What was she thinking???

[Nurse Salt]

I just got off the phone with a friend and she was telling me about a co-worker who recently was caught forging a charge nurse's signature! I don't know too many details, but it had something to do with her trying to cover up an error the following day. I'm baffled by this! Has anyone else ever encountered anything like this? What did your hospital do? I am just completely flabbergasted!!!

[shellsgogreen]

oh wow......

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I assume her license is in jeopardy and probably her job as well. I had a nurse once who charted ahead of the time (charted at beginning of shift but indicated the times were later in the shift). She got caught when a patient had a sudden turn for the worse and was fired and lost her license for documentation fraud, unprofessional conduct and no telling what else. BTW, she had >20 years experience as a nurse!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I had a nurse once who charted ahead of the time (charted at beginning of shift but indicated the times were later in the shift). She got caught when a patient had a sudden turn for the worse and was fired and lost her license for documentation fraud, unprofessional conduct and no telling what else. BTW, she had >20 years experience as a nurse!

A PERFECT example of why newbie nurses should not feel intimidated by more senior nurses just because they've been there since the foundation had dried.

Sometimes I hear "hey, I've been doing this for 10--20--30 years..." when I know it's something they shouldn't be doing. As if repetition of bad practice for an extended period of time turns it into good practice...?

So when I see some new grad bashing on the boards, I like to remind that there ARE nurses with 25 years experience who are lousy. Just a matter of time before it catches you.

[oslogirl]

That is really sad.

[Vito Andolini]

At my previous workplace, my ADON (assistant director of nurses) used to forge my signature all the time. It's needless to say that I no longer am an employee of that particular facility.

All the time? Wow, sounds like it was one crazy job! Why did she do this? And when you learned of it, what did you do?

[shelly304]

Makes me wonder what else she has been up to! It probably isn't the first "indiscretion" she has commited.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

innocent, till proven guilty...?

[Nurse Salt]

UPDATE:

I spoke to my friend today and she informed me the nurse "admitted" what she did (after denying it and even accusing and writing up several other nurses for inadequate care d/t her falsification). Anyway, she did not even get a slap on the wrist because she admitted to it... WHAT? I'm sorry, forgery is forgery regardless of whether someone admits it. I mean if a thief commits a crime, he is not let go if he admits to it... Oh, and to top it off, my friend says she caught this nurse AGAIN trying to falsify a document. When confronted the nurse said something like, "the manager told me to..."

I think this is one "warm body" that needs to be let go...