I made a huge mistake.. I made up vitals and got caught..

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi.. I am a medical assistant. Usually I am really good at this. But for, I am not sure what reason.. I have been making up blood pressures for babies, and children and also the oxygen levels of most patients... Yesterday I got caught. The patient had asked the nurse if someone was gonna take her childs b/p and o2. She said the assistant already did.. The mom was like, NO she didn't ... Then the nurse asked me if I did, I said yeah.. Big mistake.. I am not sure why I lied, or even made up the vitals in the 1st place.. Then today, I did the same thing.. I made up the 02 for a patient.. I put 96% and I guess the patient was admitted to the hospital recently, and needed 02 help.. So he was curious to see what it was.. When I had 96 he was like wow.. Then listening to his lungs, he decided to check it himself.. It was only 80%.. He hasn't said anything to me, but I heard him talking to his nurse, whi is somewhat my boss.. I am not sure what to say or even think... I just feel ashamed.. Especially thinking what are they thinking about me... Like that I am a bad worker.. And questioning my past work. What should I do to make this right.. I am not going to do that ANYMORE, and I will be making sure vitals are done on everyone. But what if I get asked about the situation what can I do or say????? Please help me..........

Specializes in Telemetry & Obs.

I'm sorry, but if you'd make up vitals what else would you lie about?? Med errors??

:o

Honesty is always the best policy.

The only way to begin to fix a problem is to admit that a problem exists. Congratulations on admitting the problem. Now, lets fix it.

Go to your boss and tell them what you did and why. I think if I were your boss I'd respect you more for admitting to something before I had to find out about it and present the facts to you. Put yourself in your bosses position... If you had someone working for you who did the things you did, how would you feel about that person? Now, if that person came to you to tell you they have made a mistake because felt overwhelmed with too much work, that they are very sorry and realize the seriousness of their errors, I'm sure that if you were that boss you would be a heck of a lot more understanding than if your coworkers went to the boss to complain about your serious mistake first. The boss should then be able to realize that you had too much work put upon you. A first clue to the boss that there was too much work put on you was that people were calling you "superwoman", because only a "superwoman" could be expected to get that much work done that fast.

Tell the truth. Get if off your chest. You will feel sooooo much better!!! Be aware at how very, very important your work is and how much the doctors and nurses depend on you to get accurate vital signs and O2 sat results!!! (Often a person's vital signs are the first indication that their body is about to crash!! Just because a normal O2 sat is 96% doesn't mean that every person will register a 96%. There are no "right" answers with vital signs... the result for each person is as individual as each person.) I think you know deep in your heart how important this is. If you feel you still want to continue working at this palce, let the boss know what has happened, the sooner the better too. Also, be aware that whether you fess up or not, lots and lots of eyes will be watching you now, and you might hear whispers sometimes too. This is why I say own up to your mistakes, learn from them, take the punishment like a person with integrity would, and go on with life as a better person who can hold her head up with dignity.

Wishing you only the best.

I need to speak to you on a very serious note.... Recently I have made a very big mistake and I need to get it off my chest... A few days ago, on one of the very busy afternoons, I had a lot of patients that I had to get moving so that everyone would be on time for the rest of the afternoon. But to keep this short, I was in such a rush to get all the patients ready, that I made up the B/P and o2 for a patient. Now I know that what I did is very wrong, but it just seemed like it wasn't a big deal at that moment.. Then when everyone was done and nurses hadn't asked me if I needed help or if everyone was ready, I just felt like I had it under control. That made me feel soo much better about being stressed lately, because It wasn't affecting my work... Then the whole car accident situation and me and my boyfriend were having a difficult time. It all just seemed like no big deal. I know that being stressed out of work is no reason at all to do what I did.. Trust me, I know that.. But I didn't want a certain someone, to think that it was affecting my work. But it was..listen. I have to admit, that I did it again today... It wasn't my intention.... But when the patient was here for Dr. *^%#^, he was really late, so I was trying to move as quickly as possible. Then I did the EKG and B/P and realized I hadn't forgotten his o2 and instead of getting the machine, I just wrote a number down.. Later I heard Dr. *^%#^ double checking it, so I knew that it was out in the open what I did... Listen, I feel REALLY bad about this whole thing. That is the reason why I sounded down on the phone today.. Because I made the same mistake.. I just HAD to tell you what had happened.. It was killing me knowing and keeping this to myself. I can promise to you that this will NEVER happen EVER again. Please believe that this was a horrible and stupid mistake.. I take responsibility for this situation. I just want to make things right.

This is what I wrote to my boss..... GIve me your advice on it.. SHould I change anything?? Or say anything else???????

I'm sorry, but if you'd make up vitals what else would you lie about?? Med errors??

:o

I would worry about this too.....find another line of work

I need to speak to you on a very serious note.... Recently I have made a very big mistake and I need to get it off my chest... A few days ago, on one of the very busy afternoons, I had a lot of patients that I had to get moving so that everyone would be on time for the rest of the afternoon. But to keep this short, I was in such a rush to get all the patients ready, that I made up the B/P and o2 for a patient. Now I know that what I did is very wrong, but it just seemed like it wasn't a big deal at that moment.. Then when everyone was done and nurses hadn't asked me if I needed help or if everyone was ready, I just felt like I had it under control. That made me feel soo much better about being stressed lately, because It wasn't affecting my work... Then the whole car accident situation and me and my boyfriend were having a difficult time. It all just seemed like no big deal. I know that being stressed out of work is no reason at all to do what I did.. Trust me, I know that.. But I didn't want a certain someone, to think that it was affecting my work. But it was..listen. I have to admit, that I did it again today... It wasn't my intention.... But when the patient was here for Dr. *^%#^, he was really late, so I was trying to move as quickly as possible. Then I did the EKG and B/P and realized I hadn't forgotten his o2 and instead of getting the machine, I just wrote a number down.. Later I heard Dr. *^%#^ double checking it, so I knew that it was out in the open what I did... Listen, I feel REALLY bad about this whole thing. That is the reason why I sounded down on the phone today.. Because I made the same mistake.. I just HAD to tell you what had happened.. It was killing me knowing and keeping this to myself. I can promise to you that this will NEVER happen EVER again. Please believe that this was a horrible and stupid mistake.. I take responsibility for this situation. I just want to make things right.

This is what I wrote to my boss..... GIve me your advice on it.. SHould I change anything?? Or say anything else???????

I took your advice, I decided to go and let my boss know the mistake I have made.. Can you please read what i wrote, and see if its ok.. I am looking forward to what you say..... Thanks for your advice

As far as your letter to your boss.

You left out the liability you placed him in. If you are a MA then you are working under his license. This could cost HIM money, trust, and his ability to practice medicine.

It seems you have only become contrite now that you have been caught. If not caught this behavior would have probably continued until someone was was seriously affected by your lack of responsibility.

I doubt if, "Then the whole car accident situation and me and my boyfriend were having a difficult time.", is much of a justification for yor behavior.

I can promise to you that this will NEVER happen EVER again.

This sounds good when taken at face value, but, you have already shown yourself willing to falsify v/s, what else has been done wrong. You have burned the bridge. If this group decides to keep you on, I would be surprised.

I, for one, and seemingly the minority here, would have you out the door NOW.

I would hate to think a person came into the clinic with hypertension, and no outward signs, and then went home and had a CVA due to HTN. Or perhaps a COPD'r a little more hypoxic than usual who is starting a pneumonia, then ends up hospitalized and possibly vented when early intervention could have prevented it.

I am sorry, but your actions have place the group, the Dr, and the patients open to very real consequences.

bob

bob

I still can't believe that after all this, and what people have been telling you, that you are talking about your personal life, i.e. the car accident and your boyfriend, in this letter. It's unprofessional. You made a huge error which you could lose your job for, and you are citing car accidents and your boyfriend as reasons why you did it? no, you did it because you are lazy and made a horrible decision. I agree with a few of the posters here, find another job. If you worked at my doctors office, or at the office of any of my family members and I found out you were falsifying medical documents, I'd have your job taken away and possibly take legal action depending on the outcome of the patient's care.

Now that I hear what everyone has to say, I am not sure if I should say anything about what happened.. I mean, I have been here in the office all afternoon, and the doctor or nurse has not said one thing to me about it.. Its as if it never happened.. Then when you guys are taking about falsifying medical documents.. It makes me more unsure of whether or not I should come out and say what happened...

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Please come clean with your boss. What you did was wrong and it concerns me that when placed in a position of stress that you might again falsify documents. This is exceedingly dangerous for your patients, your boss and you. Good luck - do the right thing.

Please come clean with your boss. What you did was wrong and it concerns me that when placed in a position of stress that you might again falsify documents. This is exceedingly dangerous for your patients, your boss and you. Good luck - do the right thing.

I just don't want to lose my job.. People here have been saying if it was them, then I wouldn't be working here anymore.. I am pretty sure I won;t get fired, but they are scaring me.. So I am thinking I might take the wekend to think about it... Then see what happens on Monday...

Specializes in Going to Peds!.

OMG! You are not serious about sweeping this under the rug and skipping the confession?!?! I wish like hell I knew where you worked. I would call them myself! You have jeopardized patients, falsified legal documentation, risked your MA license (if you have one) and risked the doctor's & nurse's licenses with whom you work. I cannot believe the incredible display of irresponsibility that you display. If you are not going to fess up, resign now and find another field of work. You do NOT have the interests of patients at heart.

Although, I am not a nurse as of yet, but this right here is why I will continue the practice of getting my own vitals. This is soooooooooooo serious.

I have to disagree with the person that said they, she should be ashamed of herself because she knows how important Vitals are. If she really knew how important they were, she wouldn't make them up.

You need some serious remediation, get yourself some help or get out.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I still stand behind my answer - please reconsider another line of work or seriously step back and realize that you are at fault and need some additional training.

+ Add a Comment