There is a CNA at the nursing home where I work who has been there a very long time. I've always gone out of my way to be friendly to the people I work with but I now understand why it is not a good idea for a supervisor to become too chummy with the people they supervise.
This CNA has started asking if I can get her some "hydros." She told me to not dare tell anyone about our conversations and I assured her I would not. Today, when she saw me, she asked have you been thinking about me? I said sure, then laughed as if I just then understood what she meant (though I knew full well what she meant by asking that) and told her I couldn't get her any "pills" and walked away.
The whole deal has made me feel like I stepped in a huge pile of you-know-what. I'm not about to start slipping "hydros" or anything else to this person, but that she would start even asking me has me feeling very uncomfortable. It kind of scares me, too. Who knows if she would have a couple of thugs find out where I live and try to scare me into getting drugs for her? I don't like this whole deal.
If she asks me again I'm going to tell her to go see her doctor. I won't tell on her for this but I don't know what to do about getting her to stop asking me to do something like that.
Have you ever had such a situation? I do understand now why supervisors do not fraternize with underlings. I'm keeping my distance now.
I have given out motrin and tylenol to staff before. Usually from my own supply, but once or twice from the pyxis when someone was in excruciating pain and I didn''t have my stash in my locker. Motrin is one thing. Narcs are another. As others have said, report this. For your sake, and hers. If she does have an addiction problem, reporting her convo with you could be the first step to her getting some help. And it will protect you and your patients.
We had permission to give out "stock meds" that were in big generic bottles like ibuprofen, ASA, pepto to staff. I would never give out rx meds.
I have personal experience with drug addiction (family member) and I KNOW they will stop at nothing and would sell their own parents for drugs let alone be worried about some nurse's license. Addicts will "test out" others to see if they use and that could have been what the CNA was doing. Guard your med cart and make sure it's locked at all times. Don't get into conversations like that again with the CNA. Also, this person may not be an addict, just someone who is looking for some recreational drugs to party with. If they see you as by the book, they will be unlikely to approach you again.
I agree w/ the respones above. You are ethically bound to report her. You haven't caught or seen her using or stealing drugs, but she's wanting them and asked you not only once, but twice. She is desperate. You don't need to feel like the one to see if she serious, kidding, wanting it for recreational use, is already an addict, etc. Report it to your nursing supervisor and the process will follow. As has been said...her safety and the safety of residents is at stake. Good luck and let us know how things turn out. Sorry you have been put in such a horrible situation.
ok, so i understand your reserve or should i say also your fear of what may happen if you do report her. instead think of this will you, what if she reports you to the board of nursing! she could lie and say you gave her "drugs" it really won't matter what it is, if she is brazen enough to ask, she is brazen enough to say that you gave her narcotics on a daily basis! you are on thin ice. if don't report her and something does happen, your facility may report to the board and see that you are put onto review. this may be frightening, but she also should consider she has a license also that demands respect. you are the person in charge of you and your med cart. that demands you do what is best for your patients, your facility, your co-workers, and your self.
don't ever fool yourself into thinking that at any time will you have an oppurtunity to expect that just because you have a higher degree in the nursing field that you will believed more than someone who has a lesser degree.
i hope you make the right choice. if you are still in doubt, you should look at the nurse practice act and laws that govern your state.
Our Nursing Supervisor keeps a stash of basic drugs - tylenol, motrin, etc for staff in need. All OTC stuff that comes from their cash they keep in case they have to send someone for something in the middle of the night (i.e. I know I got sent to Walmart one night to get more of a special kind of formula). We as nurses tend to keep our own stash and share amongst ourselves, but again, nothing stronger than Tylenol or Motrin. And NEVER something that we would have to steal from the hospital or it's patients. And ABSOLUTELY no Narcs or anything that requires a rx.
This whole situation would make me want to look for another job. I would not want to deal with possibly losing my license because a drug-addicted CNA reported me to the board of nursing because I wouldn't give her narcs. This is so scary.
I am also seeing this from a different angle. Since she is a long time staffer, then maybe she is working with the management to test you out? Perhaps she is working with management to see how trustworthy or honest you are. In any case she should be reported and be sure you do everything by the book so that you are covered, in either case if she is a druggy or if she is testing you out.
She doesn't work on my hall anymore, though she still finds opportunity to talk to me.
I'm going to stay FAR AWAY and make sure I am not alone with her ever again.
I indeed work at a place where the nurses get no back up and in fact the aides are treated better. Seeing as this person has been there 20 yrs. I have no doubt who would be held in higher regard. This doesn't mean I'm treated poorly in every aspect, but I know how this would go. And if I did report her she could deny the whole thing, and they would probably believe her.
Running to another job isn't really an option. The jobs aren't so plentiful here I can just go pluck one off the job tree. The only thing I can think of is to steer far away from her from now on. It is horrible to have secrets, especially those kinds. I hate what addiction can do. She told me not long ago that she wouldn't have any problem getting more, she just had to get her script refilled. This must not have been true, because when she talks to me now I see a desperate person and this gives me such a bad feeling.
I HATE DRUGS. What exactly do these addicts get out of them that makes them want to have them all the time??? I don't understand addiction and how it can completely take over a person's life, but it must be hell. Now that this aide and me have this "secret" I feel like I've stepped into this dark realm (hell) and things will never be the same with her again (I've known her for many years-she just started this hydro thing a couple of weeks ago- and it's hard to take.)
I have heard an addict will kill for drugs. I don't know if I am blowing this out of proportion, but I do not feel like I'm talking to a rational feeling person anymore. She even asked me if I could "steal" drugs from my husband (she knows he had major surgery recently.) Of course, I told her I could not.
Addicts will do anything to get a fix. But addiction is a disease. It's not something that an addict can just turn off. The deeper they are into their addiction, the more their mind and body craves it. They don't think rationally because their mind is fixed on scoring a fix. I think there is a point that addicts know what they are doing is wrong but can't find a way to get help and then there are addicts that do not want to find help. It's very sad disease.
She doesn't work on my hall anymore, though she still finds opportunity to talk to me.
I'm going to stay FAR AWAY and make sure I am not alone with her ever again.
I indeed work at a place where the nurses get no back up and in fact the aides are treated better. Seeing as this person has been there 20 yrs. I have no doubt who would be held in higher regard. This doesn't mean I'm treated poorly in every aspect, but I know how this would go. And if I did report her she could deny the whole thing, and they would probably believe her.
Running to another job isn't really an option. The jobs aren't so plentiful here I can just go pluck one off the job tree. The only thing I can think of is to steer far away from her from now on. It is horrible to have secrets, especially those kinds. I hate what addiction can do. She told me not long ago that she wouldn't have any problem getting more, she just had to get her script refilled. This must not have been true, because when she talks to me now I see a desperate person and this gives me such a bad feeling.
I HATE DRUGS. What exactly do these addicts get out of them that makes them want to have them all the time??? I don't understand addiction and how it can completely take over a person's life, but it must be hell. Now that this aide and me have this "secret" I feel like I've stepped into this dark realm (hell) and things will never be the same with her again (I've known her for many years-she just started this hydro thing a couple of weeks ago- and it's hard to take.)
I have heard an addict will kill for drugs. I don't know if I am blowing this out of proportion, but I do not feel like I'm talking to a rational feeling person anymore. She even asked me if I could "steal" drugs from my husband (she knows he had major surgery recently.) Of course, I told her I could not.
Report her now. Report the veiled threats. She is not safe to work with patients. If anyone ever asked for drugs, I would tell them that they have lost thier mind and go looking for my charge nurse. Period.
Running to another job isn't really an option. The jobs aren't so plentiful here I can just go pluck one off the job tree. The only thing I can think of is to steer far away from her from now on. It is horrible to have secrets, especially those kinds.
It's a tough situation that you are in especially with jobs so hard to find. Unfortunately you are already in it neck deep and it's not going to go away no matter how much you try to ignore it. This CNA has no qualms about approaching you for drugs even after you have refused to provide them. She has no qualms about threatening you. How far will she go to get what she wants? Will she intentionally jeopardize your job if she doesn't get what she wants from you? Will she steal from patients or do harm to them? You've already sacrificed your peace of mind. How much more are you willing to sacrifice? Your patients' safety? Your license?
I would suggest you document in detail every instance she came to you and give this documentation to your supervisor. You never know, someone else may have tried reporting her in the past. If management takes the CNA's side, send a copy of the documentation along with management's response to the Department of Health Services (or whatever your equivalent is).
I feel for you because you are in such a difficult position. . .
ok, so i understand your reserve or should i say also your fear of what may happen if you do report her. instead think of this will you, what if she reports you to the board of nursing! she could lie and say you gave her "drugs" it really won't matter what it is, if she is brazen enough to ask, she is brazen enough to say that you gave her narcotics on a daily basis! you are on thin ice. if don't report her and something does happen, your facility may report to the board and see that you are put onto review. this may be frightening, but she also should consider she has a license also that demands respect. you are the person in charge of you and your med cart. that demands you do what is best for your patients, your facility, your co-workers, and your self. 
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correctlywrong
53 Posts
I have given out motrin and tylenol to staff before. Usually from my own supply, but once or twice from the pyxis when someone was in excruciating pain and I didn''t have my stash in my locker. Motrin is one thing. Narcs are another. As others have said, report this. For your sake, and hers. If she does have an addiction problem, reporting her convo with you could be the first step to her getting some help. And it will protect you and your patients.