Doctor insists I use expired Dilaudid on patients

Nurses Safety

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Let me state that I have desperately been looking for a new job. I am a single mother and have been staying at my current job out of necessity.

I work at an oral surgery office, doing conscious sedation. We had some dilaudid expire November of 2013. I alerted the doctor to this, and he told me several times to use it, or find another job. We also have midazolam that expired last month, I asked if I could toss it, and he said to keep using it.

Further, we prescriber hydrocodone in the office. A couple months ago, a bottle of it went missing. I insisted that we report it to the DEA (as recommended by the DEA), but he specifically told me not to.

My question is: as soon as I can get the hell out of this office, after I report this, can I lose my RN license for using this expired stuff? Even though I was only working there to support my family?

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I have no idea if these incidents (administering expired medications) would be enough to get your license disciplined, but, as a licensed professional, you are legally responsible for your own practice and you knew the medications were expired. "The doctor told me to" is not a legitimate excuse. Unfortunately, neither is "I needed the job to support my family."

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

We cannot give legal advice as per the Terms of Service. If you have call them immediately and they can advise you. I know very little about office nursing but a missing bottle of narcs is a big deal! I'd get out ASAP. Yes you can be responsible for not reporting.

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Wow! I would get out stat! Do you believe that doctor will stand up in court and back you up? You will become the scapegoat! Please seek legal advice.

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How are the narcotics documented , how did you know a bottle was missing?

Most medications are stable past the expiration date, but I hear what you are saying.Why did you report this to the doctor? Is there an office manager or another nurse to share your concerns with?

However ,this dentist needs to be reported. Your report should remain anonymous, and if you are fired in the meantime... I hear whistles blowing.

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Sadly your families need is not taken into account. I don't think you would lose your license over this, but it may earn your some sort of repercussion. You need to report this and get out ASAP. Call your (which I hope you have).

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I'm the only RN. I count the narcs daily with one of the two docs. So when I came up short, we looked everywhere. I suspect a certain staff member I think the doc is protecting. It's a huge mess and I'm disgusted with myself that I let this happen (using expired meds)

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I'm getting all ducks in a row to report. I took pictures of the expired dilaudid & after the DEA goes in, they will request the accurate logs that I kept which show total quantity, so if they try to destroy the vials, the count will not add up. Those counts were also done daily with the doc.

Sorry if my post has grammar errors, I only slept 3 hours last night because I'm planning the next move.

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I don't know the legality for you with this issue.

However, drugs don't magically lose their effectiveness on a certain date.

I worked in a military facility where morphine was used past the expiration date and it was policy to use it.

Maybe the efficacy of the drug is not affected even though it is technically past the expiration date and the doctor knows it.

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I don't know the legality for you with this issue.

However, drugs don't magically lose their effectiveness on a certain date.

I worked in a military facility where morphine was used past the expiration date and it was policy to use it.

Maybe the efficacy of the drug is not affected even though it is technically past the expiration date and the doctor knows it.

The main issue with expired drugs is not the efficacy, it's that the preservatives become unstable, break down and can cause significant kidney damage.

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I'm the only RN. I count the narcs daily with one of the two docs. So when I came up short, we looked everywhere. I suspect a certain staff member I think the doc is protecting. It's a huge mess and I'm disgusted with myself that I let this happen (using expired meds)

Don't beat yourself up on this, it took time for your to fully realize what was going on.

Good luck.

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The main issue with expired drugs is not the efficacy, it's that the preservatives become unstable, break down and can cause significant kidney damage.

Hydromorphone Hydrochloride Injection, USP, CII

"If a check mark is present in the Preservative-Free column above, then this product does not contain ingredients identified as a preservative, as defined by the USP."

It does come preservative free.

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