Will I be held responsible ?

[NurseLoveJoy88]

The unit supervisor casually told me about a resident that attempted to wander off the unit. She said this happened around 9am on 7-3 shift, she was just telling me this around 10pm on 3-11 shift.

I looked through the chart and there was NO documentation.

I wrote the unit supervisor a letter to tell the nurse on 7-3 to document, I figure with being so busy she may have forgot.

Well, the next day I spoke to the 7-3 nurse and she said she was NOT notified of the elopement attempt and will not document.

At first I figured there was nothing I did wrong but now I'm starting to worry. I wonder if I should have documented, did an incident report, made sure doc and family was notified and etc.

Any insight will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I guess I will find out soon and keep you all posted.

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

I agree, what you would document would be considered "hearsay"..the only thing you could document would be something like "so and so reported to this nurse the mrs blank was seen walking down the hall and out the door..blah blah" .... but you did not witness anything so how can you document? makes NO sense. She could be telling you anything. I am sorry but I would flat out refuse. What is the problem with her documenting?

[steelcityrn, RN]

My point was maybe there was nothing to document, as it was not a true wandering situation. Now that your saying it was, I like the other agree you do not document on anything you did not witness or was present during the incident. Why doesn't your supervisor document the incident on the chart. She can write a late entry and sign her/his own name to it and follow up on the companies policy.