After buying fraudulent diploma, Iowa man worked for years as a nurse

Kind of highlights how dangerous phony credentials can be, imagine how many patients he treated over the years?

https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/09/22/after-buying-fraudulent-diploma-iowa-man-worked-for-years-as-a-nurse/

 

A couple of things to note:

1) Passing the licensing exams is impressive. May have taken a few times but still impressive with virtually zero training/education.

2) Why do people think this is a good idea? Nothing good comes from it and when it comes to healthcare, you're putting human lives at risk.

 

Simple - money, and to some extent, status. Some people will do practically anything for money, or their self-esteem - sometimes to the point of sociopathy. Particularly people who are light on, or totally bereft of character. And that flaw crosses all social and class boundaries.

Some of the worst specimens go into healthcare. A larger number head for politics.

 

"Should have" means nothing to people of low ethics. And this man had precisely ONE DAY of valid LPN training - a review. He had nothing to "finish." The rest of his LPN training was at a degree mill. He'd have to start from scratch. But I would never expect him to. He is who he is.

And people like this are not ladder-climbers. They don't like ladders. Ladders mean honest work. Ladders are not for them.
That's the third time I've noticed a profusion of ladders, in as many days. What's with all the ladders, lately? Just curious. Doing some remodelling at the ol' Hacienda?

 

"Board records indicate Massango had to take the LPN exam twice, and the RN exam four times, before passing the tests"

Apparently the NCLEX has a first-time pass rate of above 80%, but that's for people who actually went to nursing school.

 

This is why we must switch all colleges over to digital diplomas and digital transcripts.

For TESU, it only takes 2 seconds to verify my diploma is real after I send a pdf of my diploma. Unfortunately, they don't have a digital system for transcripts yet.

 

Same with Duke. Digital through Parchment.

 

That bit about Indian Hills College may be so... but although the program was "a nursing degree," it was NOT a LPN program. Proof? Per the article:

"According to the board, he also acknowledged that his educational program as a licensed practical nurse consisted of a single-day “review course.” And you said, "they should have gone back to finish off the LPN education, and ladder that up to RN properly." I repeat - to qualify for LPN he would have to start from scratch. And he never, ever will.

 

For one thing - with his record, what legit school of nursing could / would have the audacity to admit him, now?

 

With a little investigative research, the National School of Nursing and Allied Health (NSNAH) in Virginia was approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing in 2008 and ordered to cease operation by June 2013.

NursingCopy-20160506130734 (virginia.gov)
Virginia Board of Nursing - Education Programs Discipline

It is not uncommon for nursing schools to be initially approved by State Boards of Nursing (BON) without national accreditation. Often, the BON will approve new nursing programs with a requirement to maintain a certain NCLEX pass rate and obtain school and or program accreditation within X amount of years, or the program will cease operation. If a graduate of such a program seeks licensure in another state, it is up to that State's BON to make a decision to accept a "State Approved" but unaccredited program. Often, students will take the NCLEX and apply for a license in the State where the unaccredited but State BON-approved school is located and after a number of years of practice, apply to another state based on "Endorsement," years of experience and the passing of the NCLEX.

According to the article, the operators of the school continued to operate after 2013 and issued "fraudulent" diplomas. I am curious why the BON of Iowa didn't check with the Virginia BON to verify the school was currently approved and request a list of the graduates between 2008 and 2013. The school was reported to "backdate" a graduation date from 2008 to 2013. I can't imagine a BON committing such an oversight, especially since the graduation date was 5 years after his application to take the NCLEX-PN! When I looked up the individual on: Nursys®
A PN was issued by Maryland in January of 2018. It is possible Iowa accepted the PN from Maryland and issued the PN by endorsement in Iowa on April, 2018.

I'm glad the FBI was able to uncover this fraud. If healthcare professionals commit this type of fraud, they should never be allowed to practice again.

 

Couldn't agree more. Under NO conditions! Bad, bad, BAD people.

"Git th' rope, Clem!"
"But Zeke, t'other feller said sump'n 'bout a ladder..."
"Awright... start buildin' th' scaffold, then! Mebbe thar's a whole bunch of 'em t'hang!"