RI Health Professional Left Patient “In Need of Care,” Forged Patient’s Signature - Gets Probation

RI Health Professional Left Patient “In Need of Care,” Forged Patient’s Signature - Gets Probation

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) has cited a licensed health professional for falsifying when she provided patient care and forging the patient's signature.

According to RIDOH, Roserli Richardson Paulino, a nursing assistant, violated a number of procedures.

In the probation order, RIDOH wrote, "From July 10, 2023, up to and including August 2, 2024, [Paulino] was employed by several staffing agencies and assigned to provide care to patients in their homes...[and on] August 1, 2024, [Paulino] was scheduled to work at the home of a patient from 3:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m [and] arrived at the home at 3:15 p.m.”

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RIDOH however said it found Paulino did not stay and provide the requisite care.

“[She] left the home at 5:45 p.m. but did not clock out. [Paulino] returned to the home at 8:15 but did not get out of her car. She electronically reported that she had completed tasks, checked off her own signature, and forged the patient's signature, thus having abandoned the patient who was in need of her care,” wrote RIDOH.

"On August 2, 2024, the same patient described above told [Paulino] that he would not be home for her scheduled visit and that there was no need for her to come to his home. However, on that same day, [Paulino] drove to the patient's home, clocked in at 3:15 and left without entering the home. [She] returned to the area at 8:15 p.m., clocked herself out, forged the patient's signature, and left, again without entering the home,” according to RIDOH.

 

Probation for 12 months

As part of the agreement, RIDOH and Paulino (the "Respondent") agreed to the following:

Respondent is hereby issued the sanction of 12 months of Active Probation, effective the day this Consent Order is last executed, under the terms and condition as follows:

Respondent must work as a nursing assistant at a hospital or nursing facility with direct supervision for a period of 12 months. Respondent may not work as a nursing assistant in a private home or anywhere else without direct supervision.

Respondent's license status shall be listed as "Administrative Inactive" until Respondent provides RIDOH with documentation from a hospital or nursing facility stating that the hospital or facility employs or intends to employ Respondent as a nursing assistant. Upon receipt of this documentation from Respondent or the hospital or facility, Respondent's licensing status will be changed to "Active Probation."