[ClariceS]

Unfortunately like so many others, the first time I had contact with drug diversion was with a co-worker who also was a really good nurse. After initial discovery, the evicence was soon overwhelming. She was a team leader and preceptor on our floor. Part of her rehab required her to tell her other team leaders about her problem so she could get peer support. But she wouldn't and the first we knew about it was from our manager. Most of us would have suspected ourselves before we suspected this nurse because she was such a good nurse and teamplayer. A couple of us who worked with her frequently tried to offer assistance or at least moral support but she basically denied that she had a problem. Unfortunately she failed two subsequent drug screens (again, we gave her chance after chance) before she was let go. I saw later that she had surrendered her RN license.
I am so proud of those that have made it through rehab and are making it through each day. I hope you get support from your true friends and gain strength to ignore naysayers.

[PhantomRN]

We have a situation at my work now where management suspects a nurse of diverting narcs. We do not have pixis and the narc count is off more often than it should be.

I was talking to her one day and she told me she had to be prepped for some surgery. Anyway she said that the staff had given her 8 mg of versed and 175 of demoral and she was still wide awake and flopping around the bed like a fish. There is no way I would have been awake and she is not a big girl. Yes, I know this does not mean she is quilty, but I think if I were her I would have kept that to myself.

[mdslabod]

That was quitwe a story.

Thanks for sharing.

[BuffaloLPN]

I'm new here so reading all the back posts...
Anyway, new to medsurg in a peds hospital(come from homecare) I was shocked at wasting meds, narcotics. I couldn't believe they let nurses just dump extra down the drain in the med room! I just thought it was so easy for someone to abuse, considering they do not drug test for employment! You need a witness to obtain the narcs from pixis but noone actually watches what happens to them. I feel like it would be a burden to ask someone at all times to watch me waste, and worry that if I was accused of stealing meds I'd have no way to defend myself. Also, someone could steal and then sell them.
I guess it just worries me because I have had alot of contact with drug abusers, and always want to prevent the problem. Making such an easy access to abuse seems so dangerous.

[Danielle4]

I hope you do not mind, but I am not a nurse. (I am still a student)

When you say wasting what do you mean by that?

[BuffaloLPN]

Danielle4,
say a narcotic or other med like it comes in 10mg tablets, we break it in half and dump half down the drain and give the other.

[abrenrn]

Interesting site.

My first job was in Pedi oncology - lots of IV narcs, lots of waste (because peds). I was not abusing - then or ever - but I have an imagination. It would have been so easy to divert waste, not keep from patient - something a caring RN could do without guilt. Also, nurses very overworked, not enough time to follow every procedure, every policy. Guess which one might have been forgotten? Good nurses - always did full double check of blood, insulin, etc. - always careful with patients. Perhaps not so careful with selves, with licenses.

I did a paper on "impaired nursing" in college, for some reason just read it. Back in the 80s, it was a problem, worse problem was reaction though: tended to be silence, nothing said to impaired nurse until problem became severe - then would be led away in handcuffs. This was dift in medicine - most who ended up in trouble had been approached on a personal level (fellow MD), supervisory level (in hospital or something), then professional level - impaired physicians programs, licensing stuff - rarely ended up in jail.

Sounds like thinks are improving since my paper. There are impaired nursing programs. Sounds like people want to talk directly to peer if safe, then to management if no change, then to professional boards before nurse caught diverting narcotics and sent to jail.

Hope so.

[tattooednursie]

Ive worked under the influnce of vikoden. Either I had o have vikodin or I was not going to be there. I was in TOO much pain. I had a horrible ear infection with throbbing pain, and blood and puss was just running out my ears, down both sides of my neck, it was so awful. I was in so mch pain that i wanted to curl up in a little ball, and then croak.

[Furball]

I would've just stayed home...geesh. I wouldn't stay anywhere that doesn't allow sick call offs. Are you so willing to possibly make a mistake and finding your license in jeopardy?


Sorry....I'm off topic. It just boils me that so many nurses don't take care of themselves or aren't expected too. grrrr

[teeituptom]

Howdy yall
from deep in the heart of texas

I agree with you Furball. Impaired nurses is a growing problem everywhere and it isnt being addressed adequately in any fashion. But it it isnt just diversion of medications, Interesting term for plain old stealing in my book. But nurses using prescription meds that nowadays are so easily obtainable wherever you go. The nurse with migraines having a stadol sniffers, who has a migraine during driving and takes a nasal inhalation of stadol or 2 or 3 ad infinitum. Or any of the other meds that you can get just because you tell some doctor you are in pain. Yes pain needs to be dealy with. But so does the responsibilyt of proper usage. If Im ever in a car wreck, I dont want whoever hits me to be tested for alcohol necessarily. Im going to want that person tested for any and all drug usage.

Just a irritated ER nurse who has seen to many avoidable tragedies.