HELP I NEED ADVICE

[nette1022]

Today my supervisor accused me of fraud. I wrote the wrong date on my paperwork for my patient. I had him 12 hours on a Saturday. The date I wrote was Tuesday three days later. My father's funeral was on that Tuesday, so I didn't work. The week before on Wednesday I had 4 teeth pulled. (molars) I was assaulted and my brother was stabbed 8 times as a result I had to have my teeth pulled because I developed a severe infection. So here's the timelime Wednesday teeth pulled, Saturday I worked and Tuesday I buried my dad. My supervisor said this is fraud I will attempt to correct the date by writing the correct date with my initials, and draw a line through the incorrect date with my initials. What should I do?

[SydneyJo1]

Today my supervisor accused me of fraud. I wrote the wrong date on my paperwork for my patient. I had him 12 hours on a Saturday. The date I wrote was Tuesday three days later. My father's funeral was on that Tuesday so I didn't work. The week before on Wednesday I had 4 teeth pulled. (molars) I was assaulted and my brother was stabbed 8 times as a result I had to have my teeth pulled because I developed a severe infection. So here's the timelime Wednesday teeth pulled, Saturday I worked and Tuesday I buried my dad. My supervisor said this is fraud I will attempt to correct the date by writing the correct date with my initials, and draw a line through the incorrect date with my initials. What should I do?[/quote']

Um.....huh?

Ok, that wasn't helpful. What did your supervisor tell you to do?

[nette1022]

To come in and talk to her. It was only one day. But I am really upset I had a lot going on that week and it was an honest error. She basically took me off of my case for an honest error. I have documentation of everything that happened.

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

I don't understand a thing you said.

What does having your molars out on Wed and your Father's funeral on Tuesday have anything to do with writing the wrong date on Saturday?

That being said, can you correct by acknowledging the error and entering the correct date?

are you in a hospital setting? How did you come to mistake the date so badly?

[nette1022]

All of this happened in a weeks time. Starting on Wednesday I had my teeth pulled was really sick, I still worked on Saturday instead of Tuesday. On Tuesday it was my Dads funeral. I work in homecare and I usually work four days a week. Mon. Tues and Thurs. and Fri. When I turned in my sheets because so much was going on I wrote Tuesdays date instead of Saturdays. I was sick and grieving at the same time. It was a really rough week. I made a mistake. Now I am in trouble for that mistake.

[nette1022]

Any advice please?

[Cuddleswithpuddles]

What do you mean that you have documentation of everything that happened? Everything that happened in regards to your patient, your interactions with your supervisor or your personal life?

Talk to your supervisor and correct the date per your company's policies. This sounds like a very difficult time for you but keep your explanations brief as much as possible.

Are you actually in trouble or were you called into your supervisor's office to come and correct your paperwork? That does not necessarily mean you are in trouble or accused of committing fraud willfully.

[RNGriffin]

If I followed correctly, you had the patient on Saturday but wrote Tuesday( 3 days later) date on your paper work?

I don't see the big deal, and how this could be considered fraud. To be exact, fraud would never be used in the medical world. This appeared as falsifying documents on behalf of the facility if there were ever an audit. But, fraudulent documentation would only be considered if the patient is no longer a patient or never was a patient of the facility on the DOS.

Simple, single line through and write the correct date. Why would this be grounds for worry or termination( I believe that's where your mind is going)....

Let it go honey. People make mistakes all of the time.

Have you had previous counseling on careless documentation or mistakes? Are you a new grad who has given the manager suspicion that you may not be suited for the position? I understand there is a lot of external circumstances going on, but why would you feel compelled to provide such erroneous information to your manager for why you made a mistake on a date. If your other documentation doesn't show carelessness or neglect, I wouldn't even worry with this simple mistake.

I don't understand what we are advising you on.

[nette1022]

My supervisor told me I committed Medicaid fraud and she was reporting me to the board of nursing. I told her I wrote the wrong date. I do have documentation of the death and the dentist. But that's what she said. No I have never been accused of this or done it before EVER I have been a nurse since 1996. She scared me it is only for one day, and she fired me off of my patient's case. She told me to come into her office tomorrow.

[nette1022]

I work in homecare and I have been with the same patient for five years.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

My supervisor told me I committed Medicaid fraud and she was reporting me to the board of nursing. I told her I wrote the wrong date. I do have documentation of the death and the dentist. But that's what she said. No I have never been accused of this or done it before EVER I have been a nurse since 1996. She scared me it is only for one day, and she fired me off of my patient's case. She told me to come into her office tomorrow.

Call your professional malpractice/liability carrier ASAP to report the scenario and get advice/representation.

[Kyrshamarks, BSN, RN]

Tell her to bite you. You cannot commit medicaid fraud, you do not bill medicaid for the services the agency does, plus writing the wrong date on some paperwork is not fraud if done on error. She is trying to bluff you. Don't let he get a way with it.