ok, i have already posted this in the pdn forum, but might get better results here.
yesterday i was terminated from my position as a pdn due to a very unprofessional thing i did. i signed and faxed in my time sheet and nurses notes( all on the same form) saying that i worked on 3-31-4-1,09 when i didn't.
i am stressed that i no longer have a job, income or insurance. but at the same time i am so relieved that i am not responsible for any one else's life, that i don't have to worry about charting and covering my butt, have to pretend that i like and enjoy my job.
i have been battling clinical depression for over 10 years now and i could feel myself going through the dark tunnel again. after 5 years as a nurse and being responsible for other peoples lives and all the other stress that goes and comes with nursing; i was facing severe burn-out!
i am not asking or looking for excuses. i take and took full responsiblity and admitted what i did when i was called in the office to sign my termination papers. i fully explained that i had been to my pcp on the 31st, he changed my antidepressants and i see him again on the 21st. i told them all about the change in meds, the depression and etc.
i am not pointing fingers, but the one of the people i had to talk to was some one that had my client sign papers saying that "she was there to do a supervisor visit for 2 different months" when in fact she did not!
my rn supervisor was very understanding ans said that she knew this was not me and that she did understand why i did the things i did. she even as far to try and let me keep my job, but the other person( non-medical) was having no part of it. my supervisor said she would even give me a great recommendation when i was ready to return to the working field.
my super also said that with her experience with the bon, that i will probably have to go through counseling and may or may not get suspended or license revoaked. yes, i know i will be investigated by the bon, but will deal with that when it comes.
the whole time that i was filling out the paper work, i knew i was wrong, yet didn't realize the after affects of what might happen. i was unable to work 4-3-4,09, was feeling great kinda on cloud "9" from the new meds.
again, i accept what has happened, will face what ever punishment is fit and will move on.
my mental state of health, family and continuing seeing my pcp is the most important thing right now.
anyways thanks so much for allowing me to express , vent, and share my feelings over this. all you guys here on an are awesome and understanding. some of you may or may not agree with me on what happened, not asking you too.
yeah, you kinda did hurt others. you didn't make your visits and you defrauded the medicare system, in turn defrauding all tax payers. but most importantly, those poor patients that didn't get their visits that they needed. is anyone feeling bad for the patients?
i only had the one pt. the parents knew i didn't work those days and did not know about me and the paperwork until i told them myself. the very first thing i did was wake the parents up who still had pt with them and told them that i had to leave do to a serious problem that i , myself caused and it no way had anything to do with them. so my pt was in very safe hands.
i, in no way am in any shape to judge someone else, as i have made some serious mistakes too. but the one thing that i admit to myself is when i could have potentially harmed a patient. it is never about the nurse and her problems, it is about the patient and their safety.
for one thing you really don't know me and pt safety was my concern. i did not harm my pt, she was being taken care of by her very comptent parents, there is more her than i will say as not to violate their trust any more than i already have.
the very first thing i said, was " i realize that i jeapodized baby so-in-so, the company, and broke a trust that will very hard to get back. it was never about me and me only.
the patient's aren't safe with you being their nurse in the state that you're in. you must fix that before returning to nursing,, or find another profession.
again you don't know me or anything else about me except for what i have shared here. so you can not say that pts aren't safe with me.
end of discussion about this with you. forgive me if i seem at you but it is people like you that would cause some people not to admit when they messed upped because they fear the remarks just like the ones you have made.
you said that you were one that did not judge others, well you did when you said my pts were unsafe and i need to find another profession. sorry there are way too many things in life to worry about what others really think when they don't know that person.
i have said my peace to you and only wish you the best as you continue your nursing career.
I would suggest that you contact a lawyer used to working with your BON. Yes, what you did was wrong, but there is no sense in paying more of a penalty than you have to.
In time, you might consider an area of nursing where direct responsibility for Pt outcomes in not part of the job description.
It sounds to me that your depression is getting the best of you. I hope you can get it better treated, it must be pretty bad for you to do something like this.
it sounds to me that your depression is getting the best of you. i hope you can get it better treated, it must be pretty bad for you to do something like this.
it was totally out of character for me, never have let the depression get this bad before. i am under the care of my physician and will be seeing a counselor next week.
again you don't know me or anything else about me except for what i have shared here. so you can not say that pts aren't safe with me.
end of discussion about this with you. forgive me if i seem at you but it is people like you that would cause some people not to admit when they messed upped because they fear the remarks just like the ones you have made.
you said that you were one that did not judge others, well you did when you said my pts were unsafe and i need to find another profession. sorry there are way too many things in life to worry about what others really think when they don't know that person.
i have said my peace to you and only wish you the best as you continue your nursing career.
what i said was "i, in no way am in any shape to judge someone else, as i have made some serious mistakes too. but the one thing that i admit to myself is when i could have potentially harmed a patient. it is never about the nurse and her problems, it is about the patient and their safety. the patient's aren't safe with you being their nurse in the state that you're in. you must fix that before returning to nursing,, or find another profession.
you came on here for advice, i gave it according to what you wrote. you said that you forged time sheets and didn't see the patient... that patient obviously has these services for a reason. i'm sorry if i have upset you, but you've really got to see the potential harm that you could have done. that is why i suggest you fix this before you return to nursing.
You know everyone makes mistakes and forging time sheets is peas compared to what could have happened. You obviously were crying out for help with your actions and i am glad god answered that for you. When one door closes another one opens and we dont know what that will be. The man upstairs knows what is going on and is taking care of it. My saying is that everything happens for a reason so have faith,concentrate on yourself because your a caregiver and caregivers forget about themselves way to often. Things will fall into place.
I dont know what you have been going through or experiencing but in my opinion even though i have never done anything like that-is it wasnt a big huge medical error nobody was hurt except you. So take time out and heal hugs
I couldn't care less about the time sheet. I do care about the nursing notes, and as Magsulfate pointed out, the fact that the patient was not visited. If you are too depressed to work, I understand that, but you still have the moral responsibility to call in sick or quit.
In your case, the issue has been resolved, and I hope you find some relief from your depression. But seriously consider whether you still have the capacity to care for patients. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if the BON takes your license. That may be just the thing you need to free yourself from nursing and thus free yourself from depression.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
Well, ya sure screwed things up good!
However, no one was physically harmed and that is what really matters. You did the crime and you will pay the price. That is all ok. It may end up being the best thing that ever happened to you in the long run.
Maybe once you are out of nursing your depression will leave also. That would be well worth the price.
I wish you all the best in the future. Just think of it as a gift of a new beginning!
at you but it is people like you that would cause some people not to admit when they messed upped because they fear the remarks just like the ones you have made.
Lorie P.
755 Posts
again you don't know me or anything else about me except for what i have shared here. so you can not say that pts aren't safe with me.
end of discussion about this with you. forgive me if i seem
at you but it is people like you that would cause some people not to admit when they messed upped because they fear the remarks just like the ones you have made.
you said that you were one that did not judge others, well you did when you said my pts were unsafe and i need to find another profession. sorry there are way too many things in life to worry about what others really think when they don't know that person.
i have said my peace to you and only wish you the best as you continue your nursing career.