Nurses letting other nurses chart on their account

[DQstatus]

Does anyone know why it's illegal for nurses to let other nurses chart while they are logged in?

I saw my nurse have her friend nurse come chart while she was logged in.

Thanks

[smf0903]

Well my immediate thought is if something ever came under review/went to court, who believes what when people chart under other people's login? I would think any time someone can question whether or not you're being truthful (even if you are being truthful, imagine how it can be construed if you charted under someone else's name or visa versa?) you are opening yourself up to have your integrity questioned in EVERY aspect of the care you provide. Your charting is your legal document...any time you do anything remotely questionable with that legal document you are opening yourself up to question. I don't know if that's exactly what the legal aspect of it is, but that's how I see charting...it is my legal record of care of my patient and my patient's legal record of my care.

[lmccrn62, MSN, RN]

My guess would be that you are charting under that persons name.

[DragonPurr]

When another person charts under your name, you become responsible for that charting. Maybe its just me but I'm not having that. I refuse to accept responsibility for someone else's actions.

[akulahawkRN, ADN, RN, EMT-P]

Having (or allowing) someone else chart under your name means that you're taking full responsibility for everything that was charted by that other person. Since EHR systems aren't able to distinguish different persons, there's absolutely no way that anyone can claim you or someone else was charting in a particular patient's record because to the EHR, it's entirely YOU! With paper charting, at least there's the potential to have the handwriting to be obviously different from yours. However, once you sign the chart, you're still stating that you agree with, and are responsible for everything charted under your name. There's a reason why you can easily cross out entries easily in pen...

[DQstatus]

Thank you so much for all your input.

I guess it's mainly to protect yourself and others (including peers, patients).

[DQstatus]

So then should I have reported this to the charge nurse or my clinical instructor??

[Episteme]

Bring it up to your clinical instructor. Let him/her pass the word to the unit manager. You don't want a student causing a dust-up that could cost your school a clinical site. (They're not easy to come by.)

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

How is this your problem to worry about?

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

I think it is important for students to see the unethical/improper practices of other nurses so they can learn how to avoid these practices themselves.

[idialyze, BSN, RN]

I would think that it would not be legal?

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Falsifying records can be a crime. But before that, it's stupid and unethical.