agency asking me to go back and sign Mars-help

[Kashia, ASN, LVN]

I worked at this one facility over a month ago.

Today my agency called me and said the state is auditing this facility.

They found some Mars I did not sign and my agency is asking me to go back in and sign them.."so they will keep using us!"

I do not know how to handle this....I may remember when I see them but also, I may not!

Right now I do not know what they are asking I sign for- meds? treatment? but they said they will have a folder up front

desk.

I do not know the best way to approach this? need advice

[aura_of_laura]

That doesn't sound that unusual to me. Medical Records will often note missed signatures and dates when reviewing charts, and usually will send down a notice of things we need to sign once a month. Don't sign something that you don't think you did, of course, but they may just need you to dot your i's and cross your t's

[NC Girl BSN]

You need to check your calender and make sure you worked that day and go back a sign them.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

If you're unsure if you signed something, you can always circle and initial the item, putting down something like not given, patient refused, or held. But I think that if your memory if fuzzy putting down not given is the most honest. This sounds very fishy for them to request you go back to this facility, but I would do it to keep my job.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

If you're unsure if you signed something, you can always circle and initial the item, putting down something like not given, patient refused, or held. But I think that if your memory if fuzzy putting down not given is the most honest. This sounds very fishy for them to request you go back to this facility, but I would do it to keep my job.

If you don't want to sign that they were given because you can't recall, it wouldn't be any better to circle and say you didn't give it if you truly don't remember. Most facilities do audit when the state comes round, nothing unusual there. It's only been a month so it shouldn't be too hard remembering if you did something out of the ordinary like not give a med. Make sure you know the exact shift/day you were there and assignment so they don't ask you to chart things when you weren't there. It might be a good idea to double check all your charting in the future and keep track of your assignments if you don't already!

[elkpark]

It may be that you initialed for the meds given but neglected to sign your full signature at the bottom of the page (or wherever). That's something that gets overlooked quite a bit (I worked as a state surveyor in my state for several years). If it's that kind of "ordinary paperwork" thing, it's no big deal (and would be a big problem for the facility for you to refuse to go back and, basically, complete the job you were paid to do ...) I would not try to reconstruct whether I gave particular meds or not, of course -- but if it's just finishing up routine paperwork, liked missed signatures, it's really your responsibility to do it.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

You would sign the MAR of the day you worked. If it isn't the MAR book on the med cart then you can find it in the patients chart.

It happens, its nothing to worry about. I recently had to go fill in missing signatures myself. All from the same night too. It was one of those crazy nights when I didn't have time to even use the ladies room.

[caliotter3]

Just as long as you insure that the entries are for shifts that you actually were there, I see nothing wrong with it. If you balk at doing this, you will be putting yourself in a less favorable position with your agency, because after all, it was your job to sign them correctly on the days you worked. They can hold that against you.

[kcochrane]

Not a big deal..we used to call agency and floats in all the time to fill in their holes. It is commone to forget to sign something or leaved off a signature. Like everyone else mentioned...make sure you worked that date and gave the meds.

It is not a good idea not to go in and at least look. If you did forget to sign or initial, it indicates it was not done or given. That looks bad for you if indeed it is your hole.

[cb_rn]

If you're unsure if you signed something, you can always circle and initial the item, putting down something like not given, patient refused, or held. But I think that if your memory if fuzzy putting down not given is the most honest. This sounds very fishy for them to request you go back to this facility, but I would do it to keep my job.

I definitely wouldn't sign that you didn't give them and ESPECIALLY not patient refused. That would make you just as culpable as signing off that you gave something that you didn't.

I don't find it fishy either. It wouldn't be unusual to miss signing off multiple blanks on paper documentation if you were having a busy night. Documentation is one of the components of the job and since it wasn't completed, OP has an obligation of completing the documentation to the best of her ability. Nobody should fault this place for wanting their documentation complete, especially during an audit.

Were she to arrive at the facility and find the paperwork to be from dates/times she didn't work, then I would certainly advice she not sign, as well as any treatments that she is sure weren't completed by her.

[CathyLew]

yea, our hospital flags charts all the time for signatures. Notes, MAR's etc. Chances are they did look at schedules, and assignments and determined you were the one working. or every other med on that page in that time line has your initial. I would as someone above said, just make sure you were working, and also you can ask to see the whole chart. Make sure (since you won't remember this long out) that you didn't write a note in the chart saying MD aware BP low, antihypertensive med not given.... or something along that line.