Losing your license

Nurses General Nursing

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After reading, and reading and READING on these threads, I have yet another question....people here are always commenting on the need to protect your nursing license...so my question is--how common is it for nurses to lose their licenses, and do you know of ANY nurses that have, (not looking for names, just whether or not you have known of this happening to anyone) or is it just something nurses worry about, but very uncommon. thanx again!

I guess you underestimate the power of addiction. Addiction runs in my family, mainly alcoholism. Some people just battle huge inner demons, it is hard to understand how they feel until you are in their place. However, when they steal the drugs from their patients or rip off their place of business it is a problem. While drugs such as heroin may not be in hospitals, drugs such as morphine, vicodine, and oxycontin are. I'm sure they understand the risks, but sometimes the addiction takes over. At least hospitals are pretty good at keeping track of the drugs so that these nurses do get caught eventually.

Wow. Guess I'm not familiar with all of this since I'm just a student.

Just out of curiosity, why would nurses want to steal drugs from hospitals? I guess when I think of drug addicts I think of heroin, pot, etc. I assume hospitals don't have these drugs, so I'm wondering what are the hospital drugs that addicts feel compelled to take?

And don't they realize they can get caught and that the hospital tracks these things?

I guess I'll never completely understand the mentality of a drug user, but if it was me, I'd want to keep it outside of my job. But maybe that's too logical ...especially for an addiction.

Just wondering about the possible reasons for this, since it seems to be the number one thing that people lose their licenses over.

:smokin:

She was taking drugs from the hospital.

She needs treatment. Now. Addiction is a primary disease and health professionals who suffer from it have an added burden, shame. She cannot do this on her own; she has to be in a supportive environment.

When I get my states newsletter I always go to the disciplined nurses section first.

I want to see if there is anyone I know on the list.

Nurses get caught diverting drugs mostly because of their own stupidity. I've heard of nurses signing out narcs every hour on a pt who has a q4hr prn order.

I think if you are stealing from work then thats it. Find another field to work in.

-R

Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Call Center RN.
Wow. Guess I'm not familiar with all of this since I'm just a student.

Just out of curiosity, why would nurses want to steal drugs from hospitals? I guess when I think of drug addicts I think of heroin, pot, etc. I assume hospitals don't have these drugs, so I'm wondering what are the hospital drugs that addicts feel compelled to take?

And don't they realize they can get caught and that the hospital tracks these things?

I guess I'll never completely understand the mentality of a drug user, but if it was me, I'd want to keep it outside of my job. But maybe that's too logical ...especially for an addiction.

Just wondering about the possible reasons for this, since it seems to be the number one thing that people lose their licenses over.

:smokin:

Lizz- I don't think it is because you are a student. I never imagined it either until I started working in LTC. I had to take a pee test before hired. Then on 3 different occasions have had to go back in for pee tests. The DON will call all the nurses in to have the test. The first time it happened I was absolutely blown away. She told me that someone had been stealing narcotics. One reason that blew me away was that these are sleeping pills and pain relievers. Well let me tell you after working a full shift, I do not need help getting to sleep. I could not imagine how tired I would feel if I took a sleeping pill. Makes absolutely no sense to me. This last time we all got called in, I had not been working because I had all my wisdom teeth out. I had been taking Darvocet and the DON said "oh that's no big deal". Well 2 months later I get a called from the Office Manager saying "if you don't bring in a copy of your prescription the company is going to turn your urine test over to the BON". I was furious. I had not been working while on the meds. But they are going to turn me in for it anyway. Luckily I am bad and I keep all the old medicine bottles in my bathroom cabinet and took the bottle up there. But thought the whole situation was out of control. What if I had been out of town or something. I only work once a month if that. Anyway....nothing came of it, because I had it legally.

Specializes in Emergency.

everyday you "protect your license" I've got the patient care down, I just need to work on the "protect your license charting" I mean it's small/minimal stuff, but still stuff that can be charted that i forget about. good question.

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