What happens if a nurse falsified documents?

If your facility participates in Medicare or Medicaid, charting falsifications can be prosecuted as federal criminal offenses. The nurse who falsifies the record could lose her license and possibly serve prison time.

What is the penalty for falsifying medical documents?

Healthcare providers may also lose accreditation, eligibility for federal reimbursement programs, and loss of trust if they are found to have falsified a patient’s medical record. Finally, knowingly falsifying medical records is a felony crime with a potential fine of $250,000 or five years in prison.

What is considered falsifying medical records?

Technically, falsifying medical records is a crime which involves altering, changing, or modifying a document for the purpose of deceiving another person.

What is unprofessional conduct in nursing?

Unprofessional conduct refers to ‘conduct that is contrary to the accepted and agreed practice standards of the profession’ (e.g. breaching the principles of asepsis; violating confidentiality in the relationship between persons receiving care and nurses).

Can a nurse lose her license for mental illness?

A nurse could lose his ability to practice after it was found that he had a sexual relationship with a vulnerable mental health patient, which he confessed he had instigated.

Can medical records be altered?

Altering a medical record is a crime and can also be used against doctors in medical malpractice cases. However, it is not illegal for medical professionals to make honest updates to records, as long as they properly mark what they are doing and do not obscure information.

What happens if you forge medical documents?

Felony Forgery Charges In some states, tampering with medical records is a criminal offense in its own right. In others, fabricating medical entries is a forgery crime, covered by both state and federal laws. Misdemeanor tampering charges typically will result in fines and jail time up to around a year.

What are examples of falsification?

Examples of falsification include: Presenting false transcripts or references in application for a program. Submitting work which is not your own or was written by someone else. Lying about a personal issue or illness in order to extend a deadline.

Can you go to jail for falsification?

Criminal penalties According to Chapter 73 of title 18 of the United States Code under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, anyone who knowingly falsifies documents to “impede, obstruct or influence” an investigation shall be fined or face a prison sentence of up to 20 years.

What is a nurse’s duty of care?

Summary. The principle of duty of care is that you have an obligation to avoid acts or omissions, which could be reasonably foreseen to injure of harm other people. This means that you must anticipate risks for your clients and take care to prevent them coming to harm.

What constitutes falsifying documentation?

Falsifying documents is a criminal offense that involves the altering, changing, modifying, passing or possessing of a document for an unlawful purpose. It is considered a white collar crime and can be called by different names depending on your state, or be included as part of other collateral crimes.

What are the best practices for nursing documentation?

The Best Practices in Nursing Documentation. Documentation is mandatory for nurses, as the medical records they produce are considered legal materials. These professionals should maintain accurate information, including a chronology of events that features the date, time and nurse’s full signature after services were provided.

What is falsifying medical records?

Technically, falsifying medical records is a crime which involves altering, changing, or modifying a document for the purpose of deceiving another person. Falsifying medical records is not necessarily grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit, but may be grounds for an independent civil action for fraudulent concealment or spoliation of evidence.

What is the purpose of documentation in nursing?

Introduction. Nursing documentation is essential for good clinical communication. Appropriate legible documentation provides an accurate reflection of nursing assessments, changes in conditions, care provided and pertinent patient information to support the multidisciplinary team to deliver great care.