Signing things you didn't do

MandyInMS · Aug 4, 2005

Can we say ILLEGAL ??? if you have made this nurse aware that this is not to be done and it continued, I'd have to write it up AND advise the DON of it...I wouldn't want to cause anyone to loose their job , but geeeeeez! not going the illegal route for ANYbody.

Room2Move · Aug 4, 2005

You're right, this is a great place to ask questions and vent your thoughts. I think that by writing down the cold, hard facts of the situation, you now clearly see the correct path to follow. Put aside your personal feelings about your coworker. Don't wait for another incident. You rightly asked her to stop this [dangerous, unethical] practice. She chose not to. Move up the chain of command. Report her now. Your license and the safety of your patients are on the line. Good luck!

Judee Smudee, ADN, RN · Aug 4, 2005

I can't believe the things I read here sometimes. I have NEVER run into such a situation. She needs to be made to see that she is putting herself and you as legal risk. If something gets signed off that is not done no one will ever believe that you did not put her up to it.

wanna-b-R.N. · Aug 4, 2005

Is this LPN new? You should only have to warn her one time, and maybe explain what could happen on your end. She obviously has her priority's mixed up.

Editorial Team / Admin · Aug 4, 2005

i make it a practice to not sign things out unless i do them myself. i have an lpn who constantly signs things she didn't do or signs them for other people. i have told her to not sign out things in my name but yesterday i went to do a flush on an ng tube and it was signed out that the line was patent with no residual. i said thanks for doing the flush. "well i didn't do it but i wanted to make sure all the papers were signed" :angryfire i told her that if i hadn't said anything about it and just assumed she'd done it i wouldn't have done it myself. if it happens again do i talk to the don? i like this nurse but she has a habit of signing things she hasn't done. i don't want to risk my license for her. i am so glad i have this place to ask questions at. i know the answer to this question. yes talk to the don.

glad you figured out the result to the problem. had you not, however, my advice would be simply.......have her canned now!!!!!!

siri

BETSRN · Aug 4, 2005

I make it a practice to not sign things out unless I do them myself. I have an lpn who constantly signs things she didn't do or signs them for other people. I have told her to not sign out things in my name but yesterday I went to do a flush on an ng tube and it was signed out that the line was patent with no residual. I said thanks for doing the flush. "Well I didn't do it but I wanted to make sure all the papers were signed" :angryfire I told her that if I hadn't said anything about it and just assumed she'd done it I wouldn't have done it myself. If it happens again do I talk to the don? I like this nurse but she has a habit of signing things she hasn't done. I don't want to risk my license for her. I am so glad I have this place to ask questions at. I know the answer to this question. Yes talk to the DON.

You don't wait for it to happen again.You have already spoken to this LPN. Go to the diector of nursing TODAY!! This is unethical not to mention unprofessional.

dinkymouse · Aug 5, 2005

Is this LPN new? You should only have to warn her one time, and maybe explain what could happen on your end. She obviously has her priority's mixed up.

She is the one who did my orientation! :uhoh3: I have now orientated with 2 other lpn's and an rn and they go by the rules.

babynurselsa, RN · Aug 6, 2005

MMMMMM ....... Can you say falsification of documentation?

And the other thought that I have would be. I know if it ain't charted it ain't done. I would rather do it and forget to chart knowing that my pt had good care, than chart ond forget to do it and make it look like they got care they never got. I would rather my patient be clean safe and comfy even if my chart wasn't all pretty.

That of course would only be if I truly had to choose between one or the other.

Granted DO IT THEN CHART IT.

But I still believe doing it is more important than charting it. The paper couldn't care less the patinet can.

She needs to get her priorities in line. What she is doing is unethical and illegal.

TracyB,RN, RN · Aug 6, 2005

Doesn't matter if you like her or not. She is interferring with the care that you are responsible to provide for YOUR patients. She didn't do the flush, but signed it off anyway for the sake of making sure it was signed?? What a goofball. There is no valid reason for her to be signing off on other's responsibilities. As the RN, you are ultimately responsible.

Talk to the DON, asap & start documenting every time you find a situation like this. The only way to get her to stop doing this is to make a paper trail by utilizing incident reports. Obviously, you speaking with her has had no effect & you need to get serious.

What is going to happen if she just so happens to flush a pt's ng or gt & uses too much fluid for a fluid overloaded pt?? Does it just end here, or is she signing off meds & other treatments? What about dressing changes? Are they getting done or is she just signing off? I can only imagine the condition of HER patients if she is only signing things off without completing them...Ughghgh, this truly annoys the hell out of me. I have had to deal with/ follow nurses who constantly sign off treatments that have not been done. I would go into work after having 2-3 days off & find that the treatments were signed off, but when going to change the pt's dressing, it would be MY dressing from 2-3 days prior? Do you really want to live with the fact that the patients aren't receiving adequate care??? Do you want her working on your off day & signing things out for you... Try explaining that one to a regulatory agency. NOT FUN when you have to account for another's mistake.

Here are some things to ponder... FRAUD, NEGLECT, LIABILITY of the RN, citation by public health, REASONABLE & PRUDENT.

GOOD LUCK....

lpnadmin · Aug 6, 2005

My humble policy:

a. If something isn't signed, and you didn't do it, never never never sign it yourself for the sake of 'looking good on paper'.

b. Do, then chart.

dinkymouse · Aug 7, 2005

I talked with another nurse who said the lpn has told her she doesn't chart everyday on the "hot" charts. We decided it has to stop so we are going to the don monday. I sometimes think that after 11 years being out of the game that a whole new set of people who are in it only for the money are being hired. There are some very good aides, lpns, rns that work here but it only takes 1 like her to bring us all down. Thanks for making my priorities straight.