home health - patient abandonment?

Specialties Home Health

Published

I was terminated from my job in home health today, placed on suspension yesterday. I am an RN case manager. I have a schedule that I manage myself. I had 6 patients on my schedule last week, and 3 of them were missed visits. I had not completed my charting for that day yet, so I had not submitted false information... but I also had not completed missed visit forms. I had a couple patients earlier this week (prior to Christmas) that were not seen on the scheduled dates, that I had planned to move to Thursday/Friday. Before I could move them, I was suspended. My DON called my scheduled patients from last week, and a couple could not remember me doing home visits. Also, we have folders in each home with a vital sign log sheet. If my patient's don't have their folder in plain sight, I sometimes forget to sign their folders. Also, prior to leaving, we are required to get each patient to sign a sticker that we were there and completed a visit.

My question, do you think my former employer has enough to go to the BON and have my license revoked for patient abandonment? I was behind on my paperwork, so I was actually did not lie or falsify records on the 3 patients that were missed visits. If I had put vital signs in the note, and wrote a narrative on these patients, I could understand abandonment/fraud charges... but since I didn't actually complete these notes, do they have any right to pursue disciplinary action with the board?

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

well.......?Honestly what is going on ? you did not have a heavy schedule, why were the visits missed, and why was your documentation not done, if you dont sign the home folder and your paper work is not done ? there is no proof you were there ??

basically i would of terminated you for not doing your work......your performance does possibly violate your states nurse practice act...i guess i pribably would not bother with a BON complaint.....but I am really worried about you

not trying to come across horifice, but I have concerns.... you may pvt msg. me if you want, I wish you the best

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Specializes in Current: ER Past: Cardiac Tele.

So you didn't see half of your patients last week and never completed the necessary forms. You didn't document your visits that you did do this week. And you missed visits this week, and didn't do the paperwork to reschedule for Thursday/Friday. Today being Friday.

Your company has you document and all this paperwork to maintain that you see your patients and that you make them aware that you are rescheduling your visits for these patients. I don't know how long they give you to document on patients and file paperwork, but I would be nervous.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

any nurse or employer has the right and ethic duty to refer a nurse to their states BON, when they have proof of violations of nurse practice act

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You are an RN case manager? So the home visits that you do are skilled visits? If you are managing cases that is one thing, however, if you are required to do a skilled visit that is something else entirely. You manage your own schedule? Do you have to have your reports in by the end of the month?

I think that the confusing thing here, OP, is what exactly the visit entails, and what your obligations are to your patients. I think that a case manager is far different than the primary nurse or the primary caregiver (CNA).

I would look at the obligations of your contract with the company. See is you violated any terms of said contract. Contact your for further guidance.

Not meant as legal advice per TOS, however, if you are the primary care nurse for these patients that needed to be seen by you and were not, then I think this is a far different situation.

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Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

You need to contact your malpractice lawyer-advice given on here can not be guaranteed as accurate

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We cannot give legal advice as per the Terms of Service....If you have (something every nurse should carry) call them for the best advice.

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The referral service of The American Assn. of Nurse Attorneys TAANA Executive Office - Home can provide names of attorneys experienced in dealing with nursing boards.

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You might want to change your username, OP. You'd be really easy to find if someone was looking for evidence against you on the web.

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