Angry Nurse here!

[beeker]

Last night a float pool tech ate my lunch and threw away my tupperware containers when he was done. I didn't know about it until it was too late, but I had homemade soup, yogurt, homemade cookies, and a drink tied in a bag in the work fridge. His excuse " there was no name on it". Now I did not catch him or see him personally, if I did I probably would have been fired. I was that mad. I am pregnant, and the cafeteria was closed. A coworker saw him eating it and the charge nurse questioned him. I heard today he does this on every floor he goes to. Don't you think this should be a fireable offense? I mean it is stealing right? He did not seem bothered at all, just said sorry didn't know it was yours. I am livid.

1. Who does that?

2. How could anyone think it is ok?

3. What if it was old?

4. Who does that?

5. It does not matter whose name is on the bag, if you did not bring it, then it is not yours.

[nurseladybug12]

Sounds like he threw out the tupperware because it was evidence....so he knows he was wrong and he still did it! what a bafoon.

[Luvbuble]

i was trying to add on to that poster who said put chocolate covered raisins for him. I said put some rabbit poop in the chocolate covered raisin bag.Thats even better!

[Guest343211]

The fridge lock up system. . .loL. . .I love it!

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

I don't think adding anything entertaining to your lunch would be illegal. I mean, if it is YOUR lunch, the assumption is that you made it for yourself. Pregnant on top of it? Maybe you are trying to deal with pregnancy related constipation or something!

And yeah, if it was me, I would have made this person buy me a lunch, regardless of what time it is, or how much money they had to spend on delivery. Heck, if no place delivers, order from a restaurant, and get a taxi to bring it to you. That, or I report your butt to management for theft. Then you can blame the hormones for the attitude

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

Am truly sorry about the OP's plight and yes I would have been "fired" as well, if not taken to central booking! *LOL*

Have worked in hospitals, offices and every place in between and am here to tell you it happens all over the place. Anywhere there is a central kitchen or fridge for employee's to keep their food it is subject to those who feel free to help themselves (theft). There have even been sitcom/movie scenes about it.

While it does seem tempting to place a "surprise" inside one's lunch/dinner for the snatcher it isn't wise. If he or she becomes ill and or otherwise suffers adverse effects you could be the one in trouble.

Being as all this may I would certainly go up the food chain and complain loudly until the matter is addressed. In my day certain aides were banned from going into the nurse's station, breakroom, etc for complaints of "missing" objects. Indeed some head/charge nurses refused to have these persons sent to their floor.

The other worry was post graduates (interns, residents) who always seemed to be on the prowl for food. You could page them for hours to sign an order or start an IV and nothing, but order Chinese food or let the night shift stash their meals in the fridge and then in short order you'd have a plague of them like locusts. Here again supervisors and or nursing administration would either sit the offenders down or complain to the proper channels.

Though not always possible have always felt the nurse's breakroom, fridge and so forth should be like the med room; licensed personnel only. Give aides and others their own space and let them deal with each other when things go missing.

Now WHY in the world would you get in trouble? The lunch was packed for YOU! If this person gets sick for eating a lunch intended for someone else, why is it your fault?

That is like a thief trying to break into a business, breaks the window, then cuts himself while sneaking in. Is the business owner responsible for the person's injury? Of course not. Same thing here. If the person did not commit a crime and steal someone else's property, nothing would happen. I mean, for all you know, I crush my cardiac meds in my pudding because I can't swallow them. It is a stupid risk to take, and you need to deal with it if it gets you hurt.

[DoGoodThenGo]

Now WHY in the world would you get in trouble? The lunch was packed for YOU! If this person gets sick for eating a lunch intended for someone else, why is it your fault?

That is like a thief trying to break into a business, breaks the window, then cuts himself while sneaking in. Is the business owner responsible for the person's injury? Of course not. Same thing here. If the person did not commit a crime and steal someone else's property, nothing would happen. I mean, for all you know, I crush my cardiac meds in my pudding because I can't swallow them. It is a stupid risk to take, and you need to deal with it if it gets you hurt.

If you do not have advance knowledge of someone breaking into your home and they harm themselves in the act of committing a crime in most states by large you are "ok".

OTOH if you know or think you know who is entering your property illegally and set a *trap* that causes them harm, in many states a person can and has been either held accountable via civil or criminal charges.

There is such a thing in both civil and criminal law as intention. Do you honestly believe that any judge or jury would by the story that you as a RN prepared and intended to consume food contaminated by some substance or otherwise intended to harm? More so especially after you have been victim of someone "stealing" your food from a common area?

Throughout the years persons have purchased rat or other poisons and prepared various *goodies* that killed off someone. When questioned by LE they will say something like "oh I put that down to kill the rats, he/she must have gotten into it somehow". If it could be proven in a court of law the intentions were no such thing that story didn't work and the person swung.

It is never a good idea to second guess what LE/the courts will do and take the law into one's own hands. Horrible as it tis intentionally causing another person harm simply because they are suspected of taking one's food is like using a sledge hammer to kill a fly. As one stated before this sort of thing isn't new and there are offical ways of dealing with it. If first line supervisor/management won't get involved go up the food chain.

Finally as one has said before, do not understand what seems to be this modern practice of professional nurses having to tippy-toe around UAPs. Just who is running the asylum anyway? *LOL*

[uRNmyway, ASN, RN]

Lol, well I think there is a difference between placing a bear trap under a window to trap a home invader vs. a little ex-lax laced treat. The bear trap is clearly meant to cause harm, whereas the laxative COULD very well be intended for yourself, since it was in your lunch! I know when I was pregnant, especially last months, constipation was an issue. And laxatives don't always taste great or go down easily. I might have put them in something I enjoy eating to help me out, you never know

But all that to say, I would definitely report this person to the higher-ups. If you steal other people's food, and when informed some of it belonged to a pregnant lady, have no guilt about it? Sounds like you probably wouldn't have any issues with stealing, say, someone's iPad if left in the staff room.

'Well, there was no name on it!'

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Jerk! Here's my vote.......it will stop the stealing.

Locker Brand Inc 157281 The Original Fridge Locker $19.21 Buy Now

I love it!

And when not in use, you could use it for a hamster cage:cheeky:

[DoGoodThenGo]

Lol, well I think there is a difference between placing a bear trap under a window to trap a home invader vs. a little ex-lax laced treat. The bear trap is clearly meant to cause harm, whereas the laxative COULD very well be intended for yourself, since it was in your lunch! I know when I was pregnant, especially last months, constipation was an issue. And laxatives don't always taste great or go down easily. I might have put them in something I enjoy eating to help me out, you never know

But all that to say, I would definitely report this person to the higher-ups. If you steal other people's food, and when informed some of it belonged to a pregnant lady, have no guilt about it? Sounds like you probably wouldn't have any issues with stealing, say, someone's iPad if left in the staff room.

'Well, there was no name on it!'

Ok, have it your own way. But IMHE getting even rarely works out the way it is intended:

[sofla98]

Someone on the first pages put that adding a laxitive could be illegal. HOW EXACTLY? IT IS YOUR FOOD, YOUR INGREDIENTS, RIGHT? This happened all the time when I worked in the adult hospital down the road from where I am now, and on occasion at my current job. I cannot imagine someone being so freaking smug about eating a pregnant woman's food. That's just asking for trouble. The fact that he's done it before and CONTINUES to do it is what irks me. I doubt this is the first time he's been reported for being a thief. Stealing is stealing is stealing is stealing. Just because her name wasn't on her lunch bag does not make it his!!!

To answer the question: WHO DOES THIS? An asshat, that's who!

I would continue to ***** and moan and complain and ***** some more until he's gone. Then maybe when he's unemployed he can go get one of those nifty food stamp cards and get all kinds of groceries.

[Roseyposey]

He stole from you. Make a complaint to HR.