question

[ddeckerlvn]

I have a question for all hospice nurses. I recently started working for a hospice company and was "laid off" via text message on Tuesday of this week. It was my first hospice experience and have to say it will probably be my last due to this particular agency. It is a small, RN owned company with 7 patients. I was with the RN (owner) for a week before and did not receive good training. This agency has had a huge turnover rate with her losing about 4 employees since I started working there. Well, since I had worked with this RN owner at another company prior, I started working for her. She was in need of another RN and the one she hired, she did not like and always bad mouthed her to me saying this RN was a horrible nurse. So she let her go as well. I have a "friend" who is a LVN but has 10 years experience in hospice so I knew she would be a good fit for her. The RN is scheduled for her survey on Tuesday next week and she is so unorganized. She has IDG's that have not been done since at least February. Long story short, my "friend" got mad at me and quit the job after one week. I was laid off this week saying that her consultant recommended her RN friend help her through survey. Come to find out, she let me go so she could bring my friend back. Now I suspect she is doing what she was doing before. All those IDG's that were not done, RN is having the LVN do them and backdate them under her name in the computer. I suspect that she is also having the LVN do all her recerts and will have her do any admissions that come up as she has told me that is what she is wanting. I also suspect that LVN is doing all her charting for her too as lvn is much better at charting. Like I said, her survey is due Tuesday. Is this even legal? Is there something I can do? I feel like there is some kind of fraud going on here. Sorry for the long post, thanks for reading.

[caliotter3]

Your actions at this point would most likely only be considered to be retaliatory efforts from a disgruntled former employee unless you present clear, concrete, substantial evidence that can be used in proceedings against the agency. The situation as you describe it is probably not worth your time. Move on. I might want to avoid the LVN if she had a toxic role in bringing about your loss of employment.

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

I wouldn't let this experience deter you from hospice if this area of nursing is something you are truly interested in.

Maybe look for a well established agency in the future.

I think from reading your post you figured out that there may be some concerns with some of this agencies practices.

Hospice can be an amazing area of nursing.