imposter nurse????

ernurseok · Feb 18, 2005

Well that is crazy. She should've learned all of that in nursing school. I was putting in and taking out foleys my 1st semester. In the state I live in their is a web site where you can verify nursing licensure if you know the first and last name. Maybe you should check into that and see if it is the same for your state.

hi. we had a nurse hired to our unit and oriented for about a month. she had told management that she had worked med surg at a major county hospital prior to moving to here.
during orientation she proved to have no clue about anything. she did not know how to flush an iv(flush already prepared in a syringe--she just looked at it like she had never seen one before and asked what to do.when told she refused.).. didn't understand how to d/c a foley even after the syringe was handed to her and she was looking right at it. basically she could do nothing fo a pt. without asking her preceptor what to do. makes me wonder if she really passed boards. when questioned why she didn't know these things she changed her story. stated she worked in a clinic. then when someone said "i thought you did med surg?" , she claimed she did both.
she was scheduled to go off orientation this week(she had already been given extra days). she didn't show up. the charge nurse called and it was really weird. first, someone answered the phone, charge asked for nurse by name, passed to another person, asked again---went on for four people before she got to speak to this nurse. then this nurse stated she was sick.
next day---no show. charge called her home. someone answered-- "oh you want ______," click---hung up. called back. someone answered. "oh, she went out." this was within one minute.
called back within 20minutes--answering machine.message left."just let us know if you will be here tomorrow or if you will be off sick again."
she calls back later in afternoon----"i am sick and cannot work."
ok "so, you are calling in sick for tomorrow???"
she replies. "i cannot come back to work anymore."
i'm thinking of calling the boards and ask them to investigate. what say you???

unknown99, BSN, RN · Feb 18, 2005

Sounds to me like she stole a nurses identity. I would have the state board look into it.

allnurses Guide · Feb 18, 2005

Very strange indeed. Is it punishable by law to impersonate a licensed medical professional, or does that just apply to MD's?

I agree though, I even put in a foley catheter my first semester. But you know, maybe this person just had an incredibly severe case of first-nursing-

job nerves?

allnurses Guide · Feb 18, 2005

Very strange indeed. Is it punishable by law to impersonate a licensed medical professional, or does that just apply to MD's?
I agree though, I even put in a foley catheter my first semester. But you know, maybe this person just had an incredibly severe case of first-nursing-
job nerves?

Woops, I just reread the first post. You said that she said that she had BEEN a nurse before.

Yep, she's probably an imposter. :coollook:

Chad_KY_SRNA · Feb 18, 2005

The LTC facility where I work has hired people off the street lately, several of whom were fired upon the return of their background check. We had one that had her CNA certification revoked permanantly and was able to work three weeks before being fired. I witnessed them hire one new grad without proof that she had even passed boards. She brought in a photocopy of her license on her third night. They just turn these people loose on the floor with drugs and say go. Not that it's just new grads, we had one older nurse that scared the heck out of me, we were about certain she mixed up insulins, narcotics, and various other things while on the unit. We thought we had an angel of death once but she was agency and was asked not to return, no investigation was done. They said that she was not coming back for having her boyfriend in the facility, we may never know. I do know that she had CNA's giving her insulins and giving residents meds which is a big NO NO at our LTC. They basically act like you are making it up if you don't have proof, try catching that in the act. Sorry didn't mean to hijack the thread but I just needed to vent. I would report this "nurse's" behavior and pray that administration asks to see a license. If you feel like playing spy, go to her nursing school and look through the pictures of the graduates, see if you can find her. At our school they are all over the hall where nursing classes are taught. Most people aren't that paranoid but I can honestly say I would do something. Wouldn't suprise me much if she has a perfectly legal license.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Feb 18, 2005

Most BONs have license lookups or toll free numbers to check. Playing devil's advocate here. I'd get the deer in the headlights look if one of you took me to say L&D and showed me once HOW to do something. Or try putting me in psych.....not that I don't belong there :) If it''s not over 65-70 and doesn't have a bone that's broken then I'm up the creek without a paddle. Just give me a LOL with a subcapital fracture and step outta the way. BONES rule!!

Perhaps this lady is a nurse, has maintained her license but not her skills. Perhaps she felt that she was in over her head. No matter how nice someone seems you can tell when they give that "look" while you do a task.

Blackcat99 · Feb 18, 2005

Yes it would probably be a good idea to have the state check on this nurse. I have worked with 2 nurses who later turned out to be "imposter nurses." When I was a CNA many many years ago, I had to train a new RN in many basic nursing skills such as giving an enema etc. That new RN was not an imposter but simply had not been taught basic nursing skills at her school or perhaps she was just playing dumb because she was afraid???

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Feb 18, 2005

Do employers not check for valid licensure BEFORE hiring ? Are they not mandated to do so? I can't imagine being hired just on my "word" without verification on my employer's part. That would be a lawsuit waiting to happen ! Not to mention DANGEROUS to any # of patients... or even staff, for that matter.

What IF said person was ... wow... so many scary options here. :uhoh21:

z's playa · Feb 18, 2005

Definately smells fishy! I'm just curious how she got the job in the first place. Don't they have to show proof of something? Diploma, degree, previous work records. Kinda scary.

QuilterLPN · Feb 18, 2005

Has anyone in the personnel department thought about actually checking with her previous employer? Someone could call her last boss, and ask if she actually worked med/surg there! (In addition to checking the validity of her license, of course.) But, since she's quit already - the horse is sort of out of the barn. BUT, if she doesn't have a license and has lied about her work history, then chances are she'll do it again. It would be smart to let the state board know about this lady.:uhoh21:

mattsmom81 · Feb 18, 2005

One can access license info and last known address at most state board nurse sites...online. I can do it on my PC. Most HRs do this immediately. So...identity theft is more likely and it goes on a lot now...my Tx BON sure was paranoid about it.

I recently 'washed' my license (I had shown it on an agency shift and left it in my pocket after checkin) Kinda funny at first, first time I did THAT in 28 yrs...hehe...but I didn't laugh long.

You wouldn't believe what I had to go through to get another license!! (It was partially illegible/smeared) I sent it to the BON along with my vital statistics, copy of DL and SS card etc; asked for a new one. After a month they wrote back and said I needed to have a notarized identity statement sent back. i told them "I sent you the license, etc..isn't that enough. No it wasn't. It took me several months and more notarized forms, etc to obtain a readable license, then when I finally got a new one, it has 'DUPLICATE' on it, so now everyone checking it in my agency travels was highly suspicious, even after checking all my ID they wanted to talk to the BON before allowing me to work...sheesh! Felt like a criminal!! I finally resorted to taking my PASSPORT with me..then I worried if someone mugged me and got my purse, I'd REALLY be SOL.

And the moral to the story is...never leave your license in your pocket.