To Tell or Not To Tell

[MiAmorPickles]

I work in private duty nursing. I met a nurse this morning at my current assignment who just stopped working an assignment I had also previously worked on before this current one. She remarked that she needed to leave because the nurse's there were giving her a hard time because she wanted to do things by the book, i.e., count the narcs at the beginning of her shift, etc. Anyway, she remarked that one of the nurses on that particular job--whom I actually oriented to take my place--is asking for and accepting money from the patient's mother due to a gambling problem. She said she didn't tell the office about it and was wondering whether she should. I told her this was a big deal--a violation of patient boundaries--but I gathered from our conversation she just wants to put it all behind her and move on. I am tempted to call the office and give them a heads up on the situation. However, it would just be secondhand information and I don't want to look like a busybody. Words of wisdom anybody?

[DeeAngel]

Report this issues directly to the DON and have her confront the person themselves. Don't ever let others drag you into their drama.

[NuGuyNurse2b]

not counting narcs q shift?! that is a recipe for disaster with a side of you're all getting reported. you guys got bigger problems than just the nurse taking gambling money from their patients.

[tch1920, BSN, RN]

Report anonymously and state that the information is hear say.

[tyvin, BSN, RN]

"If" I actually believed everything I was told or heard (here say) and reported it, I would never have time for work. Take no heed to gossip. Stop people before they spill crap.

Reminds me of the people accused of rape who didn't do it. Doesn't matter, after the gossip starts the person's reputation is gone no matter what.

People just can't help themselves. You don't report the nurse you report the gossiper; that's if you're going to do anything about here say...that's why it's not allowed in court because that's just what it is. My goodness, with all the posts about gossip on here I have to wonder when does anyone work?

If you report anonymously you'll sound unprofessional. It goes like this. I heard that or excuse me, let me say that so and so told me such and such....really? How about writing up the other nurse for gossip. It's called inappropriate nursing conduct/unprofessional behavior. Than they go after her.

Don't take responsibility for here say. Try furthering your career with some educational videos, volunteer at a homeless shelter, donate blood, time with your family, etc... Some of the people on this site sound like a bunch of old spinsters with nothing else to do but gossip.

[klcrn1987]

I'm not worried about the nurses as much as the family!!! They are being used and taken advantage of. Not only professionally but morally wrong...

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

You have no idea if it's true or not. The person who told you could just be repeating gossip or surmising and assuming things.

It does not directly involve the patient.

You are not even on the case any more or in the employ of the firm any more, right?

Hard call.

I don't know what the legal requirement is.

Nurse Beth, can you help us figure out the moral duty/ethics?

[babynurse4u]

In the world of Medicaid and Medicare, there is legislation that requires that if a nurse (or other healthcare worker) has ANY knowledge of fraudulent or unethical activities they MUST report. This is a case of guilty by association-if you do not report and it is discovered at a future date (and it most likely will be) you can also be held accountable for not reporting. And this is NOT secondhand information, hearsay, etc. it is a matter of knowledge of potential wrongdoing. There will be an investigation, so if someone's license is affected or if they go to jail, it is on THEIR OWN head not yours. And what about the patient??????????? Aren't we supposed to protect and advocate for them?

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

Why didn't you ask the patient?.

[3ringnursing, BSN]

I worked at a Vencor years ago when I had only been a RN for a couple of years and we acquired a CNA via agency who eventually signed on as staff. He had worked as a medic in the military and had some good skills, but he also had a temper and wasn't always reliable.

In time he started quietly targeting the few patients who actually got better and went home (most of our patients were long term vent patients with a variety of severe health problems, and most died rather than recover). His MO was he would ingratiate himself with family members who realized they would need a bit of ADL help and companionship for their loved one once they returned home but wanted to save a few bucks. He was aware that there is a time limit before he could work privately for a patient met on the job, but did it anyway. It was predatory in the extreme and he was slick and crafty. Some of the family members we got to know over long periods returned to our facility with small thank you's (pizza, food baskets, flowers, hand drawn pictures from their children/grandchildren) and some had some mighty strange tales to tell: missing jewelry, money, and trinkets.

In the end I believe he ended up leaving the city in a hurry - he got hired on full time at an ICU in a different hospital and wormed his way into the house and bed of the nurse manager. The nurse manager was young and sweet, and she had two tweenage daughter's … it wasn't good.

Because we did nothing (everyone believing someone else with more authority would/should do it) this guy was free to perpetuate many acts ranging from inappropriate to criminal.

Since that time I am now 2 decades older and hopefully a bit wiser, and realize now that I can't count on someone else to take care of something that I am also aware of too (this became blatant as I sat filling out a adult protective services form for 2 hours after my shift last week because no one else who had plenty of opportunity to do so had).

This was your associates responsibility, but because she shared and you now have the knowledge too I think your conscience may dictate that you can't ignore the situation.

[rachel10069]

Not "drug." It's "dragged."