Have You Ever Falsified An EMS Document ?

[crotchitymedic1986]

OK, guess I misinterpreted what you meant. Anyway, you phrased the questions perfectly, I am sure others will respond to what you have stated.

[crotchitymedic1986]

Sorry, I misinterpreted what you typed. Anyway, you have phrased the questions perfectly, so I am sure others will respond, and the discussion will begin.

[Richard B the EMT]

I will answer a few of these with FDNY and NYS DoH protocols and rules

4. Documented that a patient refused AMA, when they really didn't ?

5. Documented that a patient refused immobilization or an IV, when they really didn't ?

No chance, as the patient has to sign the call report, both for declining any and all, or specific treatments the crew feels are necessary, as well as the acknowledgements required for HIPAA compliance.

8. Ever falsified an incident report to cover you or your partner's hind quarters: Yes, we had a backer on the ground, but my foot slipped off the brake ?

Actually, the gate got blown shut as we were leaving the scene (True!), and we filed a report for the new dent on the vehicle. No need to falsify a report.

One team lied, and tried blaming me for damage to the ambulance, but when I reminded the supervisor, that, due to my partner having fulfilled his overtime commitment the previous day, I had no partner with which to finish the tour, so the supervisor and I did a "walk-around" inspection of the ambulance without finding any damage. This same supervisor did another walk-around with me to see my reaction to the damage, and when I was surprised by actually seeing the damage, he wrote up the crew that had tried blaming me. He also took that new ambulance away from my team, so all 9 of us suffered because of these two liars, while using the oldest "any body's" ambulance vehicle.

[Dustdevil]

Well, I've made three medication errors (that I know of) in thirty-five years, and I have admitted and reported all three of them. Of course, I was caught in the act on two of them, so that made the decision to "report" it a little less of a struggle. Hell, I'm pretty sure I've even posted all three stories here at the City, so obviously I have no trouble admitting my mistakes. Falsification would be unthinkable to me, medication or otherwise.

But Crotch is absolutely correct that it is a rampant problem in EMS. It's an even bigger problem in non-EMS transport. Do you think all those EMT-Bs transporting obtunded octogenarians from the hospital to the nursing home are actually auscultating all those breath and bowel sounds they are charting? Hell no. I'd say patient assessments is the number one place where most falsification goes on in EMS. Anyone who has ever spent much time auditing PCRs has quickly come to that realisation. I've just always been too paranoid to participate in that practice. Or maybe it has something to do with integrity.

And that brings up a good point. If I have a medic working for me that is making medical errors, I can deal with that. The vast majority of providers do improve with proper education and experience. But if I have a medic who is falsifying statements and documents -- even the smallest, most insignificant of details -- I have zero tolerance. No second chances. You cannot teach integrity.

[JPINFV]

Lie on a PCR? Hell, no. I'd rather have to explain an omission than explain a lie. If it didn't happen, it didn't get documentation. No, I'm not going to sit here and do a secondary on every single dialysis patient. Hence the "N/A" box checked. No, I'm not going to document two sets of V/S at the same time because the transport was 0.4 miles and we're required to have two sets. 2 sets of V/S on a transport that takes 3 minutes is impossible, and no I'm not going to delay letting my poor patient get back to her room because you want me to squeeze her arm twice.

That said, I don't believe that approximating times is necessarily falsification if you don't/can't keep tract.

[crotchitymedic1986]

well said Dust, and I appreciate your honesty. A mistake isnt a mistake if we learn from it.

[WolfmanHarris]

We have to complete ACR's after all of our practice scenarios in class and submit them for marking. Early in the semester I withheld a medication under the incorrect belief that the medication the patient was allergic to was an NSAID (which it was not). I not only did not write that I gave it on my ACR, I wrote that I neglected to give it and what my mistake was.

The worst I've seen is people brushing over checksheets. I've had a partner sign off on the airway/oxygen bag and then with surprise tell me there wasn't a nasal cannula or pass me a busted collar. That's why I check absolutely everything whether I'm required to put my name on it or not.

It's funny I'm not very tidy at home and my desk is usually a mess, but I am absolutely anal retentive when it comes to equipment checks.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Crotch, I've never falsified a report of any kind. Never once and will never start.

Why have you chosen to be the moral police of this forum? I just don't get it.

The question since you asked it should be asked of you too. have you ever done anything you listed?

[crazyemt5150]

Yeah I haven't done it my self, but I can say this karma is a bitch and if you do document wrong and lie it will really bite you in the ass. I have seen multiple medics get reemed for doing that

[Richard B the EMT]

Crotch......Why have you chosen to be the moral police of this forum? I just don't get it.

RuffEMS, Dusty, and a few others already are the moral police here! (nope, I ain't one, usually)