So I was a private duty nurse at a company for almost 2 years. I had put in my 2 week notice and became sick during one of my last shifts. I called the office and told them I was sick and needed to go home. They stated if I brought my patient to the office I could go home. So one of the other nurses that worked in the home showed up because she accidentally took the van we use for transportation keys home. While she was there I asked her if she would be willing to take our patient to the office for me since I was so sick. She agreed to. She clocked in and I called the office and told them she was gonna bring the patient down for me and they stated that was fine. I gave her report and counted the medications and she took the keys from me. I was just contacted by an investigation from the board of nursing saying my employer reported me for abandonment! I don’t see how this could be abandonment but I’m afraid they’re going to take my license away over this. Has anyone been through something similar or have any advice for me? To beat it all the nurse I was working with is actually my friend and even came to work at my new job with me and when I asked her about the situation she has been ignoring me since so now I’m wondering if she also reported me. 

In no way can this be seen as abandonment, RNicolee!

All involved parties were informed, plans were made, permission was granted, report was given, and another licensed professional took charge!

This situation has all the earmarks of administration maliciously retaliating. The friend/coworker may just be reacting due to being put in the hotseat and is covering her own behind.

Go out and fight the good fight*, RNicolee! We're behind you!

*Objectively document the situation- names, times, people, places, quotes of who said what, contact your liability insurer if you have one, and if necessary, lawyer up!

Documentation is everything. As long as you have appropriate records and documentation you should be fine. Unless there are other things missing.  If the board of nursing is investigating sounds like other things happen

You appropriately handed off the patient to another nurse.  How on earth would they consider that abandonment?  No reasonable BON would think so either.  They are being petty and are wrong.

Sounds like they are mad that you were resigning. Im not sure how documentation works in that role, but I would hope that you documented that you consulted with the office and they agreed the oncoming nurse could manage transport and that you gave report/counted narcs/officially handed the pt off. That is NOT abandonment. However, if you have no documentation to cover yourself and the oncoming nurse will not back up what you are saying, you may have an uphill battle in proving you did not just up and leave.

6 hours ago, Tweety said:

You appropriately handed off the patient to another nurse.  How on earth would they consider that abandonment?  No reasonable BON would think so either.  They are being petty and are wrong.

Right it sounds very petty thats why I'm wondering if there is more to the story than what the poster is posting? Like why would the board of nursing waste their time on this? There are literally new grad nurses with no experience lying on their resumes for travel contracts??. Now  that's investigation worthy

I think there is more to this than the OP wrote.  Too incredulous, because no real friend would do this and has something against the OP, to explain this incident or malice. Or the others involved are not fully honest...common in workplaces.

https://www.felhaber.com/jury-awards-2-million-to-nurse-for-defamatory-report-to-board-of-nursing/
 

Maybe you can retire early. Do not allow them to take advantage of you. Fight them, then sue them for the damages they caused you. God bless America. 

I've worked 18+ years in private duty and NEVER have I had to bring a client to the office. This whole story is interesting. Usually the patient is left in the care of family members or friends if no nurse shows up. If the patient has no family or friends to take over, then maybe that patient needs to go into a skilled nursing facility.

Was it a peds or an adult patient? Was it a high tech case?

But most importantly...where is the patient's back up caregiver or family? 
 

Most hospitals will not release the patient to a nursing agency until they have a caregiver on hand. Most hospital social workers know that private duty nursing is unreliable(another topic for another day)
 

What happens if a nurse cannot make her shift and has an accident while coming to work? And the nurse on duty cannot work any longer because she worked 16 hours already? 

RNicolee said:

So I was a private duty nurse at a company for almost 2 years. I had put in my 2 week notice and became sick during one of my last shifts. I called the office and told them I was sick and needed to go home. They stated if I brought my patient to the office I could go home. So one of the other nurses that worked in the home showed up because she accidentally took the van we use for transportation keys home. While she was there I asked her if she would be willing to take our patient to the office for me since I was so sick. She agreed to. She clocked in and I called the office and told them she was gonna bring the patient down for me and they stated that was fine. I gave her report and counted the medications and she took the keys from me. I was just contacted by an investigation from the board of nursing saying my employer reported me for abandonment! I don't see how this could be abandonment but I'm afraid they're going to take my license away over this. Has anyone been through something similar or have any advice for me? To beat it all the nurse I was working with is actually my friend and even came to work at my new job with me and when I asked her about the situation she has been ignoring me since so now I'm wondering if she also reported me. 

She probably had a hand in it but you can not waste mental space worrying about her. What you need now is documentation of your phone calls.patient documentation, and if you sought medical for yourself these things will be on your side.  Usually threats like this looming over your head has you creating scenarios that do not exists, find out what could possibly happen from your state board for abandonment so you have accurate information on penalty. Now is the time you should be collecting info on your Innocence. I pray it works in your favor. Good luck