Need Advice... Nurse stealing non-narcotic medication

[JSSCELI]

I am a new nurse and I am not sure exactly what to do regarding this issue. I am about 4 weeks into my first job as an RN and yesterday my preceptor asked me to see if any of my patients had PO Zofran. I asked why and she said that one of the nurses was feeling nauseous. She stated that the nurse she was asking for had asked for PO Phenergan but that she felt better giving her Zofran. I replied by saying "no, none of my patients have PO Zofran". I'm sure I had a funny expression on my face because she followed up with the fact that she frequently took medication like Mucinex or any over the counter medication from patients, reasoning with me by saying "you can get them from the store. So it's okay." And I responded by saying "you can't get Zofran from the store and even if you could the patients are still having to pay for the medication that you're taking from them."

I'm at a loss and I can't get this off my mind. I feel like taking any medication out of the pixis under a patients name is stealing from that patient. I've already had issues with this preceptor and next week I'm going to finish my orientation with another nurse. (This preceptor frequently leaves the floor to talk on other floors or to go outside and smoke. There was one instance when a patient was going into ARF and we had to call a rapid response. She was outside smoking and wouldn't answer her phone when called. Another instance just recently was that one of my patients was having chest pain and I was having to make all of the decisions and call the doctors all by myself. Being new and never having to deal with those things alone are VERY SCARY!)

Anyways... I know what the rules are regarding a nurse stealing/diverting narcotics from a patient. But I don't know what the rules are if it's non-narcotic medication. Also, I did not see this nurse take anything. It was merely a conversation. I don't want to cause a stink over this since I've already had issues with this nurse. But, I just can't get it off my mind. Is this something that I should take to my manager. Or is it something I should file an anonymous incident report over? Or should I just ignore it all together? I don't know what to do and if she does end up in trouble she's going to know it was me that ratted her out. Any advice?

[Caribbean Character]

But yet you have no problem with your coworkers stealing their client's medications?? Not very convincing.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I've had staff members ask me to take meds for them out of the Ekit because they've run out of their meds. These are prescription meds and I always say no. If someone asks for a couple of tylenol from a large bottle, I'll give it to them...after asking them if they have allergies or have ever had a reaction to tylenol. I always have a bottle of my own tylenol and ibuprofen in my desk. I hand them the bottle and they take what they need. There was a nurse in Massachusetts who lost her license because a surveyor saw her giving tylenol to a coworker from the med cart. She called it dispensing without a license.....makes you think

[youngheartoldhead]

But yet you have no problem with your coworkers stealing their client's medications?? Not very convincing.

I have no idea if my coworkers steal because i'm too busy doing my work.

[lmali8686]

I would put in an anonymous incident report at the very most. Like others have said some nurses want to see what kind of nurse you are and they test you. She is probably one of those. either way you're new so keep an eye out and see if this is really happening, keep your nose clean and do you job to the best of your ability.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

The bottom line is this--the pyxis machine is going to say that one takes out zofran. Under a specific patient's name, as most you can't just get out a med under no ones name. Unless you inventory the med--and I am not sure how one can explain why the new orientee was dong this for this one particular med.

What strikes me is that the nurse made some phenegran comment--oh, GOOD, zofran is so much better--IF it was a fact, then why didn't the nurse herself get it out of the pyxis and not ask the new nurse to do so. (cause it is a record of who takes out what, perhaps?)

Reeks of a set up, and to see what the nurse could get the OP to do. Along the same lines of over-riding meds, signing off on wastes....If the Op is going to pick some random person to get drugs out on, when the nurse who asked is perfectly capable of doing the same thing should she be inclined, is never a good sign.

There are facilites who have staff meds--ie: Tylenol, Ibuprofen and the like, however, these are generally gotten from the pharmacy directly, or one goes to employee health. You don't ask a new nurse to get a med for someone else who asked you.

Next would be "Nurse OP, you took a zofran out on patient such and so and it is not documented in the patient's chart that they were nauseasted" or the worst thing....10 minutes after you take the zofran out for the employee's use, the patient wants and needs the med.

The OP needs to cover herself.

[Emcat87]

Forgive me if I just repeat the same thing everyone else has said, I did not read all of the comments. First and foremost, as we all know, under no circumstance do you ever take anything non-narcotic or narcotic from the establishment at which you are employed, and especially never for a patient. Now, I have worked in the hospital and im currently working in long term care. Our meds are kept in a med cart. We have a pyxis for the purpose of if we running out of a med (which shouldn't happen very often) or we get a new order and need a dose before pharmacy can deliver the med and for emergency meds. I have seen nurses give other nurses/employees things like Zofran. It bothered me as well because, like you said, the patient paid for that medication, not to mention, it isnt right. Since you get your meds out of the pyxis, if someone would have gotten her the Zofran, it would have automatically charted that the patient got the medicine and everything. In LTC, we could just pull it out of the box and nobody would ever know, atleast thats the mentality of some of the staff. I agree with some of the others and think maybe she was probably testing you. Really, it would show someone several important things about a person depending on their answer. it would show character and your moral standard, not to mention whether you would take medicine from a patient. Being a new nurse is so hard and unfortunately the majority of seasoned nurses don't have much patience with newbies and they tend to want to "weed them out." Another thing I don't understand is, since she was your preceptor, why couldn't she pull it out of the pyxis. I would assume the Zofran was a PRN so even though maybe she wasn't "giving medication" she could have easily said that the patient asked for it and she just went ahead and got it. Either way, it is messed up and certainly breaking some major rules. Maybe you could pull her to the side the next time you work together and explain to her how you feel. Ask something like "is that normal practice at this facility?" Something that would get her to give you more information without flat out asking her. It also has the potential to be a very touchy situation depending on what you decide to do about it. You don't have any proof that she ever asked you that and you never saw her take anything and you didnt give her anything which makes it a "he said, she said." If I was in your situation and I was going to tell someone, I would choose the DON or a nurse in some such position. I would not speak of this to any other employees either. Don't necessarily go and "tattle", but address it in a way that it is more of an FYI than reporting someone. I'd also keep my eyes open for other nurses that maybe frequently "borrowing" meds and if you see it, then deal with it accordingly. Good luck!!

[canigraduate]

Wow. I am sitting here, mouth agape.

Don't steal. Taking something that doesn't belong to you, that you do not have explicit permission to take, IS stealing.

I have seen a few nurses in my short career fired for suspicion of diverting. SUSPICION. Not even proven.

Be very careful with your meds. Don't co-sign what you haven't seen with your own eyes. And for Pete's sake, don't let other people use you to divert.

If I were you, OP, I would take the NM aside and say something along the lines of "I'm sure this was just a test to see if I am honest, but this situation concerns me. This is what my preceptor said/did..." Now the NM is at least aware of what's going on and can investigate if need be.

[ComeTogether, LPN]

Here is my question to those whom see nothing wrong with taking med's from their work place.

How would you feel if a co-worker was taking a roll of toilet paper every now and then?

Some say taking a med from work is no big deal, but I bet they find taking a roll of toilet paper a big deal and consider it stealing.

So my point. Stop stealing from your work place and think about how those without insurance just got charged $25.00 for a Tylenol, because you seen nothing wrong with taking one or two.

If someone needs to steal toilet paper I say let them have it.....

Just saying

[wooh, BSN, RN]

Theft is theft, whether it's a box of band-aids or a Schedule II med.

So you cut your finger in your car right before you drive onto hospital property. Would you bleed throughout your shift so you don't have to steal a bandaid? Theft is theft!

Quote from Caribbean Character

But yet you have no problem with your coworkers stealing their client's medications?? Not very convincing.

Who's she trying to convince? You? who exactly are you?

A nursing student. As our most judgmental posters usually are.

The bottom line is this--the pyxis machine is going to say that one takes out zofran. Under a specific patient's name, as most you can't just get out a med under no ones name. Unless you inventory the med--and I am not sure how one can explain why the new orientee was dong this for this one particular med.

What strikes me is that the nurse made some phenegran comment--oh, GOOD, zofran is so much better--IF it was a fact, then why didn't the nurse herself get it out of the pyxis and not ask the new nurse to do so. (cause it is a record of who takes out what, perhaps?)

I didn't see where OP was asked to get it out. Just asked if any of the patients had it. Quicker than searching through all the patients' MARs on the entire floor.

Perhaps it was a set-up. Or perhaps someone just wanted something for nausea to get through their shift, whatever happened to be available. Until narcotics are involved, I have better things to do than police what other nurses are doing that isn't harming patients. I leave it to others to police the tylenol and toilet paper. I've got patients to take care of.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

So you cut your finger in your car right before you drive onto hospital property. Would you bleed throughout your shift so you don't have to steal a bandaid? Theft is theft!

Actually, I do keep a box of band-aids in my truck. I'm a knitter with two sons.

I made that remark because the general attitude seemed to be that if it's not a narcotic, then it's not theft/diversion/whatever. Theft is indeed theft :)

[aramis2121]

Tricky topic. I think you did well in switching preceptors. Find one that you can look up to. You have the ability to be any kind of nurse whether she's a drug stealing *bleep* or a compassionate nurse advocate. Good luck in your practice.

[canigraduate]

So you cut your finger in your car right before you drive onto hospital property. Would you bleed throughout your shift so you don't have to steal a bandaid? Theft is theft!

If I cut my finger as I pull into the hospital, what in the world am I doing while I'm driving?