Is my boss committing fraud?

Published

My RN Manager is taking an exam this weekend for a national certification in my practice area. The certifying organization decided one year ago, and has prominently posted on its website and in its pertinent papers, through a very clear and unambiguous position statement, that managers who do not meet the direct care requirement are not eligible to write this exam. My manager submitted an application with corroborating signatures from other certified RNs (probably HER bosses) that she met this requirement. She does not. I have been torn between the desire to ask her privately if she is aware of her ineligibility or to request that the certifying organization make a determination themselves. I'll probably do nothing. But I sure hope she flunks. Ideas anyone?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

My idea: get your nose out of her business. You don't have to respect her, but she's your boss and this is not your affair. Why would you even bother to go to the website and investigate the qualifications? How does this affect you, your job and your patient care?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My idea: get your nose out of her business. You don't have to respect her, but she's your boss and this is not your affair. Why would you even bother to go to the website and investigate the qualifications? How does this affect you, your job and your patient care?

Well, Tweety, I regularly read the articles and updates because, you see, I HAVE been certified in my specialty for about 10 years and that's what professionals do. The particular position statement was listed on page 1 as a "Hot Button Issue" in red so was hard to ignore. I had not realized myself that this was such an issue for these credentialing organizations, but apparently it is.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

I know, and it's insulting that someone wants to qualify for a certification they don't qualify for just to stroke their ego. Makes those of us in the trenches that earned it fair and square look bad. You might just casually mention, "I visit the website frequently and it says managers who don't do patient care don't qualify, how is it that you do?".

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think you have answered my original question, though, and I thank you for that. Even if this IS unethical, why should I or anyone else care? I appreciate the feedback. Please kill the thread. Thanks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental Health.
My idea: get your nose out of her business. You don't have to respect her, but she's your boss and this is not your affair. Why would you even bother to go to the website and investigate the qualifications? How does this affect you, your job and your patient care?

I am a bit lost here.

Someone is doing something you think is unethical and you are supposed to 'get your nose out of her business'?

Is this like turn a blind eye to wrong doings?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My idea: get your nose out of her business. You don't have to respect her, but she's your boss and this is not your affair. Why would you even bother to go to the website and investigate the qualifications? How does this affect you, your job and your patient care?

I agree with this statement.

All YOU have to risk is your job. She'll still have hers.

Certification exams are written to where it's going to be very difficult to pass it unless you have hands on experience...and let's say she does pass it...then the exam proves she has the knowledge...and to me...so what if she is 6 months, etc short of a work requirement...HOW LONG you have been doing a task has zero bearing one whether you are COMPETENT at what you do.

Is it dishonest? Probably, but if she passes the exam, then I don't see how patients are at risk. If she doesn't have the skills, then she won't pass it anyway.

But stay out of it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm an APN who no longer works in the ER. However, I kept my CEN certification current after ensuring with ENA that this was okay. I did not have to meet the hands on requirement since I teach trauma courses and other classes used in the ER.

Is this caveat perhaps also possible for the certification exam you are discussing?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
My RN Manager is taking an exam this weekend for a national certification in my practice area. The certifying organization decided one year ago, and has prominently posted on its website and in its pertinent papers, through a very clear and unambiguous position statement, that managers who do not meet the direct care requirement are not eligible to write this exam. My manager submitted an application with corroborating signatures from other certified RNs (probably HER bosses) that she met this requirement. She does not. I have been torn between the desire to ask her privately if she is aware of her ineligibility or to request that the certifying organization make a determination themselves. I'll probably do nothing. But I sure hope she flunks. Ideas anyone?

Never wish someone harm. Think about how all things come back to us...good and bad.:cry: If, she is ineligible for whatever the reason, it is better for you to just pull her aside and let her know that you know she is doing something morally and ethically wrong. Let her know you know her status but encourage her to do the right thing.

Skin Care Specialist

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.
I am a bit lost here.

Someone is doing something you think is unethical and you are supposed to 'get your nose out of her business'?

Is this like turn a blind eye to wrong doings?

No. But we have to choose our battles because we can dig around in anyone's closet and find something objectionable. If this is a battle she wishes to fight, then that's understandable. Personally, I wouldn't get involved. I'll get on my soapbox and high horse for plenty of things, but in this instance it's probably not worth the op's time and the consequences of getting involved might be too messy to be worth it. In the end we sometimes just have to let people sleep at night and wonder how they do it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I think you have answered my original question, though, and I thank you for that. Even if this IS unethical, why should I or anyone else care? I appreciate the feedback. Please kill the thread. Thanks.

Why care if it's unethical? Wow ... a coworker detects unethical behaviour/claims of another who seeks to gain a professional advantage. We should 'keep our nose out of it'? Why?

Report her/hiss ass to the credentialing committee. What's fair is fair. If life is that competetive in your world, scrap it out to the end. Be a survivor.

:bugeyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

This is a very interesting subject. The live and let live group is definately going to butt heads with the pro-active "keep everyone honest" group.

Both sides have very valuable reasons. There was a lot of serious cheating in nursing school and once or twice I reported it. Nothing was done, but when someone offers me 500$ to write a paper I thought I should say something about it.

I do believe that if patient safety or staff safety is involved people need to be held accountable. However I think that sometimes we have to leave it up to "the universe" to deal with the cheaters. And I do wonder how some people sleep at night. I bet they sleep better than me because they don't have a conscious.

In this case the poster would probably be sacrificing her job for something that might be better left up to time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment