Ensuring the integrity and accuracy of patient records is an essential duty in nursing practice, as these records serve as the foundation for patient care, treatment decisions, and reimbursement processes. Nurses are entrusted with the critical responsibility of documenting patient assessments, vital signs, and services accurately and truthfully. However, there are regrettable instances when deviations from these vital standards occur, potentially compromising patient care, reimbursement integrity, and raising significant concerns about the nurse’s professionalism. Nurses facing allegations or legal concerns related to fraudulent documentation and untruthful reporting can greatly benefit from the expertise and support of a nurse attorney. They contribute to accountability within the healthcare profession while safeguarding the nurse’s rights and professional reputation.
At the time of the initial incident, she was employed as an RN with a home healthcare provider in McAllen, Texas, and had been in that position for eight (8) months.
On or about October 3, 2021, and October 4, 2021, while employed as an RN with a home healthcare provider in McAllen, Texas, and assigned to a patient, RN submitted visit notes for payment, which included the patient’s vital signs, for times she was not actually in the patient’s home and did not assess the patient. In addition, RN falsified the parent’s signature on the nursing notes. RN’s conduct created inaccurate medical records and was likely to defraud and deceive the facility of money paid to the RN for hours not actually worked. In addition, RN’s conduct was likely to injure the patient in that subsequent care givers would rely on her documentation for further care.
In response to the above incident, RN states she had thought the last day she worked was October 4, so she submitted notes for that day.
The above actions constitute grounds for disciplinary action in accordance with Section 301.452(b)(10)&(13) Texas Occupations Code, and is a violation of 22 TEX ADMIN. CODE §217.11(1)(A),(1)(B),(1)(D)&(2) and 22 TEX. ADMIN. CODE §217.12 (1)(A), (1)(B),(1)(C),(1)(E),(4),(6)(A),(6)(H)&(10)(B).
However, without enough evidence to prove she’s not guilty, the RN lost the case. This is the reason why the Texas Board of Nursing placed her RN license under disciplinary action.
If you ever undergo cases such as this, it’s best to seek the assistance of a good nurse attorney as it could make the case better in your favor. Be sure to find a nurse attorney who is experienced and knowledgeable in several nurse cases to ensure the best assistance possible. Texas Nurse Attorney Yong J. An is willing to assist every nurse in need of immediate help for nurse licensing cases. He is an experienced nurse attorney for various licensing cases for the past 17 years and represented over 500 nurses before the Texas BON. To contact him, please dial (832) 428-5679 for a confidential consultation or for more inquiries.