Co-worker stole my ID

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did you ever use someone elses idenity to steel narcotics form an acudose machine? How did it make you feel when you had to work with that nurse again that you stole her idenity from?

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
I would be upset if I were in your shoes too. Very uncomfortable situation for everyone involved. Too bad they couldn't have scheduled you on different days, or reassigned the nurse to a different area. Do your managers know how you feel?

Debbie

Trust me, they know. I am not a person who hides feelings. I am open, honest regarding my feelings. I never hide my feelings. Im too transparent to even try.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.

Hey, nursewendii! Congrats on your days in recovery! I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I am also an RN and have been in recovery for almost 7 years. There are many of "us" here who post at allnurses.com. We are a great support system, and you can benefit from others here. Welcome to joining the ranks of the recovering! Please feel free to pm if I can help!

Anne, RNC

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Thanks for your support.

Yes, I definetely don't want to work around narcotics. I know there are alot of jobs out there where there are no or very restricted access to narcs. I have been searching the internet and papers today for jobs that fall into that category. I worked in a detox for two years before that had no narcs. I would like to do work in that area of nursing again.

Again thank you for your support, it means alot!!!;)

I wish you much success Nursewendii. An honest self appraisal is key to good recovery! Make the commitment about not working in areas that have narcotics, and never look back. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.:lol2: Work hard in your recovery program, and avoid slippery slopes. Change your playgrounds and your playmates. Maintain your sobriety at all costs, and everything will fall into place. If you need to work outside of nursing for a bit, so be it. Be a willing spirit to do whatever it takes, and put ego aside (what you might think you should be doing, or what you think others may think you should be doing:lol2:)

Always remember, you're not a bad person trying to get good! You're a sick person trying to get well. Never give up until the miracle happens!

Best wishes-

Debbie

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Addiction is an

My point is, it could be anyone because we don't act any different. We do our jobs the same as you. We laugh, we vent, we chit chat, we have families, we are human, just like you.

Put a bunch of recovering nurses in a room and a bunch of nurses that have never used in there with us and mix us all up. You'll never pick out the recovering ones.

Active addiction? Oh yea, you never realize who that hits. You think all of us had "suspect" histories to begin with? Ha! Many of us never did a street drug before in our lives!!! Addiction in health care professionals is a beast of an animal. I understand why people get angry at our actions,what I don't understand is the complete lack of compassion.

Thankfully, the majority of nurses HAVE been great and supportive. Even the ones that are skeptics, do seem to keep an open mind and don't seem to be completely dead set against learning and understanding. For that I thank you all. "

......Just substitute the nicotine addiction for the drug/alcohol addiction and you will find out that you 'reek, stink, are poisoning

others, are selfish and off the floor on too many breaks' etc. There will not be any understanding or compassion at all.

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Specializes in Lie detection.
I am so glad I came across this discussion. I am an RN who is in early recovery(51 days to be exact).

:balloons: Good for you nursewendi!!!! :biggringi Welcome and pats on the back to you. Keep positive thoughts, as Anne says, there are quite a few of "us" around on this forum, you're never alone....

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Addicts don't have friends. You are either someone they can manipulate to get their drug of choice ( or make their life easier while they do) or you aren't. HR and your manager need to know because the next time a patient could be seriously harmed. How will you explain then that there were previous episodes?

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Specializes in L&D, M/B.
Addicts don't have friends. You are either someone they can manipulate to get their drug of choice ( or make their life easier while they do) or you aren't. HR and your manager need to know because the next time a patient could be seriously harmed. How will you explain then that there were previous episodes?

I have friends. And my nurse manager knows all about me and just 6 months ago promoted me to night shift supervisor so she must trust me on some level. I have great support at work.

I think I have a strong recovery program and pray it stays that way. I just have to work at it everyday.

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Addicts don't have friends. You are either someone they can manipulate to get their drug of choice ( or make their life easier while they do) or you aren't. HR and your manager need to know because the next time a patient could be seriously harmed. How will you explain then that there were previous episodes?

I don't??

Even when I was using, I had friends. I violated my friends' trust and paid for it dearly, but they were my friends and I never manipulated them....I never involved them in my diverting. I also made my amends to them.....some were accepted, some were refused, but I made amends.

Tom, the more I read, the more I understand where you're coming from. I just wish you'd shared this info in the beginning. I still disagree strongly with your "String 'em up and hang 'em" feelings, but now I understand why you have them.

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Specializes in ER OB NICU.

First, I do not believe it is the fault of somebody who did not "appropriately" get an addict into recovery, as we all know you have to do it for yourself. Second, statistics , at least those in our area , are something like > 80% failure for the treatment programs here, and though court ordered, are done so over and over in spite of prior failures. Either these participants are at a point so low they actually do not care if they live or die, or they think they are smarter than everybody else and can fake them out , and keep on abusing their drug or choice. I, too, have a brother, that has been arrested, over and over and over, and caught in the act of stealing to make drugs, milked my mother of a fortune in attorney fees, fines, money for cigarettes, etc while in treatment, and yet never had to serve his original sentence, though he broke his probation over and over and over, and his officer recommended he serve his sentence. He is now, along with a lot of his buddies, involved in drug trade, a caregiver in the homes here for the disabled. Scares me to death.

My licences requires that I report all but "minor traffice violations",LTC facilities,say the do FBI background checks so that if you have been accused of physical abuse, you won't get a job. WHO is screening these cargivers? Are there patients/clients capable of reporting them? In addition, these jobs pay $3 or > above minimum wage. In a rural area , like mine, that is right below professional wages. Child sex offenders have to register, but still nobody monitors their activity.

I believe that the original poster had in mind an issue of violation of trust by a co worker. When we work in any given situation, we are taught that we are a team and to work together, and that s what you do if you want to keep your job, at least when working for somebody who believes that system. When somebody steals from you, be it your stethoscope, money, id, you are personally violated. I think more than the addiction, it was the violation of trust, in this instance, and the possible consequences on top of that violation. I think we have to remember to give our trust wisely and not blindly

Those of us who have been violated, abused, used by an addict are more likely to not be as understanding. BUT , at least in my case, of the person who did it to me, NOT the rest of the world. I would no more generalize "recovery addicts"than I would any other category of people.

I, too, have been in the shoes of the person who suspected, reported, and then took the "are you sures" from fellow workers who warned me I "could be ruining the career of a nurse, for no reason". Turned out I was correct, but I DID NOT RUIN her career. She was offered help multiple times, and never decided it was worth it for her, and utimately lost her licencse two years later. I don't know if the BON was notified by the hospital I worked, or if she just kept changing jobs, and getting caught.

I do know that I protected my patients, and unit as best I could. But then I also reported a nurse with 23 years of experience who never got her her rear, but ONCE all 12 hour shift, never turned a patient, checked meds, vent, never cared, and she moved on to a position in another state where they paid to sell her house, help her get a new one, and gave her a $15000 sign on bonus. IT is too bad , that administration chooses to just get rid of the problem for themselves, and not worry about the next job they might get, only about how it looks at their institution. I would bet nothing went on her employement record,either, other than a "resignation"

Having not been in a recovery program designated by the BON, I don't know what the qualifications and requirments for completion are,but would bet it is not fun. Recovery is always ongoing, and those who are successful, realize that. I can see that this is one of those topics which will not be resolved satisfactorily for everyone. I think the biggest problem is that some feel the only recourse is loss of license , but others feel that if they are successful in recovering , they deserve to keep their license. Fortunately, that is not up to us, we won't have to decide.

Many nurses are not open about all the problems they have encountered in their lives, and regret past behaviors, from theft, to drug use to lying, to having killed somebody through involuntary manslaughter in a mva, and on and on. My trust has to be earned, be it by an alcoholice, a new grad, etc. As I have said before, I don't judge my patients, my co workers, etc. I am however,often outspoken about doctors who seem to not care about their patients.

I hope we can all always make the right decisions, but know , realistically, that is not going to happen. We will all regret actions, decisions that we have made, as do those who are successful in their recovery. I would bet none would choose to be on that downward spiral if it were that easy. As for it being a disease process, and perhaps hereditary, I don't know that I am convinced. If you don't believe that recovery is possible to a point that they should be allowed to work as a nurse, than please be tolerant and respectful, as you should be to any coworker or patient. In fact, many patients are there for our care, because they did not realistically evaluate their disease process, and chose to drink, smoke, eat unwisely. IF you can't take care of these patients without judging you should not be a nurse. Education is part of nursing, but choosing to follow the correct path is the responsibility and choice of the patient.

I hope that those who feel violated are able to trust again, and that those in recovery continue to stay clean, that those who are need, find their way to recovery,and eventualy self love again.

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Specializes in Lie detection.
In fact, many patients are there for our care, because they did not realistically evaluate their disease process, and chose to drink, smoke, eat unwisely. IF you can't take care of these patients without judging you should not be a nurse. Education is part of nursing, but choosing to follow the correct path is the responsibility and choice of the patient.

I hope that those who feel violated are able to trust again, and that those in recovery continue to stay clean, that those who are need, find their way to recovery,and eventualy self love again.

You said a lot of importantthings in your post and I thank you for sharing those thoughts.

I'd like to touch upon what you said above in regards to pt's choosing to drink,smoke, or eat unwisely.

I mentioned something like this on another thread about addiction and nursing. Seems anyone thinking about being judgemental should remember that MANY diseases come about from poor lifestyle habits. Do we judge every patient with hypertension? Stroke? Heart disease? Certain Cancers? There are so many illnesses related to how we live our lives. How on earth can you (general you) be judgemental towards only addicts??? No, no... You would need to change that and start judging a LOT more people.

OR... you could just NOT judge anybody? Yea. Better choice I think... Take care of patients and treat them all as humans. And that nurse in recovery? Well if she were recovering from heart surgery how would you treat her? Because she could "relapse" from that too. Oh yes, McDonald's french fries are always calling our names!!!! ;)

I know some may not like my comparison but just think about it ok?

Thanks again purple!!! And I'm sorry about your brother. I too have an addicted family member that is not well, I know how it feels.

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I am so glad I came across this discussion. I am an RN who is in early recovery(51 days to be exact). Here is a little about me. I am an addict who has tried to get clean since 2001. That is when I was confronted by a very caring nurse manager who knew I had a problem. I entered the impaired nurse program voluntarily because I was never caught diverting. I stayed clean for almost two years. Then I ended up in the hospital with kidney stones hooked up to a dilaudid PCA. After discharge, I relapsed. I have been battling my addiction ever since. I started using heroin on my days off. I continued working without getting caught. I was fired in October of 2006 for being late to work after many verbal and written warnings. In November I tried to commit suicide after being arrested for calling in rx of xanax. My name was in the paper for being arrested(I live in a small town where eveyone knows you). Talk about humiliating. But it wasn't "rock bottom" for me yet. I continued using, had two other suicide attempts, and got arrested again for rx forgery. I was sent to rehab(court ordered) and here I am today.

For the few people that were commenting that are in recovery, you will know what I mean when I say I had a spiritual awakening. I have been fighting this disease for so long, and I am now finally ready to surrender.

I guess according to a few on this discussion, I should lose my license forever and never be able to work again as a nurse. That is your opinion, and you are entitled to it. I just hope addiction never rears its ugly head in your life.

As of today, I am waiting to see if I am eligible for the impaired nurse program. Because I plead guilty to the charges for the rx fraud, my case is under review. I know that I may have my license suspended or be put on probation. But, nursing is all I know. Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nurse when I grew up, not an addict. So I'm willing to do what it takes to continue to practice nursing. I have thought about quitting the field and doing something else, but I feel nursing is my calling. And it is what I want to do.

I'm sure I'll get some negative feedback from a few, but to each their own.

I just want the other nurses in recovery that have been posting to know that you are a good role model to me. Everything that you have said has helped me to feel less bad about being a recovering addict that happens to be a nurse. Thank you!!!

So what are you supposed to do when you are really in severe pain from a medical problem?

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So what are you supposed to do when you are really in severe pain from a medical problem?

You work with a physician to get appropriate pain control. If that means taking narcotics, then you do it.

What we do is encourage people new in recovery to have someone monitor how they're taking the meds, even to the point of having the med locked up and only accessible by the monitor if necessary and doable. Addicts can still take pain meds, we just need to be super careful about not taking it when we don't need it.

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