Forged Doctor's Note

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

So a parent has been having problems with our school because small things, which is him wearing a thicker jacket and she wanting me to give him more of his puffs than he needs. (Asthma). I haven't been in the problem except she told the school I overdosed him (Which I didn't. I gave him the puffs he needed and when I am suppose to.) and as well now because I was given these two letters. I called his doctor yesterday by orders of the admin to ask for a doctor's note that says what the mom is asking and about the action plan. Then today I got the letter faxed by the doctor, with signature and then another one from the mom... painfully obvious she forged it. I called the doctor and asked about which one I should follow, obviously they said to follow their orders and they only sent one letter. Told my admin. While both letters sort of say the same thing, how bad is it that she gave a forged letter to the school?

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Compared to the note from the MD office, would the forged note place the child in the position of medical neglect? If so it is a CPS issue. If not it could be a school policy issue. For instance, if the MD said to stay out of school until XYZ and the forged note said to return today, you'd have the authority to send the student home until the date indicated by the legitimate note or until another legitimate note is received from the MD with a different date.

Don't get worked about the forged MD note. It is more common than we would like to believe; forged immunization records too.

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.
Compared to the note from the MD office, would the forged note place the child in the position of medical neglect? If so it is a CPS issue. If not it could be a school policy issue. For instance, if the MD said to stay out of school until XYZ and the forged note said to return today, you'd have the authority to send the student home until the date indicated by the legitimate note or until another legitimate note is received from the MD with a different date.

Don't get worked about the forged MD note. It is more common than we would like to believe; forged immunization records too.

I'm not worried about myself, more the mom. I just did what I was asked, I just don't want her to blame all what will happen to me.
Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.
I'm not worried about myself, more the mom. I just did what I was asked, I just don't want her to blame all what will happen to me.

Don't worry about it. You didn't forge the note...she did.

A high school nurse I know told me she had a doctor's note for abscences from a male student and the "note" was from a gynecologist. Another one I was told is a parent of a middle schooler who stole letterhead from a doctor's office but then had the signature from a doctor who does not belong to that practice. It's amazing the lengths that people will go to for absent notes.

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

So I had to call the doctor, by admin orders and asked for a letter saying this letter was not hers. I sent them the letters and I got a call back that the hospital is going to press charges because of forgery. So I'm like... this mom is going to be in trouble. I did what I was suppose to do and that's that.

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

This wasn't an absence note. This is telling us that we need to listen to the mom's orders not the doctor's because she's right. I was like.... uh no. She already accused me of overdosing her child, why am I going to listen to her again?

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

This is how the letter was written:

"[Hospital Letter head]

To whom it may concern:

[Child's name] is my patient at [Hospital's name]. I Dr. [Misspelled Doctor's Name] have been his Doctor over X years. His mother [mother's name] and I Work together as in keeping him out of the hospital. Ms. [Mom's last name] has informed me about some issues she has with the school that [Child's name] is attending. [Child's name] needs to keep a jacket on. He can take it off if he wants to. The weather in [City's name] change every day and I do not want him in the hospital. We work too hard to get him back on track. Whatever [Mom's name] tells you PLEASE follow what she says, [Mom's name] knows her child. Also Follow The Asthma Action Plan!! [Child's name] has severe asthma and this is something that I and my staff take serious. LET'S STAY ON TRACK, AND FOLLOW ORDER.

Sincerely,

Dr. [Misspelled Doctor's Name]"

I kept the same grammar and language as what it was written.

Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

Good one! Thanks for the LOL!

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

Right? When I got this letter from the admin, I just laughed and looked at them like, "You're kidding me?" but they were dead serious. I was like, "No way, this is real." And they were like how? I told them on the grammar and the way it was written. No way a doctor, nurse or medical assistant would write this way. But I had to prove it, so I went detective style and thus, our result of this story.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.

OMG that note is hilarious! It amazes me the lengths some people will go to and then expect us to believe an actual doctor wrote it! I love the part "Whatever (mom) tells you, PLEASE follow what she says" :roflmao:

Specializes in School.

How funny. We had issues with fake absence notes a few years back. A parent that had worked for the dr would use old stationary and write her notes from. It's crazy the lengths parents will go.

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