Tricks of the trade: Diversion- stories of the stupid and sly?

Nurses General Nursing

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RN drank a bottle of codeine at night, passed out. I called 911.

RN emptied a vila of MS (RED), replaced it with NS (CLEAR). I sent it to be tested.

LPN wrote oders for oxcodone, over the course of a year. Made sure to be there to receive from pharmacy. POA called from out of state regarding a $5000 bill for oxydocone. Told him, no, patient not taking that. Not in chart, not on MAR, not in cart, no trail. Called pharmacy- they faxed me copies of his bogus orders...AND copies of every receipt he signed. BUSTED! (He even slid the original orders into the huge stack for the MD to sign, knowing that they sign anything without looking at it).

Advice: Like the digital age, the pharmacy has all kinds of checks and balances, every pill can be traced. So don't divert, and also never sign you gave a med that wasn't available- you can be found out. Don't do it.

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I really have gone fishing for a lost pen in a sharps container. Lost accu check pen, carpuject thingy,.....

I never considered somebody might think I was fishing for narcs. I'm not a new nurse either. Just chronically naive

I won't be doing that EVER again.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
I really have gone fishing for a lost pen in a sharps container. Lost accu check pen, carpuject thingy,.....

I never considered somebody might think I was fishing for narcs. I'm not a new nurse either. Just chronically naive

I won't be doing that EVER again.

Slightly OT - we had a chronic, attention-seeking, passive-aggressive retired RN patient once who 'accidentally' put her family heirloom emerald earrings in the narc box. That was a really fun night.....

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
I had a nursing instructor tell me about one of her coworkers.. She would take the pain patches off of patients stash them in her pocket and soak them in vodka at home.. then drink the vodka.. How disgusting is that?!?!? Your drinking your patient's skin, hair, etc.[/quote']

^Worked with someone who had a restricted license that did the same thing...she didn't wait to get home...caught her in the bathroom licking them like a lollipop...was a CRNA at the time. Ew indeed.

Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I really have gone fishing for a lost pen in a sharps container. Lost accu check pen, carpuject thingy,.....

I never considered somebody might think I was fishing for narcs. I'm not a new nurse either. Just chronically naive

I won't be doing that EVER again.

You didn't think about the fact that you had your hands in a SHARPS container?

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.
You didn't think about the fact that you had your hands in a SHARPS container?

Not your hands! There are lots of objects in a hospital that can be used as tools to go fishing with.:)

I was very creative. But, just the thought of someone thinking I was after drugs, makes me cringe. From now on the sharps container is safe from me.

Specializes in NICU.
Not your hands! There are lots of objects in a hospital that can be used as tools to go fishing with.

I was very creative. But, just the thought of someone thinking I was after drugs, makes me cringe. From now on the sharps container is safe from me.

Pens are easy to replace, your license is not.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Slightly OT - we had a chronic, attention-seeking, passive-aggressive retired RN patient once who 'accidentally' put her family heirloom emerald earrings in the narc box. That was a really fun night.....

This actually should say 'NEEDLE' box, not narc box........

Specializes in Oncology.

A surgical nurse was giving Lortab. Replaced the Lortab with plain Tylenol somewhere between the med room and the patient's room. Kept the Lortab for himself. Poor post surgical patients getting plain Tylenol. Went on for over a year. No idea how he was eventually caught.

Specializes in Oncology.

Also, one day our dirty room, where the used sharps containers go, just magically was locked with a code needed to get in. Apparently, there was a staff member digging through to get fun drugs. I had to dig through the sharps container once because I gave a vaccine and forgot the label went in the chart. I used forceps and it was relatively empty. My arms are way too fat to actually reach in.

RN found with a 10CC syringe full of Propofol that he had pulled from the port above the pump. Our hospital is too cheap to invest in lock boxes for sedation. I can't believe full bags of versed haven't been swiped right off the poles.

Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.

I feel left out, no narcotic diversion stories :unsure: but my preceptor and I once had to go fishing for something I tossed in the sharps container when I was orienting. The bottoms of those things must be seriously disgusting because we throw all kinds of stuff in there - straight needles from lab draws, wasted narcs, whatever that thing is that houses the needle after you start an IV, the 10 ml discard syringe from central line draws, etc.

Specializes in ER, progressive care.

We had an RN who was diverting narcotics. Everyone knew it, too. She was showing signs of withdrawal at work along with pinpoint pupils. She would always pull ALL of her patient's narcs at the beginning of her shift and patients would complain about not getting adequate pain relief...but as soon as another nurse took over, patients had adequate relief. The nurse always used her, "well I'm an oncology nurse so I'm ALL ABOUT managing pain!" excuse. She ended up leaving, but we think she was given an ultimatum - either get fired or resign (and she was still had to give her 30 day notice so she had 30 days to look for a new job).

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