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 ICU, Surgery.

I wish they would give me (a "gasp" SMOKING RN working in a hospital) the same consideration as the addicted nurses in this thread are getting!

(sorry, couldn't resist. Was reading the Cleveland Hospital not hiring smokers thread and all the thumbs up they are getting from some of the same posters in this thread.)

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Specializes in Lie detection.
That was a joke as you brought up Tom Dick Harry

and trust me I am not the addicted type.

What's the "type"? This should be an interesting answer.

I didn't know we were a "type"...

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Originally this thread started out talking about having your ID stolen and used by someone else to divert drugs and that happened to me a little over 2 years ago and i'm still dealing with it. The hospital was using an Omnicell machine and someone got my password and used it for several months before the hospital decided that I was doing it and without talking to me at all they called the police and there was a investigation. I live in a small town so I found out about it when a co-worker called me and said that she was told that I had been arrested. After working as a nurse for 18 years I knew what it meant to be accused of stealing drugs so after talking to a few other people I called my BON and contacted an attorney immediately and had a UDS done which was negative. The BON then called the hospital. This is a very long story and i'm trying to make it as short as possible. We had the previous month had a pharmacist arrested at work for being caught stealing drugs on camera so they were already fired up. When the police wanted to question me I wouldn't talk to them without my attorney and I couldn't get ahold of her at the time (she had already told me not to talk to them without her). So they ended up arresting me on 44 counts of possession of a controlled substance. My bond was $91,000. It cost me $12,000 just to get out of jail. When I went to court for arrainment they had dropped it to 2 counts but nothing else had changed. All of that started in May of 2005. I still have not gone to court and I still don't have a nursing license. The Louisiana BON do not try to help. When I went and talked to them in person I was told that if anyone called them they needed to be able to say they were doing something about it. She was referring to the headlines in the New Orleans paper. I know that the reason this hasn't been settled yet is because they jumped on it without thinking and now they have nothing to use against me except computer paper. Nothing of mine was ever searched so of course they have no evidence, my UDS was negative, I had letters from co-workers written and sent to BON attesting to my character, and there was even one of the times that a drug was pulled that I wasn't on duty and it states that in the police report. Anyway, my point to all of this is that even though I did not steal any drugs it is 2 years later and I still can't work as a nurse. And when it finally is over I will sue and I think they know that but in the mean time I have been living in hell over something I didn't do (and i'm a single parent). There isn't any help in place for people in my situation. So stealing someone else's ID to steal drugs is something I wouldn't do to even my worst enemy, much less my friend.

I've read both sides on this thread. But I gotta say, I agree with Jess to a point. Whoever did this to cherryrose deserves to have their license yanked permanently, as well as being court-ordered to pay restitution to her (money spent on bail, attorneys and for her lost wages over the past two years) AND to enter into rehab. After which a 2nd strike? Jail.

Rose should file a civil suit as well for damages due to loss of her livelihood and reputation.

If that is too hard hearted for some, sorry. Part of recovery is learning to be responsible for your actions and owning up to your past mistakes. In this case, it should be loss of license for good.

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Specializes in Lie detection.
I've read both sides on this thread. But I gotta say, I agree with Jess to a point. Whoever did this to cherryrose deserves to have their license yanked permanently, as well as being court-ordered to pay restitution to her (money spent on bail, attorneys and for her lost wages over the past two years) AND to enter into rehab. After which a 2nd strike? Jail.

Rose should file a civil suit as well for damages due to loss of her livelihood and reputation.

If that is too hard hearted for some, sorry. Part of recovery is learning to be responsible for your actions and owning up to your past mistakes. In this case, it should be loss of license for good.

So all those in favor of yanking licenses permanently please answer this: What job do you deem appropriate and "ok" for a recovering ex-nurse to do? Let's see what's safe...

a. waitress--um, nope they could relapse and poison someone by accident. Or drop hot, burning food on a child.

b. Cashier--um nope, they could steal money, get high then go beserk and hurt someone or drive and hurt someone. Or use, set someone up at work, etc.

c. Child care- don't even go there.

d. gas station attendant-- um, getting high, flammable vapors, uh nope again.

Point is, if someone is going to relapse, they could be unsafe no matter WHERE they are working or even if they are NOT working. A good recovery program and MONITORING is crucial. That's why returning to nursing is actually a good thing. Nurses are very closely monitored once identified and treated. It's the nurse that ISN'T treated and is just "let go" into society that is dangerous.

Give me a nurse that is in program and in a Peer monitoring program anyday .

BTW, I agree that the nurse responsible should owe restitution to Cherryrose

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So all those in favor of yanking licenses permanently please answer this: What job do you deem appropriate and "ok" for a recovering ex-nurse to do? Let's see what's safe...

a. waitress--um, nope they could relapse and poison someone by accident. Or drop hot, burning food on a child.

b. Cashier--um nope, they could steal money, get high then go beserk and hurt someone or drive and hurt someone. Or use, set someone up at work, etc.

c. Child care- don't even go there.

d. gas station attendant-- um, getting high, flammable vapors, uh nope again.

Point is, if someone is going to relapse, they could be unsafe no matter WHERE they are working or even if they are NOT working. A good recovery program and MONITORING is crucial. That's why returning to nursing is actually a good thing. Nurses are very closely monitored once identified and treated. It's the nurse that ISN'T treated and is just "let go" into society that is dangerous.

Give me a nurse that is in program and in a Peer monitoring program anyday .

BTW, I agree that the nurse responsible should owe restitution to Cherryrose

If you notice, I said "in THIS case". I don't believe in a one-size-fits-all, blanket loss of license for addicts or even for those caught diverting for that matter. I also don't believe that all nurse addicts deserve the chance to regain their license.

I don't believe that simply because this nurse is an addict (so we assume; we don't know for sure if the nurse is an addict. He or she may have been diverting to sell the drugs for money or to supply someone else's use), rehab and peer monitoring is sufficient for the crime they've committed and the damage done to Cherryrose. In THIS case, I couldn't care less about relapse. My response had nothing to do with the chance of relapse. I hope they get the help they need so that doesn't happen, but I also hope they are made to pay for what they've done to her. If they relapse, oh well. That is not my concern as far as my position that this person's license should be permanently revoked.

This deserves permanent loss of license in this case. For those who don't believe it should be permanent, in this case, please consider the fact that Cherry's life and reputation (professional as well as personal) has been permanently altered, and she will most likely never be the same. Eighteen years of nursing out the window?

Some seem to support allowing this criminal the chance to one day get their license back; my question to you is who's going to give Cherry back her good name?

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Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.
What's the "type"? This should be an interesting answer.

I didn't know we were a "type"...

Actually they have something called the Addictive Personality Disorder.

My addiction is Golf and All about nurses

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
Originally this thread started out talking about having your ID stolen and used by someone else to divert drugs and that happened to me a little over 2 years ago and i'm still dealing with it. The hospital was using an Omnicell machine and someone got my password and used it for several months before the hospital decided that I was doing it and without talking to me at all they called the police and there was a investigation. I live in a small town so I found out about it when a co-worker called me and said that she was told that I had been arrested. After working as a nurse for 18 years I knew what it meant to be accused of stealing drugs so after talking to a few other people I called my BON and contacted an attorney immediately and had a UDS done which was negative. The BON then called the hospital. This is a very long story and i'm trying to make it as short as possible. We had the previous month had a pharmacist arrested at work for being caught stealing drugs on camera so they were already fired up. When the police wanted to question me I wouldn't talk to them without my attorney and I couldn't get ahold of her at the time (she had already told me not to talk to them without her). So they ended up arresting me on 44 counts of possession of a controlled substance. My bond was $91,000. It cost me $12,000 just to get out of jail. When I went to court for arrainment they had dropped it to 2 counts but nothing else had changed. All of that started in May of 2005. I still have not gone to court and I still don't have a nursing license. The Louisiana BON do not try to help. When I went and talked to them in person I was told that if anyone called them they needed to be able to say they were doing something about it. She was referring to the headlines in the New Orleans paper. I know that the reason this hasn't been settled yet is because they jumped on it without thinking and now they have nothing to use against me except computer paper. Nothing of mine was ever searched so of course they have no evidence, my UDS was negative, I had letters from co-workers written and sent to BON attesting to my character, and there was even one of the times that a drug was pulled that I wasn't on duty and it states that in the police report. Anyway, my point to all of this is that even though I did not steal any drugs it is 2 years later and I still can't work as a nurse. And when it finally is over I will sue and I think they know that but in the mean time I have been living in hell over something I didn't do (and i'm a single parent). There isn't any help in place for people in my situation. So stealing someone else's ID to steal drugs is something I wouldn't do to even my worst enemy, much less my friend.

Cherryose - that gives my a chill up my spine just reading your posting. Unfort. for us, the Louisiana BON is VERY unfriendly and borderline possessing NO desire to help your case whatsoever. Goo luck, and I will be prating for you and your family.

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
The OP said "drug addicted nurses" because only non-chemically dependent people separate drugs and alcohol. If you look closely at the posts by recovering nurses, we say both because they are both inclusive of each other.

I give up. I'm getting a headache everytime I come in here.

Taz -- You are 100 percent right!!!

Tazzi - hope u guys had a great july 4th!!!!

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To busyrnandmom and Tazzi--

Remember this (this is something that a friend told me when my dad died-one month to the day from my nursing gradution, I might add)

"God doesn't give you anything that He thinks that you can't handle."

So know that you - and all recovering people, with ANY addition - are in my prayers.

's RN

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
To busyrnandmom and Tazzi--

Remember this (this is something that a friend told me when my dad died-one month to the day from my nursing gradution, I might add)

"God doesn't give you anything that He thinks that you can't handle."

So know that you - and all recovering people, with ANY addition - are in my prayers.

's RN

AngelsRN -- You are so right!!!! I hope your upbringing and sense of compassion will in some small way, touch Tim and the other posters that think we as 1st offenders should never work again. And, could you imagine the nsg shortage if that were true, that upon your 1st offense, the BON shows up at your front door or waiting in the pass.seat and demands your nsg license at that very moment, never to get it bck:angryfire Anne, RNC

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angelsrn -- you are so right!!!! i hope your upbringing and sense of compassion will in some small way, touch tim and the other posters that think we as 1st offenders should never work again. and, could you imagine the nsg shortage if that were true, that upon your 1st offense, the bon shows up at your front door or waiting in the pass.seat and demands your nsg license at that very moment, never to get it bck:angryfire anne, rnc

never?????? why in the h--- on your 1st offense, and yes, i read that your uds was neg., would the bon want to take your nsg. license????? :angryfire:angryfire that makes no sense whatsoever!!:uhoh3:

is there no defense? why won't they believe you? did someone say something to someone and that someone took it the wrong way? sorry, this old brain does not compute! :smackingf :eek:

's rn

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Members, please stay on the original topic. Please do not flame, bash, argue etc. This is a strong, emotional thread, but keep cool PLEASE?

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