Hey all I have somewhat of an ethical question. I know someone who was a big time drug addict for the better part of 10 years (ran the gammet from pot, to meth, to prescription narcotics, and I think some IV drugs). He has been clean for about 9 months or so (as far as I know). His behavor is still very odd, I think he did permanent brain damage. He very much lacks interpersonal skills, still battles paranoia from time to time, and was diagnoised as schitzophrenic while on drugs. Furthermore he has a record for assault, tresspassing, and other things. They were however dismissed from his record for good behavior as they were juvinile offenses. He has never had any drug convictions. But was abusive to his last girlfriend.
Anyway the point is he just got accepted to a nursing program and will start this fall, he passed the background check for the school. His family is all for it. But I am concerned that he will not be a good nurse for obvious reasons, also I think that nursing could potentially impede his rehab (he is not in a rehab program) b/c he would have access to controlled substances. As a RNA (he never was certified) he was fired for patient neglect, he was so awful to the patients and his attitude is about the same now as it was then. The primary reasons he wants to become a nurse is b/c he thinks he will make lots of money for little effort and can exploit the nsg shortage to do so, and b/c he will have lots of time off. I know these are very inaccurate representations of nursing ( I will be applying to nsg school soon and have worked extensively in hospitals).
Soooo my question is do I try to speak up about these things to the school, or do I just keep quite and see how he will fair in the program. My feelings are that he will not pass b/c he is obviously...you know....odd to say the least. Sigh...I am very close to the family and they are all happy about him getting in but it just doesn't seem right. I would never want him to be my nurse or anyone elses for that matter. BTW he had poor grades but I think he was still accepted b/c of the push to try and get more men into nursing. I am all for second chances or in his case 40th chances but I just wish his family would push him in a direction other than nursing. Any advice would really be appreciated.
Thank you all so much I really appreciate the input I will mind my own bees wax!
ok, i'm going to be the one to go against the tide here.
i think you should anonymously put a call in to the dean. just state the facts. do not even say 'i think you should know.' it implies they don't know what they're doing. just the facts as you know them. say that you felt ethically compelled to disclose what you knew.
this person could very well pull out all the legal stops in school and fly through claiming the 'americans with disabilites act.' they could be given extra time to preapre for tests etc.
knowing the long lists of people trying to get into schools, it really isn't right for this person to move to the head of the pack. additionally, i wouldn't be able to live with myself if they hurt someone.
let the school act on your disclosure or not. however, you did what you thought was best.
It may be wrong in your opinion, but maybe it is less than fair for you to intervene. I am sure the school he attends and the board of nursing where he lives is competent enough to come to their own deliberations and conclusions about his particular situation.
The things you said about this guy sound really bad. But you have to consider this:
Unless you were work in HR at his past job or you were his supervisor and handed him his pink slip, there is certainly a window of opportunity that you do not entirely know the circumstances that led to him being fired.
Unless you are psychic, you probably don't have the ability to read minds. How fair is it for you to testify about this guys true intentions to become nurse?
Gosh,sometimes people can change.
Please do not take offense to me suggesting that the time you spend playing detective on this gentleman may be better invested in you and your family.:icon_hug:
It is not your place to say anything, and that includes calling the BON if this person makes it through school and is going to sit for NCLEX.
Focus on your own studies. If he doesn't belong there, it will come out, but it's totally inappropriate for you to meddle. It could backfire, big time, and you could find yourself in legal hot water, or at the very least, the object of suspicion of your classmates and professors. It makes you look like you have an ax to grind.
Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.
There was a similar character in my first two semesters of nursing school. Not nearly as extreme as this one sounds. The faculty had her pegged within the first week of school. She made it through first semester, but second semester she asked questions like, "What happens if you're putting in a foley and a rock falls off the ceiling into your sterile field?" And the first time she yelled at her clinical instructor in the med room...trust me, if this guy is even worse than this...he won't get weeded, he'll get pulled up by the roots and kicked to the curb. I'm a firm believer in face to face interviews for nursing school. This girl would never have gotten in if they had actually met her first.
I think his past and his future are his business. Everybody deserves the chance to better themselves without being judged. There are many safety checks in place for the clients safety. I agree that given enough rope most "unprofessional" nurses hang themselves. Who's to say nursing won't change him for the better? Before nursing school, I had a drug problem, was in an abusive relationship and had confrontations with the police. That was almost 17 years ago; I maintained a 4.0 avg. in school, never did illegal drugs again , never stole , diverted or abused any drug. I'm quite positive I would of been diagnosed schizophrenic if I had been hospitalized on drugs. One bad acid trip, I saw Jesus come off his crucifix to talk to me in an oil painting. If that isn't a little mental..As for brain damage, I used to think I burned one too many cells. Seeing the logic of some people led me to believe cells must of regenerated or maybe I just had a surplus. All this is called growing up and taking responsibility, some of us do it and some refuse to. I don't know where I'd be today if someone had stopped me from going to nursing school because of my past. I am not that person anymore because being a nurse redefined me. I had a few more run ins with the police. It's unavoidable when your husband's a cop who doesn't pick up his dirty clothes. I changed that too .. he retired he went to nursing school also. It's funny he's 41, has 8 years in law enforcement
:yeahthat: and 4 in nursing. At 22 years old, he was a bad boy with a history that surpassed. Repeat myself , people do change.
I agree that you should MYOB. If he can't keep up with the course load, clinicals, etc. he will fail out all by his own doing. I agree with those that say he deserves a chance here. He will sink or swim all by himself. Let nature take its course here.
I say stay out of it as well. He'll either get weeded out or he'll surprise everyone and do well. Maybe he has changed...I got rehired at a hospital that had terminated me in the past. I didn't do well at this place the first time because I was in an abusive situation and missed quite a bit of work dealing with it. So I came off as unreliable. I got rehired at this place in a different capacity, as a nurse, and have been doing very well according to my boss. People change and their circumstances change.
It depends on the state you are in; for instance in Texas BNE has very specific ramifications for those identified with a mental illness, and or drug abuse history.
What bothers me is your concern with his well-being. Let's look at your life and what you need to do. Nursing school is very stressful, demanding, and most here will tell you there are times you wonder "who you are and when you will ever live again" due to the extensive and hard course work and efforts demanded by professors. If your dedication is to your future as a nurse, then put that energy into your schooling, your new identity as you progress, and all you can absorb (like a sponge) during your period of education.
It sounds to me (and empathy is not learned we either have it or not) that you might be a friend to another student in need. Yes, do your best to help him in his goal. Heresay is not fact; inference does not hold up in a court of law. I find it sad that two nurses to be not just "be" if you understand what I mean.
Take your responsibility (nursing school) seriously, and compare yourself into the program not out. We do not judge, but allow the powers that be handle what is overt. If he is using, abusing, and or breaking the law it will come to pass without you putting your energy into it.
Yeah well... maybe I'm being pessimistic this morning but, if the description of this dude is accurate, he and those like him need to stay out of MY unit, and away from the bedside of me or any of my loved ones. Yes, people can change, but there's also many, many that don't. Drug history aside, the fact that he's looking at nursing mainly as a source of easy money totally peeves me off. We all know how hard it is to give good patient care under ideal circumstances. The last thing we need is another jerk parading around with a fat wallet and a bad attitude.
I hope the school is savvy enough to weed his shyster butt out, and quickly!!
Sarah, RNBScN
477 Posts
Focus on yourself first and foremost and stay clear of that individual.