Good form, proper procedure for reporting

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

Hm. I'm not happy to have this particular worry but in any case, I feel the need to do something about it. We have a new nurse in our unit, whose actions have most of us (those of us who pay attention) scratching our heads and thinking, she's either unsafe or diverting drugs, or both.

I don't want to go into details because people know I frequent this board. Just know the situation's been noticed for about a month and I've been watching the effects on the various patients, and looking at patterns of pain management in the unit overall, in different nurse's patients in particular. Dayshift is in sort of a quiet uproar over various things and it impacts my nights and obviously, the patients' overall well being when they get what I deem to be inappropriate pain meds half the time.

My question is not how do I know what's going on. I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, and I've encouraged those who directly see the behaviors to at the very least, have a heart to heart with the unit director. I don't think the situation's getting better and I feel the need to fix that. So what am I supposed to do first? Unit director, then DON of hospital, then the state board? I was considering sending the same email to both the unit director and the DON with the little CC at the bottom, letting each know the other got the same email. I like that little trick but I don't want to **** off my director. Then I was thinking, if the state board allows anonymous reporting, that might be just the thing. Or maybe I don't care if it's anonymous since I'm confident in my practice.

I know where my liability stands, and at this point I probably know enough that I'm responsible if I don't do something. I just want opinions as to what order to do this in. BTW, I actually like this nurse, but I like my patients and my license more.

[katfishLPN]

Hm. I'm not happy to have this particular worry but in any case, I feel the need to do something about it. We have a new nurse in our unit, whose actions have most of us (those of us who pay attention) scratching our heads and thinking, she's either unsafe or diverting drugs, or both.

I don't want to go into details because people know I frequent this board. Just know the situation's been noticed for about a month and I've been watching the effects on the various patients, and looking at patterns of pain management in the unit overall, in different nurse's patients in particular. Dayshift is in sort of a quiet uproar over various things and it impacts my nights and obviously, the patients' overall well being when they get what I deem to be inappropriate pain meds half the time.

My question is not how do I know what's going on. I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, and I've encouraged those who directly see the behaviors to at the very least, have a heart to heart with the unit director. I don't think the situation's getting better and I feel the need to fix that. So what am I supposed to do first? Unit director, then DON of hospital, then the state board? I was considering sending the same email to both the unit director and the DON with the little CC at the bottom, letting each know the other got the same email. I like that little trick but I don't want to **** off my director. Then I was thinking, if the state board allows anonymous reporting, that might be just the thing. Or maybe I don't care if it's anonymous since I'm confident in my practice.

I know where my liability stands, and at this point I probably know enough that I'm responsible if I don't do something. I just want opinions as to what order to do this in. BTW, I actually like this nurse, but I like my patients and my license more.

Just keep in mind... No good deed ever goes unpunished.

I personally would wait to have some sort of positive proof before saying anything to the state board.

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

I guess I don't want to be left in the hot seat of "if you knew something, and didn't report it, you're just as responsible" type mentality. I wonder if reporting without proof, in the form of urging the boss to look into it, is good enough to keep out of that predicament.

[BlearnRN]

I would talk to your supervisor . Tell her what you have heard and say that it is really concerning to you. Encourage the nurses that have seen it to go to the super also. I would also tell them that if the situation is not resolved that they need to report her. AND as always document (for yourself) what you have done and who you have gone to and the other nurses should follow suit. The other nurses should also keep a document for themselves on the one nurses actions and what they themselves have actually seen. Also, maybe it would be a good idea to seek some legal advice----