HELP...I really messed up

Nurses General Nursing

Published

After a really long stressful day I got home undressed and took a shower. I'm a bit of a pig so I didn't pick up my clothes for 2 days. Thats when I realized that I had a nearly full MS PCA syringe in the pocket of my cargo pants. I live far from the hospital and I knew that if I called them they'd make me drive back to the hospital. Now it's been 5 days. Tomorrow's monday and I know that I have to call them but I am so afraid of being fired/ reported to the board that I am now considering just keeping it to see what happens. I am so ****. How could this happen & what would you do. I know what I should do but other threads have suggested that this is a highly punishable offense even with far less drug. I am not a drug user.

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How long have you worked there? I would call first thing in the am, speak to your manager, tell them it was in the pocket and you found it when you went to do laundry. That is the truth, no? I'd leave out the waiting 2 extra days part. Bring it back. Now you know, always ALWAYS empty your pockets in the locker room before you head home. You will not make that mistake again. Fess up and deal with the consequences. It would be far worse to NOT fess up and then have it come back later on. You will have lost all credibility then. It just needs to be wasted,right? Next time, call immediately. We ALL make mistakes. All of us. What separates the good from the bad are the ones that admit them and take steps to correct it.

The longer you wait, the worse it gets and the more you will be consumed with guilt.

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Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.

If you keep it you are stealing narcs. Don't turn an honest mistake into a premeditated criminal act. Call you manager and admit your mistake and ask him / her what you should do about it. Do not lie to him. As previously suggested I wouldn't volenteer that you have known for two days. Make sure you keep the MS until you dispose of it in the manner your NM wants.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I agree with the above posters. Just tell your manager, boss, whoever that you were

going through the laundry and found it in your pants pocket. Honest mistake.

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Specializes in Med-Swing/Rehab.

If it's your first time then you may not get into too much trouble. Just call your job and ask to speak with your supervisor on your floor and them tell you were doing your laundry and found a PCA Morphine and you need to bring it back. Tell them it's been two days because you just took off your pants and threw them in the dirty clothes and didn't check the pockets. Then you should come in and waste it with a manager. A staff nurse should not have to waste with you. It should be someone in a manageorial position.

Good luck.

This happened to me but was a vial of half used hydromorphone. Found it two days later. Just had to waste it with my supervisor and go down to medical records and sign that we wasted it on the paper chart.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Confession is good for the soul.......:eek:

Seriously, I would want to give the laundry story and turn it in and have them give you a drug test so you can prove you are not using.....

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

geez Louise. Why is it Pharmacy is not all over you at this point???? Does no one check waste?

Our pharmacy has the ability to determine if the solution being returned is actually what it is supposed to be (morphine and saline look the same of course). I would request that test be done to clear your name. Next time call ASAP and get it back no matter how inconvenient. Beats the alternative.

PS. This happened to me twice before I realized I had control of the outcome! DUHHHHHHHHH

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