Is this reportable to the BON?

[TX_L&DRN]

Hello,

Let me start by saying, I am not by nature a tattle-tale or vindictive person. I have a co-worker who has for reasons unbeknownst to me, made it her life's goal to get me terminated from my position for well over a year now.

This co-worker is a fellow OB RN who recently had a baby. She brought her infant to our OB unit, did not register him as a patient, performed a transcutaneous bilirubin level check, then left the facility. She did this twice and it was said she did it with the blessing of the ACNO (her bff).

Are her actions reportable to the TX BON? I feel like this is something that requires the infant to be checked in and orders received by a physician. Am I mistaken? I understand this is not an invasive procedure but it is certainly, for lack of better terminology "a bigger deal" than popping in to check a blood pressure while off duty. This is not something that can be performed outside of a doctors office or hospital.

I have not made a report to the TX BON but I am considering doing so. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]25065[/ATTACH]

[JKL33]

I do not fathom the reasons that people have any desire whatsoever to play games with disturbed individuals instead of just staying as far away from them as humanly possible.

When at all possible, you shouldn't even know about the things she does. Stay the heck away from her because she is toxic and out to get you. I've known a co-worker like this. She ruined her own game eventually, but in the meantime, fair warning to you: people who act this way have already proven to you that they don't have the same ethical boundaries that you (and others) do. Proceed with caution.

Our moms didn't tell us "MYOB" because they approved of what others were doing - - they taught us that in hopes that we would learn to avoid getting entangled in and mired down by others' poor choices.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Mind.

Your.

Own.

Business.

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

I see where the first two posters are coming from, but I disagree. "Evil prevails when good (wo)men fail to act". (Sorry for the implied sexism here but this is an old quote.) A call to the ethics hotline would be indicated I think. Even though this is small potatoes she is stealing from the hospital. This is probably not the only thing she is doing wrong. As a manager, I would want her out of the organization ASAP. If she really has the blessing of the ACNO then the ANCO has no idea of what she is doing. But only do this if you can anonymously.

[caliotter3]

If you disagree with what happened and think the Board should be aware, then report it. the Board will decide what to do about the information. But don't report it because of how the person has treated you. Even just mentioning that behavior makes it apparent that your intentions are questionable. Would you have let it go if the history between you and her did not exist?

[CTtoRN, ADN, BSN, RN]

A call to the ethics hotline would be indicated I think. Even though this is small potatoes she is stealing from the hospital.

^This. Hospitals should have a number for corporate compliance”. They really want to know about employees using facility resources without permission, you can report it anonymously. This not a call for BON.

[JKL33]

^This. Hospitals should have a number for corporate compliance”. They really want to know about employees using facility resources without permission, you can report it anonymously. This not a call for BON.

I am not sure the OP witnessed either of these two incidents. I have an issue with that. As a general rule I'd say proceed with caution or get what you deserve in making reports about things that you can't verify and doing so primarily because someone has caused trouble for you.

OP, did you witness these two instances of her stealing from the employer?

[elkpark]

If you actually witnessed what you say occurred, that is, as already noted, stealing from your employer. Your employer would most likely want to know about that and, as also already noted, most employers nowadays have confidential corporate compliance hotlines. If I were going to pursue this, I would do so within the organization, not go to the BON.

[Emergent, RN]

I just looked up what this transcutaneous Billirubin test is. It sounds like you just put a meter on the skin to check the billi level.

I don't know what the history is with this woman, but I think you would be way out of line bringing this before the board of nursing. You are being very vindictive indeed!

There are a few little perks that we get for working in nursing. Being able to walk into your home unit, show off your baby, and check the billi level of your newborn non-invasively, is one of them.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I just looked up what this transcutaneous Billirubin test is. It sounds like you just put a meter on the skin to check the billi level.

I don't know what the history is with this woman, but I think you would be way out of line bringing this before the board of nursing. You are being very vindictive indeed!

There are a few little perks that we get for working in nursing. Being able to walk into your home unit, show off your baby, and check the billi level of your newborn non-invasively, is one of them.

Agreed! It is on the same level as stopping in to check your child's temp, or your own BP.

[JKL33]

Agreed! It is on the same level as stopping in to check your child's temp, or your own BP.

Nah, it actually isn't because checking a lab level is something for which the employer can bill and, besides, is a test that is done on the order of a physician/qualified provider. The fact that it's not an invasive procedure is deceiving.

I'm of two minds about this. I remember the days when you could bring your kid into your place of work and have someone check their ears, or hey let's burn off some moles/skin tags/etc while it's not busy, or do ultrasounds on ourselves or undertake minor wound care/sutures, ask the doc for prescriptions for various things; every once in awhile someone would get a liter of fluid while not feeling well at work (that one was quite rare but you get my point). This sort of give-and-take relationship with the employer was nice while it lasted and IMO was beneficial to both parties, generally-speaking. It seemed like it was a time where there was generally more goodwill going both ways. We never did anything too outlandish by the standards of the time.

But things have very clearly changed, for better or worse. The legal climate has changed, the finances of healthcare have changed, the regulations under which our employers must operate have increased; everything has changed. Now my opinion is that, knowing how these activities are currently viewed by employers, we should step up and not expect special favors, nor use our employers' equipment and services in this way. My main reason for feeling this way is because in my utopia nurses would operate with the highest ethics and then have a leg to stand on in demanding better treatment.