Nurses' notes were sequentially added. If you forgot something you wrote "addendum to note dated XXX" and added it. Falsification of data was exceedingly hard to do in a hard-copy, properly written nurse's note. Your nurse's notes are the one thing that will stand up to any kind of scrutiny. @thinbluelineRN thank you!