Nurses letting other nurses chart on their account

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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

How is this your problem to worry about?

how is it not??

Nurses should set a good example for their students. If not, they should display professionalism or perform their duties with integrity to begin with.

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I don't know how to answer that question. It can be illegal but I don't see it being prosecuted unless it's discovered as part of a malpractice or other legal action. I can see as it would get you a stern warning and maybe fired, though. Can you explain yourself a little better?

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I understand how allowing someone to chart under my name could be harmful to me, but I fail to see how it would affect a nursing student or why a nursing student should be encouraged to get involved. Nursing students aren't at clinical sites to police nursing documentation.

I would encourage a student to get involved if a nurse slapped a patient or sprinkled orificenic on a patient's lunch, but this charting issue doesn't sound like one that requires outside intervention ...especially from some "hero" nursing student out to save the world.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
how is it not??

Nurses should set a good example for their students. If not, they should display professionalism or perform their duties with integrity to begin with.

As nurses we need to look at all the information before making a judgement. There are reasons that a nurse might use another nurses log in. IN this computer age it is possible that the system would not allow her to log on...IT may have given them permission. If she is documenting as herself there is nothing at risk here except hospital policy.

I have on occasion, as a supervisor, allowed nurses to use my screen once I logged in for I do not give out my passwords. A new nurse or one that the computer refused to recognize...there can be many reasons. You don't know the circumstances so you cannot judge.

It is not a good idea to let random people to use your log in and you should NEVER leave them unattended while using your screens. NEVER share your password. Always seek permission for the next step if you are not allowed to log in many times IT can rectify it on the phone.

As a professional I cannot not say whether this was unprofessional or not without investigating the details.

Investigate before you leap. Nursing students tend to view thigs as black and white.....unfortunately there is a lot of grey.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Because there are some exceptions to the "rules" so to speak, I didn't say unequivocally that allowing someone else to chart under/using your computer login was wrong or illegal. What I hoped to impress, however, was that when you do that you're taking responsibility for their work because the system thinks that you are the one doing the charting. It is possible (and probably a good idea) to require that someone add a comment to each charting session that they're doing the charting and have on file some kind of note with an administrative "blessing" for that session though, so if that chart ever goes to court, it's likely to be noticed that you possibly weren't the one charting, but someone else was and it is known who it was. You, however, might still be called to Court to testify to that effect.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
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.

I agree, but I think it would be more appropriate as a topic for post-conference, not "How can I report this nurse?" There seem to be so many student threads with that sort of topic.

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Well, I guess it wasn't just that specific charting act that I witnessed which gave me the gut feeling she wasn't being professional. But who knows, she may have been having a bad day or she hates her job.

And my question of whether I should report this or not, was just for my own reference for the future. I'm smart enough to know that I shouldn't intervene or butt in based on observing her for one day only.

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I understand how allowing someone to chart under my name could be harmful to me, but I fail to see how it would affect a nursing student or why a nursing student should be encouraged to get involved. Nursing students aren't at clinical sites to police nursing documentation.

I would encourage a student to get involved if a nurse slapped a patient or sprinkled orificenic on a patient's lunch, but this charting issue doesn't sound like one that requires outside intervention ...especially from some "hero" nursing student out to save the world.

I agree with Pangea. NOT the students lane of fire. In fact, this may even draw the student into being the focus of unintended scrutiny.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

My take on things you see in your clinical experiences that might be "less than professional" is to always follow your chain of command. Bring it up only to your clinical instructor because that instructor can more easily go to bat for you as well as evaluate the issue. If this is not pursued the right way, it's very easily possible for a program to lose a clinical site. With clinical sites being extremely valuable to schools, they don't want to lose them.

Sometimes you really don't know what kind of fireworks can be unleashed by simply reporting an issue the wrong way. Sometimes by reporting an issue the "wrong" way can result in a lot of "tied hands" that might otherwise be able to resolve an issue without much trouble at all. This advice also applies outside of nursing... I know.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Well, I guess it wasn't just that specific charting act that I witnessed which gave me the gut feeling she wasn't being professional. But who knows, she may have been having a bad day or she hates her job.

Unfortunately I'm not quite following your logic here. You go from "she charted when another nurse was logged in" to "she is not professional" to "she hates her job." As others have said, there may be a lot more to this than you realize. If there is something else that makes you feel she is not professional, what is it? Whatever the case, unless you have evidence that a patients health/safety is at risk, it is not your battle to fight.

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Unfortunately I'm not quite following your logic here. You go from "she charted when another nurse was logged in" to "she is not professional" to "she hates her job." As others have said, there may be a lot more to this than you realize. If there is something else that makes you feel she is not professional, what is it? Whatever the case, unless you have evidence that a patients health/safety is at risk, it is not your battle to fight.

Jesus.

NEVERMIND. You misunderstood the post there.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

I am computerly-challenged so I ask this in all seriousness - could nurse #2 access something on the account of nurse #1 that would be HIPAA-prohibited?

I'm sure with the state of computer forensics a HIPAA violation could be determined but the finger would be pointing at nurse #1 (the acct holder). Nurse #2 would be out of the picture (unknown). Too much risk in my opinion.

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