Unethical Former Boss- Advice?

Nurses Professionalism

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I have been working as a nurse manager for a little over a year for a small home care company. The job had the perfect hours for balancing NP school with work. After I began working there, I started noticing inconsistencies with what the owner of the company was saying. She portrayed herself as a nurse, even relaying nursing experiences with myself and other nurses. Over time I started to see a lack of healthcare knowledge that even students in the second semester of nursing school would know. I was busy with my duties so I would often make excuses for this (maybe she just hasn't actively practiced for a long time?). There were many business issues too (example: checks bouncing very often). I finally looked her up on the state's BON site and, of course, there was no record of her.

This eroded my trust. My eyes were opened at this point and I began seeing many lies. It became a running joke at home with my husband. She even made up a "data breach" as an excuse to close the office two weeks ago for two days (we have no patient information on any computers, just paper charts- she finds excuses occasionally so she saves money on paychecks). My biggest concern is that I have found my signature forged on things. She also forged the signature of a nurse I have never met on some of inservice papers in my employee chart in order to attempt to pass a state audit.

I graduated NP school and will be starting a NP job next week. I think having that in my back pocket gave me the courage to completely lose it today when she began a guilt trip on me for something I had done (nothing unethical or illegal- just an office decision). I let her know I knew she was being dishonest about being a nurse. I tried to do a 2 weeks notice but the conversation had dissolved to the point where we both knew I couldn't be in the office anymore. I hate that I didn't put in a two weeks notice sooner and I'm going to try to offer any support necessary to help the current employees.

My issue that I want advice on is protecting myself at this point. I am afraid she will continue to keep me on her organizational chart and forge my name to documents in an effort to appease state regulations. As you all know, protecting our license is pretty important. Is it best to handle this problem if it comes up or should I take some sort of other action? This occurred in the state of Alabama.

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44 minutes ago, FNPinAL said:

[...]

...My biggest concern is that I have found my signature forged on things. She also forged the signature of a nurse I have never met on some of inservice papers in my employee chart in order to attempt to pass a state audit.

[...]

And after you discovered this you stayed how long? The time to be concerned with your license was when you found the first forgery; not now, after you've left.

If it were me, I'd report her to whichever agency licensed her business, as well as reporting the forgeries of your signature to the appropriate law enforcement agency. As it is possible that she was engaged in other unlawful activity (e.g. insurance fraud), I would consult an attorney to determine how best to protect myself from this.

As for "offer[ing] any support necessary to help the current employees, I think it best that you sever all ties to everyone associated with this company.

Best wishes as you work through this.

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I will try not to be blatantly harsh: I do hope you reflect on this. You have written here that despite knowing someone was impersonating a nurse and was basically up to her eyeballs in forgery and fraudulent activity that put patients and others at risk, you looked the other way because it suited your personal career objectives (which happened to be the pursuit of an advanced practice nursing license).

Do as @chare has so kindly suggested, and please reflect.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
On ‎9‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 12:17 PM, chare said:

If it were me, I'd report her to whichever agency licensed her business, as well as reporting the forgeries of your signature to the appropriate law enforcement agency. As it is possible that she was engaged in other unlawful activity (e.g. insurance fraud), I would consult an attorney to determine how best to protect myself from this.

Impersonating a nurse is against the Nurse Practice Act in every state that I know of, and it is encoded in state law. It is a crime. The BON may decide not to pursue prosecution in her case if she did not engage in any direct patient care and she was instead only telling fabricated stories to appear to be one of the team. If she claimed to be an RN in order to get a license for her company, that is a different story.

The forgery is far more problematic. That is a felony.

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I went through something not much better than this many years ago. A wonky HH agency. Strange goings on, but nothing I could exactly prove.

Employment wise, I was in a very tight squeeze with few other options. I left as soon as I could, but it went on for a year. It was a nightmarish scenario.

This was a national company that went under the following year for Medicare fraud. I never heard anything more.

It wasn't your job to check her nursing credentials, but the forgeries are a concern, and that you knew about them.

The time to act was when you discovered she is not really an RN, if in fact she claims to be. It is also possible that her position didn't require a license.

It's an awkward situation.

I hope it all blows over.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

You need an attorney.

Right now.

Because judging from what you wrote here- you are complicit and bear significant liability risk.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

This is a terrible mess. I'm sorry you are going through this. I don't have any advice except to get a lawyer and take his or her advice. I am not judging you at all, but I just feel like this is over my head and yours.

I can imagine that you didnt want to rock the boat while you were planning your exit strategy. Employers can have us by the balls. So again, I'm not judging. But please get a lawyer before you do anything because I have a feeling this woman might come after you really soon. And we already know that her ethics are non existent.

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Specializes in Adult Primary Care.
7 hours ago, FolksBtrippin said:

This is a terrible mess. I'm sorry you are going through this. I don't have any advice except to get a lawyer and take his or her advice. I am not judging you at all, but I just feel like this is over my head and yours.

I can imagine that you didnt want to rock the boat while you were planning your exit strategy. Employers can have us by the balls. So again, I'm not judging. But please get a lawyer before you do anything because I have a feeling this woman might come after you really soon. And we already know that her ethics are non existent.

Agreed, and you have a license to protect, she does not.

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Can anybody remotely prove what you knew and when you knew it?

In my case, no, and I walked happily out the door in 1999.

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Not to be rude, OP, but you sound like a real ditz.

You come across as very laissez-faire, com si, com sa, lackadaisical.

Oblivious to what a serious situation you are part of.

Follow the advice you have received from others here. I wish you well.

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Specializes in Psych.

I’m surprised this post hasn’t been deleted ??

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