No wonder patients are in pain!

justiceforjoy · Jun 5, 2009

That really bites! I'm sorry that happened. You were in a really difficult situation and I'm sure many of us would have done the same thing. Proper documentation, wasting, etc. are important and all, but so is safety of the clients and coworkers.

jollydogg_RN, ADN, BSN · Jun 5, 2009

these are the kinds of stories that make me really nervous about going out on my own after i finish orientation =(

i mean as its not enough with all of the constant updates to charting, documenting, and stuff. im sorry you have to be going through this.

i mean i just started orientation, but man.... i hope you get it resolved quickly.

Aneroo, LPN · Jun 5, 2009

Sorry you're going through this.

Be prepared though- even if your drug screen is negative, there still might be displinary action. Nurses have diverted before, but not for themselves, but for a family member or their spouse. (I'm not saying you did, but even if you're clean, they could still get you on something).

PeachPie · Jun 5, 2009

Sorry you're going through this.
Be prepared though- even if your drug screen is negative, there still might be displinary action. Nurses have diverted before, but not for themselves, but for a family member or their spouse. (I'm not saying you did, but even if you're clean, they could still get you on something).

Great, I'm a druggie no matter what. Why did I go into nursing?

morte, LPN, LVN · Jun 5, 2009

this is a system failure in a way......if you had the proper dose, you wouldnt need to waste...

PeachPie · Jun 5, 2009

this is a system failure in a way......if you had the proper dose, you wouldnt need to waste...

Yes, I often wonder why they don't make more dose containers. It's such a waste.

However, it's kind of dumb too that they let it go with the whole dose. How do they know that I'm not just drawing up a partial, documenting a full, and pocketing the rest with the patient never knowing the difference? I'm not, but it goes to show that their system of witnessing only partials has holes too, although I'm going to shut up now rather than jinx it in case JCAHO decides to instate that and create even more work for us.

Miss Mab · Jun 6, 2009

this is a way more appropriate place for this post i wrote elsewhere ay o'dark thirty. maybe mod will delete other?

anyway, don't know how new or interesting this might be for anyone but fwiw

anybody ever peruse the 'disciplinary actions' section of your state bon site?

since we all(and even if you haven't done this particular mistake like op, don't worry, there's somethin' here for almost everyone) know that real world nursing is rarely the utopia of school/nclex-like practice scenarios where there is staffing and 1to1 care available for all :yawn:

but even i was a little taken aback by some of the egregious offenses listed. oh and the bolded emphasis is theirs:

1. respondent removed 8mg. morphine from pxysis when physician order was for 4mg.

(no issue w/wastage btw, that appears all good, just the discrepency in what was ordered vs. removed)

oooohhh...

2. respondent removed 'whatever' at 2335. documented medication given at 2330, however this was fully five minutes before med removal.

3. respondent adminstered 'whatever' according to md order and patient was d/c at 1300. wasted 'appropriate amount' with 'appropriate witness' at 1341. however, this was almost 45 minutes after patient left department.

let's see......only comes in 8's

my watch/yer computer's off,

wth? i couldn't get anyone in to waste w/me until then and oh yeah, bed c decided then would be good time to, y'know, code...

don't know why i'm surprised anymore, and yes i know they're there for the public's protection and not ours, and no, these aren't mine nor am i in any trouble...

just over the the ability to make how-it-is-sometimes appear all shadyand suspicious...

anyway, just found that section today and it really teed me off. :smokin:

PeachPie · Jun 6, 2009

Okay, I'm sitting at home worrying about what is to come. My nurse manager said that I'd be clear once the urine drug screen comes back in about 6 days. However, she also said that my Accudose records will be audited. I know for a fact that my drug test will be clean. However, the latter scares me a bit. I know that there has been an instance or two in which I forgot to waste, and a couple drugs that I didn't even know that I had to waste.

Any advice? Sadly, I'm learning that it boils down to the crappy luck of getting caught.

Aneroo, LPN · Jun 8, 2009

this is a way more appropriate place for this post i wrote elsewhere ay o'dark thirty. maybe mod will delete other?
anyway, don't know how new or interesting this might be for anyone but fwiw
anybody ever peruse the 'disciplinary actions' section of your state bon site?
since we all(and even if you haven't done this particular mistake like op, don't worry, there's somethin' here for almost everyone) know that real world nursing is rarely the utopia of school/nclex-like practice scenarios where there is staffing and 1to1 care available for all
but even i was a little taken aback by some of the egregious offenses listed. oh and the bolded emphasis is theirs:
1. respondent removed 8mg. morphine from pxysis when physician order was for 4mg.
(no issue w/wastage btw, that appears all good, just the discrepency in what was ordered vs. removed)
oooohhh...
2. respondent removed 'whatever' at 2335. documented medication given at 2330, however this was fully five minutes before med removal.
3. respondent adminstered 'whatever' according to md order and patient was d/c at 1300. wasted 'appropriate amount' with 'appropriate witness' at 1341. however, this was almost 45 minutes after patient left department.
let's see......only comes in 8's
my watch/yer computer's off,
wth? i couldn't get anyone in to waste w/me until then and oh yeah, bed c decided then would be good time to, y'know, code...
don't know why i'm surprised anymore, and yes i know they're there for the public's protection and not ours, and no, these aren't mine nor am i in any trouble...
just over the the ability to make how-it-is-sometimes appear all shadyand suspicious...
anyway, just found that section today and it really teed me off.

those lil sections are scary! i was reading through one a few weeks ago- found out an old coworker is losing his license for diverting meds. our state will allow you to go through a rehab program to maintain you license (you're working really strict criteria though), but it is on a voluntary basis. dude maintained he did nothing wrong and is gonna lose his career for it. (he was caught diverting fentanyl, later found out it was thousands of mic's he diverted)!

PeachPie · Jun 8, 2009

I'm still waiting for my job to call me back with news...

I contacted a couple of ex-coworkers to ask advice on what I should do. One told me to quit before anything happens. I don't know if I should go that far just yet.

I also have such a new disdain for nurses who steal drugs. Yes, I know that addiction is a disease and that sometimes the stress of the job drives people to it, but here I am not getting paid and trying to prove my innocence because so many people have made it a problem.

Miss Mab · Jun 11, 2009

PeachPie,

Any movement w/your situation? Just wanted to send some positive thoughts....

While I certainly wish we could eradicate addictions altogether, what I truly disdain is a process set up in such a manner there is no reasonable likelihood of entirely successful compliance. It's a matter of literal impossibility d/t y'know the whole inability to teleport...

Compliance would be easily achieved, of course, w/appropriate staffing provided.

Think Ill go share this novel idea...:icon_roll