LTC nurse needs some opinions

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Hi everyone I have a question that I need opinions on I work in a LTC facility third shift. I went into work the other night and when I looked at the previous nights 24 shift report I saw that someone a co-worker had signed my name to the report. She explained to another co-worker that she did it so I wouldn't get into trouble. Now when I saw this it made me furious that she had the audacity to do something like this. It was an error on my part that I had forgotten to sign it I understand but what gives her this right. Forgery is not something I take lightly. Anyway the next morning I called the DNS to explain the situation. I also told her that if this employee was allowed to stay on here and continue working that I would ask that I be moved to a different wing while I looked for another job. If the company we work for would allow this because of my principals I couldn't work for them. Well yesterday I had a meeting wth the ADNS and the DNS and told them the same thing. They are allowing this nurse to continue to be employed basically with a slap on the wrist. I requested I be moved and they denied it saying we are all very strong team and moving would not solve anything. They also said that this nurse would like to apologize and we all should move on and forget this ever happened. To make matters worse that same nurse came up from behind me and tried to remove the med cart keys and narc keys from around my neck. I immediately grabbed the keys and said wait a minute I will be with you when I am done counting with another nurse. Well right now I am contemplating leaving and finding a company that would beck me up and not force me to do what I don't want to do. I know this woman didn't do this in a maliciuos way but I think what she did she be reprimanded. Wha would you do? Please help oh by the way I love the patients very dearly and am having a difficult time making the right decision:angryfire

I also work in LTC (have since I graduated in 2004). Personally I think you went way overboard. At the facility I work at we consider that "looking out for each other". Of course the next time we see each other we do alert the other person to the situation, and that way he/she can draw a line through what is there and put his/her own initials. In the mean time if the facility you work at is strict about your initials being on there....for all purposes, they would have been. Actually if it had been one of my co-workers I would have been shocked that they did not put my initials (especially since it is only a communication sheet).

I have learned in this field that as nurses we should stick together. Running to the one in charge is not always the answer. If the shoe was on the other foot and you had done something with good intentions imagine how this would make you feel.

Just my opinion...

Kim

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As an LTC supervisor myself, I also think you went completely overboard on this one. Sure, signing your name isn't preferable, but to put your name on a 24 hour shift report sheet that you'd forgotten to, well, to march to the DON and demand she be fired is just too much. I would have gone to that nurse and simply thanked her for trying to help you out but next time to just print your name or ask you to sign it the next day. She obviously meant no malice. For you to make it such a huge deal and order her resignation is way out of line imo.

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Specializes in Too many to list.
As an LTC supervisor myself, I also think you went completely overboard on this one. Sure, signing your name isn't preferable, but to put your name on a 24 hour shift report sheet that you'd forgotten to, well, to march to the DON and demand she be fired is just too much. I would have gone to that nurse and simply thanked her for trying to help you out but next time to just print your name or ask you to sign it the next day. She obviously meant no malice. For you to make it such a huge deal and order her resignation is way out of line imo.

DITTO. It's not a legal document. Let's not kill each other over this kind of stuff. (Report sheets get disappeared when the state walks in as Daytonite mentioned.) If you really want to stay in that job, you'll have to admit to going overboard to your DON. Then, a heart to heart with that nurse would be next. It's probably not to late to clean this up if you truly wanted to do it.

And, you just learned something about how you manage your anger. Good luck to you.

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IMO, I would say that I think you over reacted. I think she was being nice in trying to cover your butt. If it were me, I would want an apology for you taking it to the DON.

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our 24 hour report is not a legal document...more a carry over of information ... use to have a jot book don't know what the differance is but state accepted one and not the other..if we have a change in med or tx or if a patient is acting out you can report it to the oncoming but the next nurse might not get the message

also it is used when you come in after being off you can catch up with what went on while you were off

not a legal document...if you didn't have anything to add you simply didn't put anything down...facility does not require signatures

that being said this fellow employee sounds like someone who will take control with very little encouragement...your reaction [demanding that she be fired] made her look good [a helping hand]

if you choose to stay at this facility confront her , with a smile on your face, and do not let her take control of anything that you are responsibile for...

some people are like this

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As an LTC supervisor myself, I also think you went completely overboard on this one. Sure, signing your name isn't preferable, but to put your name on a 24 hour shift report sheet that you'd forgotten to, well, to march to the DON and demand she be fired is just too much. I would have gone to that nurse and simply thanked her for trying to help you out but next time to just print your name or ask you to sign it the next day. She obviously meant no malice. For you to make it such a huge deal and order her resignation is way out of line imo.

I agree that she went completely overboard in her reaction to the situation.

This situation may very well cause her problems with other coworkers.

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I've known nurses to sign other nurses names as well.

Where I work, one nurse did an order and entered it into the computer, and her good buddy signed the first nurse's intials to it, and guess what happened?

The order was messed up in the computer.

I've also known nurses who like to put other's initials onto the MARs.

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Its amazing to me that you all have so much advice to offer and I do truly appreciate it. When you feel victimized in a situation you react however your emotions guide you. I was taken aback by some of your responses because I think some may have misunderstood my intenetions. I do however agree that this nurse was trying to cover my ass but I don't ever remember asking her to. Why a phone call wasn't initiated is something I will never understand. Yes the shift report is not a legal document but why would someone just consciouslly write down someone elses name. I am the vicitim here and I am in no way a DRAMA queen. I do my job to the best of my ability and go home at the end of the day knowing I have done my job.When something like this comes up in my life I do look at all the possible scenarios and try to put myself in that person's shoes. You know what if she came in the next morning and said oh by the way I signed your name I would have told her how that made me feel and hope that it would never happen again. I was not afforded that opportunity ever. I maybe could have ignored the whole situation but that didn't happen. How can I ever trust this nurse to have my back again. How does one just do something like that and not know that it was wrong. That baffles me. I live my life with integrity and honesty every single day. Obviously she does not. It is always easy for people to say what they would do but every person is an individual and some people are cold hearted and could just be a ***** and move on from this. I take my life, job very seriously and this is not something that I had coming to me in retaliation for something else. I walked in to work and this is what I found. I honestly don't think I am overreacting as some of you said. Emotionally my life is in turmoil over this. Maybe some find that hard to believe but that is how I reacted and this is where I stand. I think this whole situation could have easily been avoided if she just took into consideration my feelings and really thought about what she was about to do. Now that I have had time to calm down and really look at it closer I still feel that I would do everything again the same way. I can only hope that she will not make the same mistake again but I choose not to have to work with this woman. You think I am wrong there too. Why should I have to encounter this for the rest of my career? Once again I did nothing wrong ,she did.This has been a learning experience for all involved. I just want to continue the work that I so love and just be left alone to fend for myself. Please don't get me wrong I have my fellow nurses back as well but there is a fine line and I think that she crossed it. You all have been in the situation where you count off the narcs with the oncoming nurse, how would you feel that some one can just take it upon themselves and just try and remove the keys from around your neck without that persons consent. Once again she could have gone about it in a better way and all would still be working at a place they all love. But once again I wasn't allowed to make that call.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Oh, grow up, already! We all have to work together and work things out rather than continue to make excuses. :madface:

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

Thread closed for a cooling-off period and staff discussion.

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