Failed state survey, RN license at risk?

Katillac, RN · Mar 9, 2016

You don't give any clue why your survey went so bad, so it's hard to say. Did you all knowingly participate in something illegal immoral unethical fraudulent etc.? If so maybe license censure is possible but there's a huge difference between willful malfeasance and failure to meet state or Medicare standards. Boards of nursing and Medicare/state are entirely different bodies. Why would your sister-in-law think your licenses are at risk?

elimayrn · Mar 9, 2016

Thank you for replting. No, no involvement in unethical things. To tell you the truth the supervisors/owner are beating around the bush but I know 4 of the dings were HHA related and some management issue. They actually are telling us there is not yet a copy of the survey for us to see. They say they won't know what needs fixed until this Friday. I've been there for 7 months and it's my first hospice experience. I feel my patient care is high standard and my documentation is thorough. My SIL may have said this because we don't know what the infractions are. I'm not too worried about it now. I know I've done nothing wrong knowingly.

Katillac, RN · Mar 10, 2016

I've been amazed at what the state does and doesn't ding a hospice for. If a lot of the deficits were regarding HHAs, it's often about HHA POCs not corresponding to the frequency and specific care delivered, or a supervision frequency that doesn't meet standards. Recently the state here has been focusing on among other things HHA orientations and documentation of having done it in person. But it's silly for your management to say they don't know what they got dinged for - after the first go round they would have been notified in writing with a Statement of Deficiency and then required to write a Plan of Correction addressing the deficits. On the other hand, they aren't under any obligation to reveal the results of the survey, either. These are their faults to correct, not the staff's.

nutella, MSN, RN · Mar 10, 2016

Thank you for replting. No, no involvement in unethical things. To tell you the truth the supervisors/owner are beating around the bush but I know 4 of the dings were HHA related and some management issue. They actually are telling us there is not yet a copy of the survey for us to see. They say they won't know what needs fixed until this Friday. I've been there for 7 months and it's my first hospice experience. I feel my patient care is high standard and my documentation is thorough. My SIL may have said this because we don't know what the infractions are. I'm not too worried about it now. I know I've done nothing wrong knowingly.

I have done surveys in different areas in my life as a nurse and let me tell you that you that there is usually a closing conference at the end of the survey (I had those with JACO as well as DPH) in which they give administration/leadership team a first run down. Basically a summary.

Besides that you get an idea of what is going on while you are in the survey. They ask specific questions, look at records and so on.

While it is true that the details come in writing after, your management knows pretty much where they are at when the surveyors go.

It is hard in hospice to get a totally 100% free of issues survey. There is always something that needs to get fixed. Also, the goals of the survey vary depending on which authority surveys. I would not worry too much right now. But - if you think that your agency/hospice is truly sub standard or you are concerned about the quality of the overall care you should probably start looking around once you get to the one year mark. Of course if it looks they will close down look right away.

jdub6 · Mar 12, 2016

I'm no state surveyor but I would think it depends on what the problems were. I do NOT think that if an employer is prohibited by CMS that all their employees are automatically excluded as well, but like others said if your practice was part of the problem you may be referred for action. I honestly would bail either way especially since your management is refusing to tell you the issues (how can you fix if you don't know? ). (It is possible though that the issues are entirely related to the aids or to a particular employee who is not you and confidentiality is at play, but I find that doubtful).

Good luck to you.

toomuchbaloney · Mar 13, 2016

Two things;

1. If your employer and leadership told you that they don't know specifically why they failed they are lying. The survey is followed immediately by a review to describe exactly their areas of concern.

2. You should know whether or not you have participated professionally in any activities or behaviors which are prohibited by state law. If you have not exceeded the capacity of your state licensing then you should be safe.