Abuse investion.... found substantiated... applying for a job at the SAME HOSPITAL...

[algebra_demystified]

I was charged with patient abuse a while ago at my old employer, which was a psych facility. I left to go work in an ED, but couldn't hack the transition for a lot of reasons. My old employer is hiring like crazy... heh heh.. right now, and I can't get any medical or psych work anywhere else other than working agency at 3rd tier facilities. Nobody's hiring people with my background right now.

I could do travel work, but due to family situations that would be the absolute last thing on my list.

I talked to my people at my old facility and they decided to hire me immediately upon hearing my name. I have a very good reputation there for a lot of good reasons.

I still have this abuse substantiation on my record though. On the fax I have to send in to HR to officially get cleared to be hired on, I have to disclose any perp allegations substantiated. A state agency which is part of the department of human services found me substantiated, but the State Board, to whom the matter was ultimately referred, just rolled their eyes when they got the whole story and told me to forget about it. My license is unencumbered.

The thing is, my case was kind of famous at that old facility. It changed the entire culture of the place, there's no way I could say I wasn't charged and substantiated, but the bottom line is the state board laughed it off. So, do I report it or not?

It was substantiated, and then it wasn't.

Here's the text from the document I have to sign.

"Have you ever been involved with an abuse or protective services investigation as an accused person, reported perpetrator or alleged perpetrator, resulting in a founded or substantiated outcome?"

The agency that substantiated the claim against me is the Office of Training (OT). OT's final authority ends at summarizing their findings and submitting them to the hospital and the board. The hospital didn't even bother interviewing me about it, and the state board dismissed the charges.

So, do I check the box Yes or No?

Just to throw a monkey wrench into the whole thing, I'm aware of the case of a guy at my old facility who lied on his application about something. 22years into his employment, he asked for a transfer to a different position and his lie was disclosed by another background check. I don't know what the lie was about, but they fired him on the spot after a clean 22year employment history with this facility.

I want to work at this place for at least 2-3 years, and I will definitely be applying for other jobs within the facility.

OIT - Substantiated

Hospital - No Comment

State Board - Cleared

So is it a yes, or is it a no?

I almost feel like calling the HR person back and saying, Look, here's what happened, is it worth mentioning? She knows me and likes me and wants me back, so I think she would say forget about it. But positions change hands over the years... somebody else might not be so quick to overlook it.

Fire away.

[jbluehorseh]

one unless the facility asks you don’t have to disclose that information. also sounds like there were no criminal charges made or filed because the state licensing board “laughed it off” still check with a lawyer, and the state boards. the fact that the state boards dismissed the charges say more then anything

[pkeega]

The question is "have you ever been involved...as an accused person," which it sounds like the answer is "yes." On the interview i'm sure they'll ask you, look into it and find out for themselves how it turned out. better to let them know now then to find out later.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

Is it something that would show up on a background check? If not you take a chance of it being disclosed via gossip which ultimately it's going to come out. Be upfront about it and let them know before someone tells them. I mean if you didn't hurt anyone what do you have to worry about ... I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't already know.

[evolvingrn, BSN, RN]

OIT ??? im not sure. I'm a little skeptical that anyone 'laughed' off an abuse allegation that was found substantiated. I would say that you could clairfy it minimally just like you did here. OIT-substantiated but cleared by State board

I would hope that you would not be permitted to work with the people with whom the abuse was substantiated against.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I would say yes, but then immediately note that it was dismissed by a higher authority.

[Bella'sMyBaby]

I would never go back to a facility that made Abuse allegations against me....

Never....

[algebra_demystified]

OIT ??? im not sure. I'm a little skeptical that anyone 'laughed' off an abuse allegation that was found substantiated. I would say that you could clairfy it minimally just like you did here. OIT-substantiated but cleared by State board

I would hope that you would not be permitted to work with the people with whom the abuse was substantiated against.

I stayed on the same unit with him for another year. He spent at least six months baiting me into breaking rules, calling me names, all kinds of stuff. I kept my cool and my distance, and one day he walked up and said I'm tired of this, let's just be friends.

We shook hands and that was that.

It was a little stressful there for a while.

[79Tango]

I would call the HR person back and explain, especially since she likes & wants you back. Its much better hearing it from you, then finding it and having you say "well Yes, but technically it didnt go anywhere" and having someone else put more charges on you. When in doubt DISCLOSE.. What if some old timer see's your name and says "Hey isnt that so & so that was investigated?/I wonder what ever became of that?"

[DeLana_RN, BSN, RN]

Based on the question as stated, the answer has to be "yes". But you state that the facility already knows about the case; I would therefore, as pp have said, talk to the HR person.

Good luck!

DeLana