I heard a story today about a nurse who had gone to a patient under their care and wrote out a check for $2500 to themselves and then had the patient sign it. The nurse has since paid the patient back $700 of the $2500 and the patients family has now gone to the hospital to demand the rest of the money be paid back. The hospital and the nurses surpervisor were completely unaware of what had gone on. As a result the nurse was brought in by HR and questioned as to what was going on. The nurse admitted to doing this and believed that they had not done any wrong. The hospital has put the nurse on suspension and is now under investigation. The hospital has also told the patients family that the hospital will not pay for this and suggest that they go to the police over this incident.

So the question I pose is would you consider this to be an ethics violation, a illegal action, or both?

One of the biggest questions for me a person who is working to get into the nursing program is aren't ethics a main topic in schooling to become a nurse? Course to me ethics is common sense.

BOTH.

CaptainEricRN says ...

Both -

As a former State attorney, I would have happily revoked this nurse's license, and referred the case to the Prosecutor for criminal prosecution. Sometimes I'm sorry i retired - I loved putting creeps like this out of business. Taking advantage of the sick and elderly is the LOWEST!

I have to say Eric, that this is EXACTLY how I felt when I heard about it.