Is This Illegal?

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:uhoh21: I am an RN DON at a rural nursing home of about 45 residents. We are currently getting ready to move to a new nursing home in town. We have an interim administrator and he asked me to do something I don't feel comfortable about doing. State came in around Christmas and wrote us up for not having weekend RN coverage every weekend. My new administrator asked me to come in this weekend and clock in and out for Sat. and Sun. but not to stay....just to clock in so it looks like I was there. I can't work 7 days a week and they haven't hired anyone. I feel like this is lying and that I might be risking my licensure. Is this illegal? Could I lose my license? I don't want to lie. Any input would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

Thread started January 2005. OP has not been back to update.

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Sounds Illegal Big time and it is also fraud if it where me i wouldn't do it at all .

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Specializes in LTAC, Wound Care, Med Surg.

Your License is far too important. It may be difficult at times to just say that would be dishonest. But if you have a gut feeling that his/ her request was wrong, then go with your instinct. Instinct and intuiativeness are a must with nursing. Maybe it's time to move to a different job , or inform state board of his request. Just Remember always CYA!!!!:imbar Hope it all worked out.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

There is no way I would do this (if I was a RN). By clocking you are on their time and by that you are in charge . If anything happened that needed to be handled by a supervisor that compromised patient care you would be in hot trouble. No way , if my name is on the books as being there ...you can bet I am there. Tell her if she wants that done she needs to hire a W/E supervisor ASAP or give you days off during the week and delegate some of your work (of course that a ADON or other nurse can handle ) . Another thing is LTC is backstabbing..I would not put myself in a position to be on the clock and not present in the building cause they could possibly use that against you if anything ever went wrong. Just unwelcomed knowledge I have learned from working in LTC.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Med-Surg..

Please, please take the other posters advice. Even if you don't lose your licence, and just end up being disciplined, how easy will it be to find employment with a misconduct form stapled to your resume. I also would not trust these people at all. Sadly, I am at a stage in my life where I grant trust to nobody until I am very sure of them. As an RN, you likely have many options for employment, so why bother with this nonsense at all. Run.

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Why would you put your butt on the line, risk losing your professional license, etc. just because this dude is too lazy to find a real solution to the problem?

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My goodness what people would do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get out of there fast. No telling what he would do next!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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What if something happens a day that you are "there" and everything hits the fan? Everything will come back onto you if you do this. I would never let them make me do it.

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Just a note - this thread is two years old. I think the question is now moot, as well as dumb. You don't need to be a lawyer to know illegal when it bites you on the butt.

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Yes, I definitely feel that it's wrong and unethical...my first instinct was to call state and the BON to make sure...I just wanted some feedback first...this is the 3rd or 4th time they have asked me to do something I felt funny about...I think I am going to call state and resign from this job as well. I just can't work for a company that would compromise my license and my patients as well! Thank you for all your advice!
You got it kid. They will ask you to do unethical things right up to the time there is trouble. Then they will disown you.
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:uhoh21: Is this illegal? Could I lose my license? I don't want to lie. Any input would be much appreciated! Thanks!

You obviously know the answer to your own question. I know the admin. may be desperate, but remind him what if something happened while you were clocked in but not there? More than likely, something would happen. How would you account for it? The both of you would be in trouble.

I'd explain to him that the both of you have worked too hard to get where you are and it would be a shame to ruin your careers over it.

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Specializes in none yet.
:uhoh21: I am an RN DON at a rural nursing home of about 45 residents. We are currently getting ready to move to a new nursing home in town. We have an interim administrator and he asked me to do something I don't feel comfortable about doing. State came in around Christmas and wrote us up for not having weekend RN coverage every weekend. My new administrator asked me to come in this weekend and clock in and out for Sat. and Sun. but not to stay....just to clock in so it looks like I was there. I can't work 7 days a week and they haven't hired anyone. I feel like this is lying and that I might be risking my licensure. Is this illegal? Could I lose my license? I don't want to lie. Any input would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Don't do it! This sounds like lying to me and remember it's your license that you stand to lose, you have to protect yourself nobody is going to do that but you. To think that your admin would put you in that position, I would not want to work with someone like that, that would put me in danger of losing my license. You need to reconsider your employment there. Sounds very illegal to me.

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