Are You Hiring Fake Nurses?
Tamara was hired as a jail nurse after a brief interview and clean license lookup. No one noticed the 5-year gap between her nursing degree and her licensure. Within weeks, staff noticed Tamara struggling with basic medical tasks. When a patient was hospitalized after she missed the signs of a medical emergency, she and the jail were named in a lawsuit. Evidence found Tamara’s name on the Operation Nightingale list, revealing that she had never completed nursing school. Now, the jail is in hot water for failing to verify her credentials.
Operation Nightingale uncovered a coordinated scheme that allowed thousands of individuals to buy fake nursing diplomas and transcripts and skip proper training. These individuals went on to get their nursing license without ever completing a legitimate nursing program. To protect your facility and patients, carefully screen nursing credentials before you hire.
Cross-reference Operation Nightingale list
You can cross-reference a nurse’s name and school with the Operation Nightingale list to see if their school was used in the scheme. A common red flag is a long gap between graduation and licensure; for example, someone who claims to have graduated in 2016 but became licensed years later in 2021. Flag these applications and ask candidates follow-up questions during the interview. Each nursing candidate should be screened before an offer is made. Failing to confirm a nurse’s credentials can come back to bite you. Cross-reference the Operation Nightingale list.
Screen school status
Once you flag a school on the list, see if it is still open. If it is, pick up the phone and confirm that the nurse attended and graduated. Call the school’s Registrar’s Office directly. You will generally be asked to provide the student’s name and birth date before the office will confirm attendance and graduation status.
You can also submit a request to the National Clearinghouse if for some reason the Registrar’s Office will not provide the information you need. This can take longer than a phone call but will provide official school transcript documentation.
If the school is closed, it is recommended you do not move forward. Candidates whose attendance cannot be confirmed should be disqualified. Screen school status and verify attendance.
For more information, please contact training@sparktraining.us.
Disclaimer
All materials have been prepared for general information purposes only. The information presented should be treated as guidelines, not rules. The information presented is not intended to establish a standard of medical care and is not a substitute for common sense. The information presented is not legal advice, is not to be acted on as such, may not be current, and is subject to change without notice. Each situation should be addressed on a case-by-case basis. When in doubt, send them out!®
