Didn't scan a narcotic at bedside

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi everyone- just wanting opinions please. I know you can't give "legal" advice.

I've read multiple old threads on narcotic counts in the Pyxis being off and such. But I'm wondering what happens (and yes this is me) I took one norco out but forgot to scan before giving to patient? I haven't had a chance to investigate the MAR or my charting yet because I haven't worked since I got the call from my manager. I will be there tomorrow to look into it and write my "statement" of how I remember the events, etc. I'm pretty sure it was given along with my 1pm meds so I'm hoping they'll see i removed other meds from Pyxis and gave to patient at same time. All i can say is it was a mistake. Never happened before. I was told it would have to be reported to the DEA. That's all I know. I don't know anything else regarding being written up or other punishment.

Does anyone have experience with this? One missed scan? One occasion? What happened to you? How serious is it?

I'm nervous even though i know i know it was an honest mistake. Btw Been a nurse for one year.

Thanks in advance

Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

The new system of pyxis and computers are great. In the old days, I made med errors here and there. Not so with pyxis and computers. The extra checks are so good that even a demented old nurse like me can flawlessly pass meds.

I don't know if I agree with that, this old demented nurse did better with locked drawers and paper MAR, lol

To OP: It seems very over the top to notify DEA, I have never heard of that! Usually a mistake just gets fixed with a "late documentation". Hope all goes well!!

I don't know if I agree with that, this old demented nurse did better with locked drawers and paper MAR, lol

To OP: It seems very over the top to notify DEA, I have never heard of that! Usually a mistake just gets fixed with a "late documentation". Hope all goes well!!

We have an interim director, who is pretty hell bent on following rules, policies and procedures down to the last detail. So I'm thinking if the DEA says count your narcotics and report any unaccounted for meds then by damned she's doin it, every single time (which I don't know the law at all...I'm just saying she's all about enforcing things that others were very lax on before)

I would offer to take a urine drug screen. Reporting you to DEA over this seems ludicrous.

Op will most likely be subjected to a drug screen. That does not really cover squat, so admin is just covering that issue. The most flagrant diversion I ever saw ( entire boxes of Demerol), was a nurse that was diverting for her husbands use. Diversion is also used to sell the diverted drug

I gave 15mg of Oxycodone to a pt yesterday. Later in the day I noticed it did not show up as scanned, although I know for sure i scanned. Maybe I walked away without verifying the meds given? It's not the first time that has happened with a med, but never a narcotic.

I went to the charge nurse and told her what had happened. She simply entered it as "unreadable barcode", said don't worry about it. I said, "but...but... it's a narcotic!!" and she said, it won't come to anything.

Ever since, I've been quivering in my boots because she did it while I was logged in, so it's my documentation.

If something happens, I guess I'm just finished.

Specializes in Critical Care.
I would offer to take a urine drug screen. Reporting you to DEA over this seems ludicrous.

I think the reporting to DEA is just a scare tactic! Good luck!

My only "experience" is second-hand. A nurse I worked with forgot to scan IV narcotics multiple times. She didn't waste it, either. She was allowed to come in and chart it late. My involvement was to act as a cosigner for the waste so that she didn't get reported.

She did eventually get fired, and perhaps reported ...but that was after multiple incidents at at different times. Reporting you to the DEA over one missed scan seems ridiculous.

If it were me, I would seek legal advice and take a drug test since I've seen how messy these things can become. A proactive approach is probably best.

If, in the future, management asks you to lie on official documentation to cover for a likely drug diverter, I would recommend declining. I am no lawyer, but it seems like there could be a rule against that.

OP: DEA? Again, not my field of expertise, but DEA is a law enforcement agency. You did not break any laws. Imagine a federal law enforcement agency getting involved in a failure to follow a hospital policy. As likely as the National Guard showing up if your car is in patient parking. Is there any chance that whoever told you this is an idiot?

Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
Hi everyone- just wanting opinions please. I know you can't give "legal" advice.

I've read multiple old threads on narcotic counts in the Pyxis being off and such. But I'm wondering what happens (and yes this is me) I took one norco out but forgot to scan before giving to patient? I haven't had a chance to investigate the MAR or my charting yet because I haven't worked since I got the call from my manager. I will be there tomorrow to look into it and write my "statement" of how I remember the events, etc. I'm pretty sure it was given along with my 1pm meds so I'm hoping they'll see i removed other meds from Pyxis and gave to patient at same time. All i can say is it was a mistake. Never happened before. I was told it would have to be reported to the DEA. That's all I know. I don't know anything else regarding being written up or other punishment.

Does anyone have experience with this? One missed scan? One occasion? What happened to you? How serious is it?

I'm nervous even though i know i know it was an honest mistake. Btw Been a nurse for one year.

Thanks in advance

My only advice to you is to change your mind from being "pretty sure" you gave the med, to being completely confident you gave the med. Reporting to the DEA for one offense seems a little extreme, so I wouldn't leave them any extra wiggle room.

Specializes in Critical Care.

Unlike hospitals/facilities, pharmacies, and prescribers, nurses are not overseen by the DEA, so it's unlikely the DEA will care that you didn't scan a med. So long as you gave the medication to the patient there is no diversion to report, failing to scan the medication may violate facility specific policies meant to reduce the potential for diversion, but not following that policy is not in itself evidence of diversion.

If, in the future, management asks you to lie on official documentation to cover for a likely drug diverter, I would recommend declining. I am no lawyer, but it seems like there could be a rule against that.

I think they were actually hoping that I wouldn't cosign for her. We were the only two nurses working on the unit that night.

I didn't like working with the girl and thought she was a dingbat, but I didn't believe she was diverting. She made just as many documentation errors with things like colace.

No time to research this more/post links right now, but they do have to have procedures in place for accounting for every single controlled substance, including reporting to appropriate agencies per federal and applicable state laws. There are consequences involving the DEA, TJC, CMS, OIG, etc., for not doing so.

This excessive government and excessive concern with these meds is why we don't have time or personnel to locate the misplaced children who were stolen from their parents at the border.

If, in the future, management asks you to lie on official documentation to cover for a likely drug diverter, I would recommend declining. I am no lawyer, but it seems like there could be a rule against that.

OP: DEA? Again, not my field of expertise, but DEA is a law enforcement agency. You did not break any laws. Imagine a federal law enforcement agency getting involved in a failure to follow a hospital policy. As likely as the National Guard showing up if your car is in patient parking. Is there any chance that whoever told you this is an idiot?

and we should never co-sign for a med we did not actually see wasted. You should go back and error that out.

Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.

I think the pharmacy is required to report discrepancies to the DEA that are not resolved. They aren't reporting you personally. I wouldn't worry about it too much, try to go back and chart it as given. Your documentation should reflect that the patient was in pain and received a medication and relief of pain after it was given. Be very careful with narcotics and controlled meds in the future, make sure you pull them on the right patient and document it correctly in the MAR every time. Slow down so you can document carefully and be mindful of what you are giving.

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