Caught stealing drugs

[vonxojn]

I work in the ER at my facility. Recently there has been 2-3 nurses that were caught stealing narcotics. Usually my radar is pretty good when I come across someone who might "dabble a little in drugs". Well the last nurse that was caught totally blew me out the water. I never expected her to steal narcs (IV Dilaudid). Another nurse caught her in the act and she was immediately escorted into the DON office with the other Charge Nurses. She was given a choice to leave the ER and go directly to a Rehab facility or be reported to the nursing board and lose her license(the way the rumor was explained). It was told she went to rehab that very day.

Have any of you experienced a large amount of your nurses that you work with getting caught stealing narcs, if so, what drug of choice did they steal?

[Trishalishus, PhD, CNS]

"I am not I.

I am this one

walking beside me whom I do not see,

Whom at times I manage to visit,

And whom at other times I forget;

The one who remains silent when I talk,

The one who forgives, sweet, when I hate'

The one takes a walk where I am not,

The one who will remain standing when I die."

Thanks for including this beautiful poem. There are several translations from Spanish. I prefer this one:

Yo No Soy Yo

Juan Ramón Jiménez Mantecón

I am not I.

I am this one

walking beside me whom I do not see,

Who at times I am going to visit,

And who sometimes I forget.

He who is silent, serene, when I speak,

The one who forgives, kindly, when I hate,

The one who travels where I have never been,

The one who will be there when I die.

Best wishes

[morte, LPN, LVN]

What? That is truly bizarre! I've never heard of anyone using tramadol to get 'high'. It's mood-altering characteristics are similar to that of a Flintstone's vitamin. Honestly, a doctor prescribed tramadol for a dislocated shoulder I had a while back and I ended up throwing the majority of them in the trash! IMHO, it does very little to reduce pain and nothing to alter mood. LOL, my dog has a bottle of tramadol in our cupboard for arthritic hip pain. I don't see it helping him much, either. Maybe this nurse thought they were getting something else?

BTW, we just lost a nurse a short while back for stealing vicodin and fentanyl. Sad story, new nurse, too. She was removing fentanyl patches off patients and CHEWING ON THEM! Addiction sure is an ugly beast!

its mood altering effect is as an anti depressant.....and i think it is terrible unethical for docs to prescribe this drug without explaining that to patients....

[cherrybreeze, ADN, RN]

What? That is truly bizarre! I've never heard of anyone using tramadol to get 'high'. It's mood-altering characteristics are similar to that of a Flintstone's vitamin. Honestly, a doctor prescribed tramadol for a dislocated shoulder I had a while back and I ended up throwing the majority of them in the trash! IMHO, it does very little to reduce pain and nothing to alter mood. LOL, my dog has a bottle of tramadol in our cupboard for arthritic hip pain. I don't see it helping him much, either. Maybe this nurse thought they were getting something else?

BTW, we just lost a nurse a short while back for stealing vicodin and fentanyl. Sad story, new nurse, too. She was removing fentanyl patches off patients and CHEWING ON THEM! Addiction sure is an ugly beast!

Actually, it's not all that bizarre. It's chemically similar to codeine, and causes a similar effect as opiates as WELL as acting as an anti depressant. Why it ISN'T a controlled substance mystifies me, actually. Just because YOU didn't feel that effect, doesn't mean other people don't. Some people don't feel any different when they take Vicodin, either....everyone is different.

All you have to do is read the forums on drugs.com to see how widespread and devastating Tramadol addiction can be. It's much more common than you think.

[maestrotee]

Very interesting. I guess I just never did the research about that particular drug. No surprises, not the first time. Okay then, maybe my dog could benefit from it after all ... :paw:

Holy cow! I just read some of the info @ drugs.com and it is FILLED with warnings about addiction! Wow, I'm usually more informed about the meds I give. I just figured that since it wasn't a CS that it was pain relief similar to tylenol, motrin, or aleve. Guess I should do more research!

[sjt9721, BSN, RN]

Actually, it's not all that bizarre. It's chemically similar to codeine, and causes a similar effect as opiates as WELL as acting as an anti depressant. Why it ISN'T a controlled substance mystifies me, actually. Just because YOU didn't feel that effect, doesn't mean other people don't. Some people don't feel any different when they take Vicodin, either....everyone is different.

All you have to do is read the forums on drugs.com to see how widespread and devastating Tramadol addiction can be. It's much more common than you think.

I was given it after an MVC several years ago. All it did for me was make the room spin. I literally had to stay horizontal on the couch/floor until it wore off.