Your Not Gonna Believe This!!

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I was "appointed" to do chart audits for my unit a few months ago.....no biggie. 8 chart audits a month. Well I am consistantly finding consents the MD has not signed, orders not noted, unapproved abbrev.....ect. Well my unit director came to me yesterday and said that we were "not meeting are minimium requirements.....as in too many errors" and she asked me to "correct the problems instead of marking them as incorrect" I was so taken aback.....I said "I will NOT alter/document charts on any patient, especially patients I have never cared for" I said this in a NOT-SO-NICE tone.....she just said "FINE" and walked away. I am not sure what to do about this.....any advice??

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Well my unit director came to me yesterday and said that we were "not meeting are minimium requirements.....as in too many errors" and she asked me to "correct the problems instead of marking them as incorrect" .....any advice??

i do have advice.

document what SHE said.

heh.

that'll show her.

leslie

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Sounds like taking this assignment, and being unwilling to do illegal things (which so many mgrs think is ok) will get you on the bad side of this mgr.

Maybe you should be asked to be let out of the chart audit assignment.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

You are correct! DO NOT put your neck on the line by altering charts to make the facility look good! I can't even believe she told you to do such a thing! Do you think that you would be backed up in a court of law?? NO. You would be left hanging out to dry by that facility. :angryfire

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

I think leslie has the best advice ;)

I would report her to the powers that be!

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This situation is a perfect example of how we are so often between a rock and a hard place. If you decide to report your mgr, be prepared to have to find another job.

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This situation is a perfect example of how we are so often between a rock and a hard place. If you decide to report your mgr, be prepared to have to find another job.

very sad, but true, true, true.

who said nursing was virtuous???

leslie

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
This situation is a perfect example of how we are so often between a rock and a hard place. If you decide to report your mgr, be prepared to have to find another job.

That's pretty much a given. I wouldn't want to work for this woman/place if that's the mindset that they have regarding chart audits. Is this a hospital were talking about? Just Curious.

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You are correct! DO NOT put your neck on the line by altering charts to make the facility look good! I can't even believe she told you to do such a thing! Do you think that you would be backed up in a court of law?? NO. You would be left hanging out to dry by that facility. :angryfire
Oh I CAN believe she told her to do such a thing, it happens FAR more often than we all want to admit. It was for something VERY similar, that I was fired. When I refused and kept refusing, they then threatened me with disciplinary action, if I would not comply. I finally told them I would have to report them to "'State" for this. I was fired the next day.It was good that I did actually report them to state, as this act gave me the actual protection needed by some state laws to be considered retaliated against. Also my state law protects a nurse who merely discusses illegal/unethical practices with a supervisor IN HOUSE, then is retaliated against. Luckily, my state has this law that protects whistleblower health care workers. IT gave me the legal recourse I needed. I am now involved in a lawsuit with this former employer.

There are things that have gone on in LTC and other facilities that have been outright illegal/unethical. We as nurses have turned our heads to it or capitulated to threats of discipline and done their bidding, which has left a very bad taste in our collective mouths. I really think that if we would feel protected in our role as nurse, spelled out by the Nurse practice Act, theses scenarios would not keep happening. Hence strong unions, does the OP work in a facility with a union, this should be reported to the union immediately, if not, I would be alert for retaliatory action.

http://medi-smart.com/whistleblower-protection.htm

http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAPoliticalPower/State/StateLegislativeAgenda/Whistleblower_1.aspx

http://www.wisbar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Wisconsin_Lawyer&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&contentid=47659

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Specializes in LTC.

Run. Fast. Once you are away, call the state. If you want to hang in there, at the very least speak to her boss and follow the chain of command if only to protect yourself.

Ditto what everybody else has said.

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Specializes in ER.

ive got an idea, have her put the suggestion in writing and sign her name to it with her hospital position listed.

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I was "appointed" to do chart audits for my unit a few months ago.....no biggie. 8 chart audits a month. Well I am consistantly finding consents the MD has not signed, orders not noted, unapproved abbrev.....ect. Well my unit director came to me yesterday and said that we were "not meeting are minimium requirements.....as in too many errors" and she asked me to "correct the problems instead of marking them as incorrect" I was so taken aback.....I said "I will NOT alter/document charts on any patient, especially patients I have never cared for" I said this in a NOT-SO-NICE tone.....she just said "FINE" and walked away. I am not sure what to do about this.....any advice??
Yeah. Stick to your guns on this one. It's your license and your name. As far as reporting her to her supervisor... if you do so, don't be surprised if they see nothing wrong with what she asked you to do. I've been approached many times by managers asking me to 'fix' charts. It was their routine practice for them to do so prior to a JCAHO or state inspection. I've also seen this done before magnet surveys.

I would agree to flag them as incomplete, but I absolutely refused to alter documentation. Not sure who they recruited to do that, but it did occur.

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