Entire card of narcotics missing!

Nurses Medications

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I'm a new lpn of 2 1/2 mo. A whole card is missing of narcotics! But I had put them in cart and locked them up. I hadn't counted the cart the narcs were on. I was exhausted and caring for 32 pts with no break and hadn't eaten in 11 hrs. I completely forgot about counting cart. I had to count 2 carts and I only counted on one. I am suspended till investigation is over. Originally I was suspended then today I was told it was a pharmacy error and I could return to work then tonight I received a call I am suspended again b/c it wasn't a pharmacy error.

We do admissions plus 32 pts. Admissions take at least2 hrs to sign paper work, go over areas with pt and file paperwork. I feel terrible for my error of not counting but that doesn't replace the meds that were stolen. I must now answer questions to the board and police regarding the incident. I don't feel I can return to work at that facility after this. I'm embarrassed and nervous from taking on so much. Any feedback? How do your recover? It's thanksgiving and I feel like a fool.

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Did you leave the cart unattended and unlocked? I don't see how the card could have disappeared if you were in control of it and it was locked. Seems like a savvy coworker looked for an opportunity and saw where you provided one.

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Specializes in hospice.
. I don't feel I can return to work at that facility after this. I'm embarrassed and nervous from taking on so much. Any feedback? How do your recover? It's thanksgiving and I feel like a fool.

Have you taken a drug test?

You're going to have to learn to move past mistakes and keep going. You can't quit your job every time you screw up.

Do the best you can to defend yourself, but this is probably going to get ugly. A nurse I used to work with got fired and her license revoked for something very similar. You may need a lawyer. :(

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

The incoming nurse accepted the keys from you without insisting on a narc count? How does anyone know that the incoming nurse didn't make off with an entire card of narcs?

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

What is a card of narcotics? At first I thought it was a typo, but then saw other people using the word.

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Did the card get misplaced with other meds? I did that one time. It was behind some Zocor. Norco/Zorco pretty close. And as the PP asked did the oncoming nurse take it? She's responsible since she took the keys without a count. Is she suspended too? Did anyone get in your cart? Sometimes we get laxed about handing our keys to the other nurse so she can get some OTC meds off your cart instead of her going to the supply closet. You got to remember you are a fresh nurse and some nurses that are seasoned will use your mistakes for a diversion. I am NOT saying this is the case. No, do not quit your job over this. I do want to say that 32 residents and admits along with your accuchecks, passing pills, and charting you are running yourself ragged. Take a drug test and keep your head up. You know you didn't take them.

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A card of narcs is a blister pack of pills instead of a bottle. It has numbers on the side of each pill. It's much easier to count instead of taking a bottle and pouring out the pills and counting them one by one.

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Specializes in critical care.

You need to either call your primary care provider TODAY or go to an urgent care center as immediately as possible (TODAY) and get a drug screen. Get urine done - not just the dip stick ones, but the one where lab actually processes it for metabolites. TODAY! And call your to get the ball rolling in case this escalates. But! Go pee at the lab!!!!!! Now! The longer you wait to do that, they more room they have to say you waited until the meds were out of your system, or you swallowed some kind of product that would taint the results.

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Specializes in MICU, SICU, CICU.

Rachel,

take the time right now to write down exactly what happened on that shift, including if the pharmacist restocked the cart or made a delivery on your shift.

Every single detail even if it seems unimportant. Also note who was working on both shifts and put it away with a copy of the schedule and your time card and paystub.

Every conversation that you have note the date and time and keep precise notes of what was said and by whom.

You have done nothing wrong but you are, at this point, the subject of an investigation.

I would ask for the employer to do a ten panel urine drug screen, in fact I would insist on it.

The fact that they have probable cause and have not tested you leads me to think that you are not the prime suspect.

Save all of that paperwork as well.

There may be more going on here than they can share with you at this point.

It is likely that one of your coworkers is diverting drugs.

Every experienced nurse knows that these people are not easy to spot and are very clever at deflecting blame onto others.

Some big clues are lateness, poor attendance and they like to cultivate friendships with administration officials.

I do believe that you have been set up and that you need legal representation, either through your or the American Association of Nurse Attorneys.

As a new nurse myself and another nurse had comments about missing medications directed at us by the DON in a staff meeting. We worked with this cloud of suspicion hanging over us for almost a year. The thief actually volunteered to help rewrite the policy for controlled substances. The thief was actually caught a year later when she was found to have been found guilty of diversion in another state and her license was suspended. Seven years later her license was revoked.

I am very sorry that you have to experience this as a new nurse but I have confidence that you will be exonerated.

Maggie

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I had done a drug screen on sight. A very valuable lesson has been learned on my part. The cart is shared by other nurses on each shift. My concern is the amount of work on my plate with 32 pts, gtube, tx and 42 narcs to count. I was extremely tired and hadn't eaten. That is no excuse but these are 2 things I must avoid at all costs in the future. I should not say yes to staying over. I'm told the facility is now seeing where things were laxed and correcting them. I'm sorry my error caused this. I had been praised by staff on my work and interaction with pts and it's now dashed and I must rebuild. My reason to consider other employment is b/c I'm concerned with whether I can handle the amount of work I need to do. Thanks for all the feedback!

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I have learned both of us are suspended during investigation. I notified him that night the card of narcs were in box for his pt before leaving. I wondered that myself after hearing how defensive he became when asked about the narcs.

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Specializes in hospice.
My reason to consider other employment is b/c I'm concerned with whether I can handle the amount of work I need to do.

That is a valid reason to look around. Your workload does seem completely insane. I'm glad to hear you took a drug test immediately too. It would have been very suspicious if they hadn't required that. Best of luck.

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