Being Belittled at Work

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

I don't understand. The valium can be checked, and you can be checked for benzodiazepines. So why should someone lying affect your license?

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 20, 2007

Hello,
I have been a member of allnurses.com for almost 2 years now, and I have been working as a Medication Technician in the state of MD for about a year now. Hoping that this would help me decide whether nursing is for me. The problem is, I have always wanted to be a Nurse, it's always been my dream but because of situtations at work I am afraid I may end up losing my MED License. A Co-Worker of mine has been lying to cover up her own butt basically by saying I am not giving a certain patient a heavy dose of Valium and that this happening quite frequently. If I lose my MED license and get re-certified will this affect me in the long run when I go to take the NCLEX exam? I am just worried that I may of blown my chance. What's worse is my Co-Worker is constantly belittling my work habbits and always trying to get me into trouble. I am trying to find a new job but I am not sure anyone will hire me considering I may be losing my license eventually. I was just wondering if anyone knew whether this would affect me in the long run as far as my nursing careers goes? The Nurse of staffs seems to think so. Thanks.
~Poetryeclipse~

I am not sure, but medication assistants are usually certified, not licensed, in my state. I am also not sure if this should affect your chances of NCLEX, either. Most medication aides are not allowed to administer narcartics, just regular PO meds. In my estimated guess, it should not be an influence, because you are not currently working as a nurse. It may be that this co-worker is jealous, especially if you are a consciencous worker and she is not. Or maybe she is stealing things for herself and using you as the scape goat. Does the manager know of her behavior? What do you think their basic perception of you is?

One thing I can say is that this type of behavior, unfortunately goes with nursing as well. Keep reading these posts and see the horror stories. I am not saying that this is every person, but, we all know one that this has happened to, or someone like your co-worker.

catlynLPN · Oct 20, 2007

Hello,
I have been a member of allnurses.com for almost 2 years now, and I have been working as a Medication Technician in the state of MD for about a year now. Hoping that this would help me decide whether nursing is for me. The problem is, I have always wanted to be a Nurse, it's always been my dream but because of situtations at work I am afraid I may end up losing my MED License. A Co-Worker of mine has been lying to cover up her own butt basically by saying I am not giving a certain patient a heavy dose of Valium and that this happening quite frequently. If I lose my MED license and get re-certified will this affect me in the long run when I go to take the NCLEX exam? I am just worried that I may of blown my chance. What's worse is my Co-Worker is constantly belittling my work habbits and always trying to get me into trouble. I am trying to find a new job but I am not sure anyone will hire me considering I may be losing my license eventually. I was just wondering if anyone knew whether this would affect me in the long run as far as my nursing careers goes? The Nurse of staffs seems to think so. Thanks.
~Poetryeclipse~

If your co-worker's lying is the problem.....there should be no problem.

If you've been giving the medication as ordered and documentation and urine tests for you and the patient prove it, then why would you have blown your chance?

And maybe your co-worker needs to submit a urine test of her own if as you say, she's lying on you to cover her butt.

Drug testing of all parties involved will tell the truth.

And as another poster posted above.....how is it that a med tech is giving the narcotics? I thought that was a duty of a licensed nurse.

But who knows these days? Duties are being delegated on down the line every day, it seems.

poetryeclipse · Oct 20, 2007

Okay, let me explain my situation a little better. I am not sure why I am allowed to give narcotics to my patients seeing as I am not a LPN or RN. The staff nurse seems to think it is okay for us to do so, I'm assuming she is wrong? Other Co-Workers also do not believe we have the right to administer Narcotics and we are unsure of what to do. Should we go to the Nursing Board since we are apparently certified by them? The narcotics come in blisster packs that we have to intial beside but for some reason 4 blisster packs of Valium have gone missing on my shift in the last month, and since my Co-Worker is not yet licensed the blame is on me. This is the same Co-Worker who is saying I am stealing from the medicine cabinet. I have been tested and so has my Co-worker, but both of us have passed. Since the only other person who should have access to the Medication in my house is the Staff Nurse, I am being blamed for stealing the blister packs and administering outside of the facility. I am not sure what is going on but I am really scared of both losing my job and my license. I know this is a weird situation but my head RN says I shouldn't even begin to take nursing classes because of this problem occuring. I guess I'm just hoping that since I am moving to VA in another month or so, that all this drama wont follow me from MD to VA. I am starting to take classes in January at a local community college in northern va and I don't want any situations arising from this. Thank you for responding so quickly. I believe my best course of action is to talk to someone at the MD board of nursing ASAP and try to get this cleared up.

~poetryeclipse~

deeDawntee, RN · Oct 20, 2007

Oh My God, these are some SERIOUS allegations!! Do you know that?? This could involve jail time for whoever is diverting meds or whatever is going on. You need to protect yourself NOW. I would get a lawyer and I am NOT KIDDING!! You need to find out what you have to do to clear yourself and do it immediately. Then follow whatever your lawyer tells you, like notifying the BON or even the police. DO this immediately. You may get hauled to court anyway, and you need to be proactive and do whatever to not be bulldozed by a volatile situation. A lawyer may recommend urine tests, but do it under a lawyer's direction. I have a strong feeling that you do not know who you can trust where you work, so I would STOP talking to people, you don't know who is actually being the thief and/or addict. Your future is at stake here. Get Help Now!!

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 20, 2007

Try and check into the policy for medication techs to administer narcs. Also, we do have some very lazy nurses who will assign others to do things out of their scope of practice. Some of those that are working out of their scope walk around proud, thinking that they are special, but when something happens, it can be some serious business.

Also, do you have notes from the med cert class that you took? I would assume that something would be documented of the dos and don'ts of administering certain drugs. I was a certified tech at a psych hospital. We did not give narcs; the LPN used to come down and administer them.

The head nurse should also be able to tell you if you are allowed to give meds. Maybe the nurse is actually taking them, since her signature is nowhere around for her to be implicated.

leslie :-D · Oct 20, 2007

yes, i think you should talk to someone from the board of nursing.

and if they say you cannot distribute narcotics, then do not.

let the bon know that the nurse is delegating this duty to you.

let us know what happens?

best of everything.

leslie

pagandeva2000, LPN · Oct 20, 2007

True...in fact, the nurse can be brought up on charges for delegating an inappropriate assignment to her nursing staff.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2007

Well, someone is diverting, and I would refuse to have anything to do with the tranks. I have a hinky feeling, from what little I know, that your nurse is diverting and setting you and your back-biting coworker up to take the fall.

leslie :-D · Oct 20, 2007

other than you, who else would have keys to the narc draw?

leslie

sharona97, BSN, RN · Oct 21, 2007

If this was happening to me I would do as the other posters suggest. I would also start a papertrail to the DON and cc copy to the administrator. I would write word for word what was said to you and that you're purported "stealing" accusations cease and desist now.

I would get a lawyer and like I've been told, defamation of character is worth a car and a house. Once these co-worker's see how serious you are, trust me things will hopefully start to change.

I'd also put in writing to the BON that you are being told to pass narcotics. Who signs off on the narc count? Use that persons name in the BON letter.

I'm glad to hear you are going to school and wish you the best.