Family stole from me

Nurses General Nursing

Published

anyone ever have a patients family steal from you? This just happened to me, I didn't think someone could sink that low.:(

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How did a patient's family come in contact with something of yours valuable enough to steal? It's never happened to me, but I don't create opportunities for it to happen, either.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
How did a patient's family come in contact with something of yours valuable enough to steal? It's never happened to me, but I don't create opportunities for it to happen, either.

I tend to think the same thing. I'm not saying that the OP deserved to be a victim of theft. Not that I need to know the details, but I curious to know what they stole and why it was in a position to be stolen?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

i don't see how this could be impossible. If she is working in home health or private duty, it could happen. I work at a small building and unless we lock everything up, including our cars, it has happened.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I haven't even had a patient's family manage to steal a pen​ from me. What the heck happened?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
i don't see how this could be impossible. If she is working in home health or private duty, it could happen. I work at a small building and unless we lock everything up, including our cars, it has happened.

...which goes back to the question of how did this happen? My first thought was home health environment. But then I was going to ask did anyone see the broken glass from the windows of the OP's vehicle being busted out because surely the doors were locked. There had to have been vehicle damage. However, that's just speculation on my part.

Nurses are all over the place and involved in so many time-consuming tasks, that it's not practical to have valuables on out persons. I cannot imagine beginning my shift anywhere without securing items that I'm fond of. I'd never trust a patient's family enough to allow them near my personal effects. Ever! If they have anything of mine, you best believe they committed a crime to get to it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work in home health. A client stole from me twice. Both items were worth over $100. I just sucked it up because I already knew my agency would do nothing more than to defend the low class client. Not long after the items "disappeared" the client got more aggressive than usual, then decided they needed a different victim, errr nurse. Agency only too happy to oblige.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

I'm still confused. Even in home health you brought your stuff into a clients home? My stuff would be safer in my car.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A coat does me no good in the car, and the other item was taken from my purse, probably while I was in the bathroom. I would not leave my purse in the car, even the trunk. Car-stealing kind of neighborhood, and I always carry enough cash to get me home should I come out to find my car gone. The client seemed savvy enough not to steal my money although that would have been better to obtain the drugs or alcohol so necessary in that house.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
A coat does me no good in the car, and the other item was taken from my purse, probably while I was in the bathroom. I would not leave my purse in the car, even the trunk. Car-stealing kind of neighborhood, and I always carry enough cash to get me home should I come out to find my car gone. The client seemed savvy enough not to steal my money although that would have been better to obtain the drugs or alcohol so necessary in that house.

I have a glove compartment with a key. I know not all cars have it, but I use it often. I take nothing of value into my workplace even. If it doesn't fit in my pocket and is valuable, it stays in there. Or, at home.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

I've never had anything stolen from me, but a nurse I worked with had her car stolen by a patient's family member.

The door to the break room had been propped open for short time for some reason (I think boxes were being moved out?) and the family member walked in and took the nurse's car keys out of her jacket pocket, walked out and drove off with the nurse's car. It was found a couple miles away and the individual arrested.

She [the nurse] told me that story one of my first days working there and I never leave anything of value in the break room. If it doesn't fit on me, I don't bring it to work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in PCCN.

if i was in homecare I would be fanny packing it. even if i still look like a nerd

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment