accused of falsifying documentation

Published

I charted a wrong blood sugar in error. Once I realized it I disclosed it, to the doc and on the chart, but my med nurse was suspicious and reported me to the DON and HR as falsifying documentation. Her evidence is her statement that the glucometer didn't match the BS reading I documented. I submitted an incident report, med error report, and a statement at the time. But now HR is investigating. What should I expect, are they likely to fire me due to being a potential liability? Is it up to my DON or does HR play a big role? I don't have any other marks on my record, an occasional med transcription error but am overall in good standing. I'm worried sick, it's 1am and I can't sleep thinking about this... any advice is appreciated!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

Making an error -- which you've documented and reported appropriately -- is not falsification of charting. Either there's more to the story or someone has an axe to grind.

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How is this a med error?

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How is this a med error?

Maybe patient was on sliding scale and due to entry error got wrong dose before error was found?

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It was missed at 0730 but I accidentally charted someone else's on his chart and my med nurse discovered it before I did. Instead of asking me about it she went and reported me to DON and HR, like within the hour. My DON questioned me and i filled out paperwork. The DON was fine with it but HR is involved now. And yes, that nurse has a axe to grind!

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Wow I hope she does everything right because boy oh boy did she open up a can of worms. Not into retaliation but man oh man...

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Call your , and discuss with your union if you have one. If you do not have malpractice insurance, get it.

You did all the correct things in reporting.

Best wishes!

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Specializes in Healthcare risk management and liability.

What Ruby Vee said above is spot on. Especially if there were no adverse outcomes to the patient, I would not think that the DON or HR would get too exercised, especially since you were smart enough to notify the attending and do an incident and med error report. These things happen to the best of people. Just tell HR that you have learned from your inadvertent error, and you will take pains to ensure it does not happen again.

Parenthetically, it sound as if there are some interpersonal dynamics issues up on the floor. I can tell when people start using the incident/error reporting system as payback. Like the incident report based on someone hanging the new D5W bag 90 seconds late.

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Specializes in Registered Nurse.

I'll tell ya! Wow. Makes me not want to help people anymore. I've been helping get some blood sugars recently, but I was smart enough to go over them in the meter memory with the person I did the favor for. UGH. OP,it seems your mistake was an innocent/unintentional one and no one was hurt. I can't see anyone firing you for it unless they were gunning for you.

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It seems her reaction could only be reasonable if there was a pattern or she was about to give what could be a lethal dose of insulin if she had not caught the error.

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It was missed at 0730 but I accidentally charted someone else's on his chart and my med nurse discovered it before I did. Instead of asking me about it she went and reported me to DON and HR, like within the hour. My DON questioned me and i filled out paperwork. The DON was fine with it but HR is involved now. And yes, that nurse has a axe to grind!

I done this and when I ask what I do to fix it. My manager was trying to see if I could just delete it. (Couldn't) I just wrote a nurses note and went on my way. I don't think it's falsifying documention when you did it by accident and fixed it. Someone seems to have a big up their bum towards you.

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Yes, this unit is a mess! This was my second day there, I was put in position as team leader to help work out the wrinkles. This med nurse was on the last day of working out her notice and apparently burning all her bridges along the way. I found out after the fact that I wasn't the first one but I didn't know at the time to be on guard. So fortunately this won't happen again with that nurse, but I definitely learned not to 'help out' like NursesRmofun said!

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