Student caught stealing....

[RaggedyRN]

Would you press criminal charges if one of your students took money from your wallet? The student has been expelled from the program but has not returned the money If I press charges theres a chance I could get my money back and hopefully she would be prevented from applying to another nursing school... Just looking for opinions. Thanks!

[OCNRN63, RN]

I'm surprised by the overwhelming desire to press charges, and I disagree.

It's twenty dollars, c'mon. She's already been kicked out of school.

And the confession to the security guard is not admissible in court; it is hearsay, as the neither the security guard, not the facility is the victim.

Contrary to prior advice posted here, if you file a report, it will not appear on her criminal history unless the D.A. files charges (extremely unlikely, since it is only $20, and since she has already been punished by expulsion) or she is booked. Unlikely.

I know that you want to protect your chosen profession, and she should not be a nurse at all, but I think that you should let it go.

Would you say "just let it go" if she were any other common thief? Why does her being a nursing student make her special?

It's not the amount of money that she stole, it's that she stole, then covered up her crime by lying and blaming an innocent party.

Let the courts decide if it's worthy of prosecution, but yes, charges should be pressed.

[OCNRN63, RN]

what year are you guys from? you never ever made a mistake or did something wrong? i've been reading: "give them a scarlet letter", and "teach them a lesson"...who are you guys to decide how a person lives and learns? sounds like OP's ego was hurt and you are letting fear make decisions for you, which is probably not a good idea. what the student did was wrong, no doubt about it. try to use your compassionate nurses heart and find some forgiveness, you may find peace of mind much sooner that way. good luck:up:

You should have some compassion for the housekeeper this student wrongfully accused of doing the stealing. She was probably out of her mind with stress wondering what was going to happen to her, knowing all the while she did nothing wrong.

[Emergency RN]

i am always the type of person to try to make some sort of light out of a situation. i always hope that when a person does wrong they are doing so for some sort of good. ( for example.. stealing to buy food for your kids). that is why i thought it would be best to talk to her before pressing charges. i like to try to get the whole story before reacting.

we have all made mistakes.

just a thought.. how many of you have put some bandage tape in your pocket and took it home.. and kept it? what about pens, bandaids, scissors.. etc.. all of those items add up and technically you could be charged with theft.

does that make you a bad nurse? a horrible person? .. there is nothing wrong with accidentally taking something home.. but when you choose to not return it you have become a thief.

now i know that what this girl did was horrible and i am in no way taking her side, i am simply saying that it is important to get the whole story before throwing the book at her.

have you ever taken a moment to chat on the phone with your bff or gossip with a coworker while at work? .. in those moments you were not completely focused on your patients.. which in fact is compromising the safety of your patients.

a judge wouldn't sentence someone before hearing their side of the story.

should she be punished? absolutely.. kicked out of school? definitely

have a theft on her record? .. maybe not

apples and oranges.

yes, i do understand the concept of letter versus spirit of the law, but the generosity in your forgiving nature is totally misplaced. should she have theft on her record? absolutely. why? because she absolutely is a thief.

your illustration in comparing inadvertent misappropriation of supplies (due to forgetfulness) against that of calculated, willful predatory behavior, while quaint, is also alarmingly naive. you may genuinely see both acts to be the equivalent, but i certainly don't. what is central to this more than anything else is the intent. absentmindedly leaving with a roll of hospital tape in one's pocket is a technical wrong but wholly without criminal intent. waiting until the coast is clear before rifling through everyone's personal belongings, with a mind to permanently deprive others of their property, and then keeping mum while another stands accused for your acts; is a crime.

forget about allowing her into nursing, such a person should never be placed into any position of trust, or to have to deal with potentially vulnerable people. suppose she applied for a job as a police officer, and get's hired because nothing in her background checks indicated any problem? great, now she'll have a gun too.

hence imho, the op should report her to protect not just patients, but society at large. frankly, someone who is able to lay in wait for the ripe opportunity, commit the act, and then clam up while another is being blamed; bears the hallmark of a smooth and experienced criminal. in other words, this likely isn't the first time that she's done this. on another note; hospitals are notoriously fearful of bad press. so if anything, the hospital would be the first to just let her go. since the security officer works for the hospital, he should be treated as a reluctant witness. his loyalty is not to truth, but to his paycheck first. i certainly don't blame him for that, but the op shouldn't have illusions of otherwise.

[1louise1]

You should have some compassion for the housekeeper this student wrongfully accused of doing the stealing. She was probably out of her mind with stress wondering what was going to happen to her, knowing all the while she did nothing wrong.

and what makes you think i don't have compassion or sympathy for the housekeeper? the OP is asking what to do about the student, not the housekeeper. stay on topic!

[OCNRN63, RN]

and what makes you think i don't have compassion or sympathy for the housekeeper? the OP is asking what to do about the student, not the housekeeper. stay on topic!

I am on topic. You are only focused on the student. Look at the big picture. Her actions affected many people. Her serial lying proves her unworthy of compassion and sympathy. She needs to suffer the full consequences for what she did.

[Zookeeper3]

My issue is the VIOLATION OF TRUST, that what thieving in the nursing station is. How can I expect this person, TRUST this person to make the sound tough decisions that are required for patient care?

It's easy to say it's not up to me at this point, expelled from nursing (and that will stay with the thief). I personally would have written a letter to the BON about the lack of character from this character and left it at that. If the governing board, given notice, in the future grants a license to this type of person, I can be comfortable enough knowing that I've covered my bases... as there are so many programs around.

Unlike others beliefs, this is NOT a mistake, it is a character and personality flaw. I've never just stole money from someone and have never found an excuse to minimize stealing. The ramifications are huge, and I'd wager that the line in the sand for a person like that is an invisible one, that is best drawn with swift and strong discouragement from the start.

I've been short on cash many days... I borrow cash from peers and pay it back. This is not about need, it's about an internal flaw. That flaw is not one that I want beside me, caring for me and certainly not caring for others on my watch! Not one of us, and anyone that thinks otherwise, you've lowered the standard of our profession, we are more than that. We're trustworthy and honorable. I stand by that.

[1louise1]

I am on topic. You are only focused on the student. Look at the big picture. Her actions affected many people. Her serial lying proves her unworthy of compassion and sympathy. She needs to suffer the full consequences for what she did.

look, you're talking about making someone "suffer" and i'm now repulsed by the conversation. i was originally suggesting the OP take a different approach towards this yucky situation, and maybe have a healing and forgiving attitude instead of staying focused on negativity, getting even, making the student pay (figuratively not literally). we're not disputing the severity of the act, just the response to it.

[OCNRN63, RN]

look, you're talking about making someone "suffer" and i'm now repulsed by the conversation. i was originally suggesting the OP take a different approach towards this yucky situation, and maybe have a healing and forgiving attitude instead of staying focused on negativity, getting even, making the student pay (figuratively not literally). we're not disputing the severity of the act, just the response to it.

Would you feel the same way if she were not a nursing student and just a common thief?

What you should be repulsed by is the student's actions, not the consequences she should face for stealing, not once, but twice, lying, wrongfully accusing someone else, etc. That's repulsive to me.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

What you should be repulsed by is the student's actions, not the consequences she should face for stealing, not once, but twice, lying, wrongfully accusing someone else, etc. That's repulsive to me.

And if she continues to get away with it without serious consequences, who knows how far she'll end up going with criminal activity.

[1louise1]

Would you feel the same way if she were not a nursing student and just a common thief?

What you should be repulsed by is the student's actions, not the consequences she should face for stealing, not once, but twice, lying, wrongfully accusing someone else, etc. That's repulsive to me.

i really can't say that i'm repulsed by the student's actions (disheartened, dismayed, unnerved: yes) . in all honesty i don't like all the high and mighty attitudes i'm reading about making someone suffer, branding them with a scarlet letter, teaching them a lesson. it's all so preachy and biblical. for me, i try not to let myself think i can be the last word on someone's character; that i can be the ultimate decider in someone's fate, because of a wrongdoing done to me; that's far too hefty a task. my job is to find forgiveness so that i can sleep better at night.

let me flip the story, if i may. awhile back a patient went into a doctor's purse (left out in the open at the nurses station) and took her credit cards and cell phone, hiding them where the sun don't shine. here our vulnerable and precious patient (the one that everyone is concerned with protecting) is the culprit. press charges?

[Zookeeper3]

If there is no TRUST, how than can we nurse?

The lie of stealing is bigger than the act. It is deception! If we are allowed to deceive.... we cannot be trusted. My patients and families MUST have trust in me to do right by them always!

This is a required character trait in nurses, it's not a pick and choose situation. On this, I base my practice, it's what makes me whole as a nurse, my family can go home to sleep, I am trusted to do what is right. I simply will. Because of this, a thief is a liar, a thief violates that trust. A thief is NOT a nurse and can never be. A thief is not who we are and we NEED to DEMAND better for our profession and I stand by that.

I refuse to be linked with a lying thief over $20 or $20000000 I am more than that, I am a professional, and in my profession I demand MORE from those in this profession with me. I'm ashamed that others are fine with this. We as nurses are in deep trouble when this is accepted and excused behavior. I'm ashamed of you all making excuses for this.

I'm even more ashamed that this post needed to be said. I thought we were better than this.....

[OCNRN63, RN]

If there is no TRUST, how than can we nurse?

The lie of stealing is bigger than the act. It is deception! If we are allowed to deceive.... we cannot be trusted. My patients and families MUST have trust in me to do right by them always!

This is a required character trait in nurses, it's not a pick and choose situation. On this, I base my practice, it's what makes me whole as a nurse, my family can go home to sleep, I am trusted to do what is right. I simply will. Because of this, a thief is a liar, a thief violates that trust. A thief is NOT a nurse and can never be. A thief is not who we are and we NEED to DEMAND better for our profession and I stand by that.

I refuse to be linked with a lying thief over $20 or $20000000 I am more than that, I am a professional, and in my profession I demand MORE from those in this profession with me. I'm ashamed that others are fine with this. We are nurses are in deep trouble when this is accepted and excused behavior.

This.