Woman posing as a nurse for months

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I found this article very interesting of a woman posing to be a nurse with a master degree and even had the audacity to teach her 'non-skills' to students in a nursing program. She was finally caught and brought to justice.

Check it out: No degree. No skills. So how did she get a nursing job at a St. Louis hospital? | Law and order | stltoday.com

Just imagine needing medical attention and a fraud nurse can't even pass the basic nursing skills.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

Didn't read the article, but will say that such occurrences happen all the time. Sadly dangerous.

The nurse was prob not vetted as should have happened. And they usually get found out when they do something ridiculously stupid. Or someone else was just being nosey and snooping around and made the discovery.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Initially hired by Brown Mackie College, a for-profit school that has since made plans to close 22 of 26 campuses, in June 2015. Fired in December after director starts looking into her background. Six months from hire date to realization? Going to go with definitely not properly vetted, and another reason to avoid predatory for-profit schools. The fact that they didn't report? Even more concerning.

But if that isn't enough, then goes on to apply for a job with a staffing agency. Spends time in two units in a hospital, contract not extended. Then applies to another agency, who properly vets her and reports her, resulting in charges.

It's scary to think how many people failed at doing their jobs with just this one case.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Developmental Disorders.

I worked with a "nurse" who had been employed as an LVN for three years, but was only a nurse for one of those years. She was the queen of med errors, which was weird, as one doesn't need a nursing degree to read a medication order and give the correct pills, but I digress. I could go on and on.

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.

Some places are apparently so desperate to hire someone that they are willing to take their word regarding their credentials. I was once hired by a LTC facility that didn't even ask to see my license before they asked when I could start. I was licensed, but I found it curious that they didn't care about seeing it.

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Some places are apparently so desperate to hire someone that they are willing to take their word regarding their credentials. I was once hired by a LTC facility that didn't even ask to see my license before they asked when I could start. I was licensed, but I found it curious that they didn't care about seeing it.

In my state all the licenses are on line and anyone can look at it. Says she used a hypenated name wtih the name and number of a real nurse so that might have thrown people off too. I guess no one thinks anyone would do such a thing. Would never occur to me to think someone was lying about that. Oh my gosh, being in the ICU with no training - what a nightmare!! Wonder what she was thinking!

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Specializes in Hospice, corrections, psychiatry, rehab, LTC.
In my state all the licenses are on line and anyone can look at it.

Ours are now, but then they were all hard cards. My state doesn't issue a license card anymore, and employers are directed to verify licenses online.

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Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

How can this happen with the information age???

I check Department of health websites/state license department/nurseys web site for license verification is this not standard??? If you cannot verify then they go bye bye. There is no reason to put patient, medical treatment facilities or your license at risk.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
How can this happen with the information age???

I check Department of health websites/state license department/nurseys web site for license verification is this not standard??? If you cannot verify then they go bye bye. There is no reason to put patient, medical treatment facilities or your license at risk.

What this nurse did was very clever. She went on state board website found a nurse with a similar name and age and snatched that identity. She took a risk of being caught but since she was originally applying for a teaching position she may not have been under the same scrutiny as some. Plus it appears she went to work for a less than reputable for -profit school.

Never under estimate the ingenuity of the criminal mind.

Hppy

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

I worked in a facility that apparently doesn't vet applicants thoroughly. When I was there, they hired an LNA who turned out to have 2 outstanding burglary warrants and a child abuse conviction. She lost her license (nurses aides are licensed here) for theft and failing to attend her hearing.

Last year, the same facility hired one LNA with an undisclosed criminal history and another who posed as an LPN. She was hired by 2 other facilities, posed as an RN at one, and never worked a shift at the other.

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