How can a workplace cause you to lose license?

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I'm a brand new nurse and I keep reading and hearing things like "I'm not going to work in a place that's going to make me lose my license"

Also, how can what the CNA's do affect my license? I've been told that if they mess up badly, it's on me??? I work in a nursing home, and have about 25 residents to myself.

I'm not understanding how your work environment can jepordize that. Stupid question, I know, but I work at a crazy place and I hear it alot from my coworkers about being afraid of losing licenses because of the workplace.

Can someone explain? I thought you lost your license over things like med errors, abuse, fraud.....how can a job cause that?

Thanks a bunch!:loveya:

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Specializes in Ortho, Case Management, blabla.

You workplace can push you to do dangerous things that can cause you to lose your license. Cutting corners, etc.

As far as an aide causing you to lose your license? I doubt it. However, there was a situation not long ago where I had a sweaty, cold patient with a blood sugar of 30 and the aide didn't bother to tell me....If I hadn't done my assessment and then asked the aide what the sugar was, it could have been a problem if there were negative consequences for the patient. It really depends on the aide.

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Specializes in LTC/SNF, Psychiatric, Pharmaceutical.
You workplace can push you to do dangerous things that can cause you to lose your license. Cutting corners, etc.

As far as an aide causing you to lose your license? I doubt it. However, there was a situation not long ago where I had a sweaty, cold patient with a blood sugar of 30 and the aide didn't bother to tell me....If I hadn't done my assessment and then asked the aide what the sugar was, it could have been a problem if there were negative consequences for the patient. It really depends on the aide.

If one cannot provide safe care due to minimal staff available to handle the acuity of the patients, the state BON isn't going to cut you a break.

I had the exact same thing happen one night shift with a diabetic patient. The aide got the resident up, didn't tell me the resident was very disoriented and diaphoretic, I found that out from oncoming shift CNAs... I checked the blood sugar, it was 35.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haematology/Stem Cell Transplant, Med/Sur.

Your measurement of 35 for a diabetic patient - do you know what it is in mmol/l?

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Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..

1.94mmol/L now that is low! (To convert divide US equivalent by 18)

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Specializes in Critical Care.
You workplace can push you to do dangerous things that can cause you to lose your license. Cutting corners, etc.

As far as an aide causing you to lose your license? I doubt it. However, there was a situation not long ago where I had a sweaty, cold patient with a blood sugar of 30 and the aide didn't bother to tell me....If I hadn't done my assessment and then asked the aide what the sugar was, it could have been a problem if there were negative consequences for the patient. It really depends on the aide.

The part that I have bolded, itailized, and underlined is exactly the reason you could lose your license becasue of a CNA.

You are delegating procedures to them and, yes, they should be reporting to you. BUT, it's your responsibility to assess your patients. If you neglect that responsibility, that's is when your license is in jeopardy.

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Specializes in Diabetes, Transplant, CCU, Neurology.

Does EVERY patient have a nameband? Do you rely on the CNA to even distinguish which patient is which? Do you rely on the CNA for ANY part of your assessment? If something happens to a patient that you couldn't get to because you had too many patients, you're still liable in court. "Too Busy" isn't a valid excuse. Do you have time to chart every thing you do? If it isn't charted, it isn't done, even if you swear to a jury that you did it but didn't have time to chart every little detail. I worked at a place in Fresno that made us clock out for an hour every night for lunch. We worked on 10-bed pods, and we were the only nurse on that pod after 11pm. I complained once that there's no way we could leave our patients for an hour. My supervisor said that if I didn't clock out for that time, it would show up on my evaluation. I was supposed to tell a nurse who didn't know the patients from the pod down the hall (who had 10 patients of her own) to watch my pod. Likewise, I was responsible for her pod her she left for lunch. How safe was that?

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