Here’s my issue: I’m trying to figure out if I am in any way legally liable for a “nurse” at my company, if I should stay because I like the work, or if I should run for the hills because this company is being super shady.
Here’s the deal: I currently work for a company that contracts the medical department for a small county jail. I am the only RN, another LPN, and a new grad RN who’s apparently been working on a temporary license. Her name on all legal documentation is listed an “Grad RN”. The state I’m in allows new graduates to work (under direct supervision of a licensed RN) for 90 days. I’ve been there for almost 90 days now and she is not yet listed on the state BRN as licensed. She has been working independently on the day shift with no other RN in the facility, I’m in the PM shift. I see her for 15-30min during shift change. I am 95% certain she is working on an expired temporary license.
My long winded question in all this: As the only licensed RN working at this facility, am I responsible for anything she does? Should I try to address this with the company or take it as a sign of poor management and quit? Are there any other ramifications I’m not thinking of? And lastly, do I have no liability and it’s really none of my business and I should just steer clear of the whole situation?
I have had other concerns about the professionalism and integrity in this company as well, but it’s very small and minimally staffed, so it’s also going to be informal as well I would guess. I like the work and hours, so I’d like to stay, but I’m super nervous right now.
Sounds like your facility might be desperate for a warm body and inclined to tolerate a lot. Just keep a close eye on anything that can bleed over into your practice. Bravo for having liability coverage.
Here’s my issue: I’m trying to figure out if I am in any way legally liable for a “nurse” at my company, if I should stay because I like the work, or if I should run for the hills because this company is being super shady.
Here’s the deal: I currently work for a company that contracts the medical department for a small county jail. I am the only RN, another LPN, and a new grad RN who’s apparently been working on a temporary license. Her name on all legal documentation is listed an “Grad RN”. The state I’m in allows new graduates to work (under direct supervision of a licensed RN) for 90 days. I’ve been there for almost 90 days now and she is not yet listed on the state BRN as licensed. She has been working independently on the day shift with no other RN in the facility, I’m in the PM shift. I see her for 15-30min during shift change. I am 95% certain she is working on an expired temporary license.
My long winded question in all this: As the only licensed RN working at this facility, am I responsible for anything she does? Should I try to address this with the company or take it as a sign of poor management and quit? Are there any other ramifications I’m not thinking of? And lastly, do I have no liability and it’s really none of my business and I should just steer clear of the whole situation?
I have had other concerns about the professionalism and integrity in this company as well, but it’s very small and minimally staffed, so it’s also going to be informal as well I would guess. I like the work and hours, so I’d like to stay, but I’m super nervous right now.
I could be wrong. But I think you have no responsibility re: her licensure or lack thereof. Why would you? You did not hire her, you are not required to keep up with the status of anyone's license but your own, are you?
Even students are not people for whom a licensed RN is responsible. I think. Even the students' Instructor is not, as I understand it, responsible for what students do. I say this because an Instructor is not with a student 100% of the time the student is in Clinical.
A student might take it upon herself to do something other than things for which they have been trained already. For example - the first time a student is in Clinical he or she usually does VS, gives a bath, makes a bed. But no med administration, no suctioning, feeding, no care of various tubes, no dressing changes. Over the course of the first few weeks, these other things are taught and practiced before the student does them in Clinical on live patients. Or they are done in Clinical with the Instructor present if there was no chance to do them in a Skills Lab before Clinical.
But suppose a student does some of those things before getting the green light for them from the Instructor? Well, the student is responsible for his own behavior.
The student does not work under anyone else's license. The student is fully responsible for his or her own actions. The school can be held responsible separately, as your employer can likely be held responsible for their employees licensure. But you are not the employer so I don't see how you can be held liable for anyone but yourself.
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
39 minutes ago, Kooky Korky said:
Even students are not people for whom a licensed RN is responsible. I think. Even the students' Instructor is not, as I understand it, responsible for what students do. I say this because an Instructor is not with a student 100% of the time the student is in Clinical.
It is true that students aren’t “practicing under the teacher’s license” but it’s not because they aren’t under the instructor’s constant observation. It’s because even a student has a scope of practice that’s specified as part of the contract between the school and the facility, and as adults they are expected to adhere to it faithfully.
You could just ask her (non-confrontationally) when she's taking her boards. I agree the situation is fraught, but you're not her supervisor nor are you in a supervisor role with her. Good luck!
Specializes in Physiology, CM, consulting, nsg edu, LNC, COB.
On 4/22/2021 at 2:53 PM, Hannahbanana said:
Don’t co-sign your shift change med counts, narc sheets, report sheets, etc. with her. If she is signing “Suzie Q , RN” she must stop, because she is not an RN (you should be able to verify this online at your BON website... do it and then you’ll know how to proceed). You are not in danger if you are not supervising her in any way (including precepting/orienting her as a new hire) but I’d make your concerns known in writing to the facility/org risk manager stat if you discover she is not licensed or about not to be. If she’s the only one on duty on a shifts supervising UAPs, giving meds, etc., she has to be a real RN, not a graduate nurse.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
On 4/22/2021 at 8:20 AM, Cloe911 said:
Here’s my issue: I’m trying to figure out if I am in any way legally liable for a “nurse” at my company, if I should stay because I like the work, or if I should run for the hills because this company is being super shady.
Here’s the deal: I currently work for a company that contracts the medical department for a small county jail. I am the only RN, another LPN, and a new grad RN who’s apparently been working on a temporary license. Her name on all legal documentation is listed an “Grad RN”. The state I’m in allows new graduates to work (under direct supervision of a licensed RN) for 90 days. I’ve been there for almost 90 days now and she is not yet listed on the state BRN as licensed. She has been working independently on the day shift with no other RN in the facility, I’m in the PM shift. I see her for 15-30min during shift change. I am 95% certain she is working on an expired temporary license.
My long winded question in all this: As the only licensed RN working at this facility, am I responsible for anything she does? Should I try to address this with the company or take it as a sign of poor management and quit? Are there any other ramifications I’m not thinking of? And lastly, do I have no liability and it’s really none of my business and I should just steer clear of the whole situation?
I have had other concerns about the professionalism and integrity in this company as well, but it’s very small and minimally staffed, so it’s also going to be informal as well I would guess. I like the work and hours, so I’d like to stay, but I’m super nervous right now.
Liscense status is public domain so just look her up
In my state, you are sent the paper license before they update the website. So maybe she does have her paper license but the BON did not update on their site?
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