In the interest of brevity: Three days ago I learned that my resident-care coordinator/lead medication assistant/lead caregiver has been diverting drugs and terrorizing the staff into keeping quiet by threatening to take everyone down with her if she were ever to be disciplined for it. On top of that, she has even been observed by several residents taking meds out of their apartments (this is a 42-room assisted living community). Some of us had been wondering about her mood swings lately, which have been increasing in both frequency and intensity; and as dedicated as she seemed to be, we had to wonder why she felt the need to come in to the facility at three and four in the morning when her shift didn't begin until six AM. (Hmmm........pharmacy usually delivers in the wee hours........couldn't possibly have anything to do with it, do you think?)
So I pulled her out of the med room Friday morning, relieved her of all her facility keys, and the administrator and I sat her down to confront her about the missing medications. Well, it was like something out of the movie "Sybil"........she changed moods so swiftly it was frightening. One minute she was wailing and sobbing, the next she was quietly apologetic, and then her eyes turned stone cold as she told us that if she was going down, she was going to "take as many of them (staff) down with me as I can". Then she'd go right back to crying and begging, and before it was over we saw at least five distinct emotional reactions, at least five different times apiece.
And as we watched her decompensate right in front of our eyes, I couldn't help thinking that this must be the definition of 'going postal'.
She called me from her apartment (which is right across the street from the building) about half an hour after this and went through 45 minutes of apologies mingled with moments of self-pity ("What am I going to do now? My life is over"), brief snatches of realization ("I know I screwed up"), and even some scattered efforts to kiss-and-make-up ("You're the best nurse I've ever worked with in my 30 years in health care"). Now, I happen to like this woman, and I know she's got issues---don't we all?---but my trust is GONE. I can't have someone with an active drug problem in my med room. I can't have someone going around and terrorizing the staff and/or the residents into keeping mum about her extracurricular activities. And I can't have someone working for me who will lie, cheat, and steal like this.
Well, that's not quite the end of the story.........yesterday, my swing shift med aide called to tell me that she'd called to let him know that she'd left her apartment and gone to a motel, and was planning on contacting a lawyer Monday. He told me he thinks she's afraid we're going to have her arrested, which hadn't really occurred to either the administrator or me, though with all the discrepancies we're finding now, I suppose that is an option. But now, cut off from her supply, totally alone in town, and with God knows what going through her fevered brain, it sounds to me like she's completely gone off the deep end........and that, I suppose, could make life really interesting for a while.
This is WAY more drama than I ever wanted to deal with. Who knows, with someone this unbalanced running around loose, y'all may end up reading about us in the newspaper one of these days.
Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
What she was doing was stealing something that belongs to the residents. If she got into their drawers and closets and took jewelry, a stereo, something like that, what would you do? The residents (or their insurance companies) paid for those meds, taking the meds is the same as taking a couple of rings and a CD or 6.
I really think you have no choice but to get the police involved. She has endangered the residents by not giving them their rightfully prescribed medications---what if the guy whose Klonipin she swiped had a seizure or 2, fell, hit his head, got brain damage, etc......? She threatened the staff, I don't think that's too cool or legal, and she stole stuff. Now she's out there being a danger to the community. Sorry, I think you need to drop a dime (?35cents?).
You may very well be right, prmenrs. We've had some personal theft problems around the building as well.........and guess who was the first to point her finger at another staff member?:trout:
I'm going to re-visit this with my boss in the morning. I have a feeling she is going to show up tomorrow wanting her job back, or at the very least, begging to stay on as a caregiver, and that just cannot happen........she's far too unstable. And yes, we do have documentation of everything that's happened so far---my mamma didn't raise no fools, so to speak.
Thanks for all the great advice, everyone---this is one of the reasons I keep coming back here, day after day. I know that no matter what entanglements I may find myself involved in, some one here will be able to see the forest for the trees and point out something I may not have considered.:bowingpur
Whatever happened to the mouseburger I used to be? I feel I have changed greatly in a short time; six months ago, I was allowing myself to be used and abused at work, failing to confront a boss who was making my life miserable, getting sick every time I turned around. Now I have NO trouble speaking up when it's necessary, I'm stretching myself in ways I never even thought possible, and I'm thriving both physically and mentally.
Isn't it amazing the ways we change? When I look back at so many ways in which I let myself be walked all over, I just shake my head. Sheesh! When did I grow up? Sure happened without my even noticing. Now this woman don't take NO B.S. AT ALL.
I would DEFINITELY call the police and make a report, just to protect the facility if nothing else. You need a record of her crime to show cause for dismissal if she sues, plus if she is convicted rehab will be in her future.
I also work in an Assisted Living/Memory Care facility. I'm the Care Coordinator for our Memory Care Unit, or was. I left last Monday, due to turning in my two weeks notice and coming to the last day of my notice. We had a RN from H**L, I just could not work with her, no matter what.
I went back on Friday to pick up my paycheck. Boy did I ever get the hugs from staff, residents, and family members. I kept hearing, "please come back, we need you!" I went down to my former unit and it felt like I came back "home". :heartbeat
The day I left, I wanted to give my residents a hug, but couldn't. When I approached one, I almost started crying and had to leave the activity room. My residents are real big huggers, they also loved to come into my office to talk, one comes to my office often to make "reservations" then she turns around and leaves. She does this about ten times each day, but it's okay, it's amusing and it makes her happy.
Anyway, I found out the RN from H**L was fired and my administrator asked me to PLEASE come back, with the promise of a raise. Then my Med Adie called me. Today my favorite coworker asked me to come back to work. Well... she said to get my hiney back to work tomorrow.
It feels so good to be needed and appreciated. And damn this is a hard place to resign from! LOL.
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The problem it seems in Oregon is the heavy drug use, especially Meth. Hopefully the new law concerning Sudafed will help, but I doubt it. It's just as easy to go across the border of Washington or California to get the Sudafed. Drug users affect so many lives and they don't even realize it. I hope she gets help, I think she is asking for help, by taking the drug in front of a co-worker. Or she is just stupid. Stay safe Marla, hopefully something positive will happen for all involved.
VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN
22 Articles; 9,996 Posts
You may very well be right, prmenrs.
We've had some personal theft problems around the building as well.........and guess who was the first to point her finger at another staff member?:trout:
I'm going to re-visit this with my boss in the morning. I have a feeling she is going to show up tomorrow wanting her job back, or at the very least, begging to stay on as a caregiver, and that just cannot happen........she's far too unstable. And yes, we do have documentation of everything that's happened so far---my mamma didn't raise no fools, so to speak.
Thanks for all the great advice, everyone---this is one of the reasons I keep coming back here, day after day. I know that no matter what entanglements I may find myself involved in, some one here will be able to see the forest for the trees and point out something I may not have considered.:bowingpur