Have you ever reported your coworker to the supervisor and got the person fired

bargainhound, RN · Jan 28, 2007

YOu are worrying about what might happen.

Just know what you want your practice to be and

stick to it next time.

Be prepared to say you made a mistake, but learned

that is not what you want to do in the future.

Think it through and give yourself some pros and cons

for the practices.

Don't let peer pressure make you change your safe practice.

If it is unbearable, then find a job where safe practice is

the rule, rather than disgusting short cuts that can injure

or sicken patients or staff.

Protect yourself, your patients, and your potential for law suits.

Schoolnursetrish39 · Jan 28, 2007

Well my posting name is Schoolnurse Trish but I don't work in the education sector anymore as budget cuts eliminated my position I moved and I have been working in long term care.. It is a nightmare I have always worked in hospitals prior to this and I have such a problem with the CMAs and the fact they pass meds there is not alot of oversight by the DON she does not want to be called at home about anything. Well I saw with my own eyes I thought this this CMA on staff handed off pills outside our facility door to her husband one night as she was leaving but I wasn't sure and later that night two patients there that are lucid and do not have dementia stated they insisted they were not given their medication and because it was signed out I had to assume the CMA gave it. Of course it was an opioid and a benzodiazepine medication.

I spoke of my concerns to the DON and I was never asked about or asked to write a report up and the next week the DON was gone... resigned with no notice... needless to say I walked as I was the only RN in this facility besides the DON and the rest of the staff is a LPN and the balance of staffing is made by staffing agencies...

I love being a nurse and I guess I need to go back to hospital work as there I know who gets their meds because I give them. Not all CMAs are bad but alot think they know more than an RN and they go to school 3 weeks in my state... but if you quiz them on medications and uses and side effects they are lost... I know that most nursing homes can't hire enough nurses to have on staff to give out med passes themselves but it would be safer... I worry about my license and as such have to decide to relocate to another state where hopefully oversight is better... I almost think the DON knew something because why would she have quit like that after I brought this matter up.. It was never even acknowledged by her or the adminstrator.. Scary thing is I wasn't asked to do a drug screen when I accepted employment there and that is scary but I live in a small town and there are only so many places to work... Sooner or later I am going to find a job where I can feel good after a day's work and not wonder if my patients are medicated adequately or at all...

Wish me luck

TrudyRN · Jan 28, 2007

Well my posting name is Schoolnurse Trish but I don't work in the education sector anymore as budget cuts eliminated my position I moved and I have been working in long term care.. It is a nightmare I have always worked in hospitals prior to this and I have such a problem with the CMAs and the fact they pass meds there is not alot of oversight by the DON she does not want to be called at home about anything. Well I saw with my own eyes I thought this this CMA on staff handed off pills outside our facility door to her husband one night as she was leaving but I wasn't sure and later that night two patients there that are lucid and do not have dementia stated they insisted they were not given their medication and because it was signed out I had to assume the CMA gave it. Of course it was an opioid and a benzodiazepine medication.
I spoke of my concerns to the DON and I was never asked about or asked to write a report up and the next week the DON was gone... resigned with no notice... needless to say I walked as I was the only RN in this facility besides the DON and the rest of the staff is a LPN and the balance of staffing is made by staffing agencies...
I love being a nurse and I guess I need to go back to hospital work as there I know who gets their meds because I give them. Not all CMAs are bad but alot think they know more than an RN and they go to school 3 weeks in my state... but if you quiz them on medications and uses and side effects they are lost... I know that most nursing homes can't hire enough nurses to have on staff to give out med passes themselves but it would be safer... I worry about my license and as such have to decide to relocate to another state where hopefully oversight is better... I almost think the DON knew something because why would she have quit like that after I brought this matter up.. It was never even acknowledged by her or the adminstrator.. Scary thing is I wasn't asked to do a drug screen when I accepted employment there and that is scary but I live in a small town and there are only so many places to work... Sooner or later I am going to find a job where I can feel good after a day's work and not wonder if my patients are medicated adequately or at all...
Wish me luck

I wouldn't assume that the DON's leaving had anything to do with you. There were probably plenty of other reasons. As for the med tech stealing meds, I am not surprised but I am appalled. I understand why you didn't but you did and still do have a legal and moral obligation to report what you saw to the authorities. They can surveil the place and catch this malevolent CMA in the act and put a stop to her wicked, wretched treatment of her residents, depriving them of their medications.

TrudyRN · Jan 28, 2007

YOu are worrying about what might happen.
Just know what you want your practice to be and
stick to it next time.
Be prepared to say you made a mistake, but learned
that is not what you want to do in the future.
Think it through and give yourself some pros and cons
for the practices.
Don't let peer pressure make you change your safe practice.
If it is unbearable, then find a job where safe practice is
the rule, rather than disgusting short cuts that can injure
or sicken patients or staff.
Protect yourself, your patients, and your potential for law suits.

:yeahthat: I wouldn't let fear of angering my coworkers stop me from telling the truth about them. They might need to be educated or fired if they are breaking laws and rules. Furthermore, believe me, they won't hesitate for a single second to rat you out so why should you hesitate to tell the truth about them? Just be sure it's the truth.

ND76 · Jan 28, 2007

We all take "shortcuts" to save ourselves time and energy, god knows I do. You will sink if you don't. But medication administration is not a place to do it.

For the safety of your job, (not to mention the safety of your patients!!) you need to be familiar with your facility's policies and procedures, especially concerning medication administration. That is the one area that will get you in the most trouble, period. And, especially as a new grad AND a new employee at the facility, I would recommend following the policy to a tee. You cannot be accused of any wrongdoing as long as you are explicitly following written policy, regardless of what your co-workers might do.

I don't think there's any gray area here. You 'play like you practice' and it's just as easy to learn good habits as it is bad ones.

I wouldn't 'rat' out the other nurses at the facility, but I would let the DON that there were some discrepancies in your orientation, and that you had several different people giving conflicting information, and you would appreciate the clarification of the policies for your own personal knowledge. You might also mention that maybe if EVERYONE could get some education or inservicing or just a 'brushup' on P & P that it would make things smoother as well. That way, you know that everyone is aware of the correct way to do things, and if they choose not to follow, it's their license, not your brand spanking new one!

THOMP974 · Jan 28, 2007

Yes I have. She was and RN and I am just a clerk but I reported her to my supervisor and her nurse manager because she was LAUGHING and cracking up in a patients room during a code. The patients family was right outside the curtin listening to her cut up. I was SO mad! She told her surpervisor she was trying to "lighten things up" I am glad that she is gone.

elizabeth321 · Jan 28, 2007

I have not reported anyone that was then fired....I would if I had to.

When red flags are going up during orientation they are worth paying attention to. May be best to bail sooner than later.

When you are confident in your skin, with your practise etc you don't have to worry about anyone reporting you. You do the right thing at all times....and doing the right thing is often not the easiest thing.

Liz

jannrn · Jan 28, 2007

I am the last person who would normally question another nurse but when it is put in front of me in black and white, I sure did!!

I was having a busy night passing out percocet, etc out left and right, and back then we had paper charting, so about 5:30 in the morning when I had the chance I went back into Pyxis to check to make sure I had not missed charting any meds for any of my pt. (glad it is not that busy every night!)

while doing that I noticed that one of my postpartum pt had a 10mg IV dose of morphine withdrawn for her by a nurse who had been assigned to the nursery (babies!) that night. At first I thought it was nice that maybe she had offered to help, but it became pretty clear that this wasn't the case. (we rarely ever used that med on the unit but it was on the orders anyway) I did a history on just her and found other withdrawls of the same med on other pt. so I printed it out and she never worked another night at that facility. I asked to be anonymous and held my tongue as all the other nurses wondered why. One other nurse knew because I was so shocked and had to bounce it off her to make sure I wasnt going crazy and seeing things. She was great to work with and I hated that it happened but at that point it was clear she needed help!

smkiya, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2007

Funny you should mention this because I'm in the thick of it now. Long story short, this is the weekend job that put me through nursing school, non healthcare related (start as an RN next week...)....

anyway, I came in to work yesterday at 7 am to relieve the overnight guy, and while I was cleaning the desk I found a bag with two empty Budweiser cans. :beercuphe When I put my lunch in the refrigerator I saw a paper bag at the bottom (of course I opened it) and there was a can of Miller beer. A couple hours later, another employee asked me if I'd noticed anything strange about the guy I relieved, and I didn't say anything but cued her to tell me what she knew. She said that when she came in she smelled alcohol at the desk and he had the music on so loud she said it sounded like a "disco". :nono:

This is a corporate office building open to employees 24/7, and this is the second incident in a month (that I know of). This guy was fired before, but given a second chance because his friend is the supervisor. Well I called the supervisor yesterday, and do you know what he said? "Well, he's been going through a lot right now, he has a lot of problems." I was floored. He said that he's been messing up and he doesn't know if he's going to keep him, blah blah. I decided not to report it to the property manager because the supervisor said he would take care of it. Well, my shift starts at 7am and ends at 11pm, so at 11pm, I'm expecting the supervisor or a replacement. Guess who walks in to work? Yup! :cheers:

Well I told him that I found his beer and that an employee caught him drinking, and he asked me if I told anyone. I said of course I did, I had to. Then he went into this 'woe is me' and I cut him off, I said you really shouldn't be drinking at work. He asked who I reported it to and I said the supervisor, and he said ok. Well this morning at 7am I relieve him and before he leaves he says, "hope to see you next week" and just as he walks out the door he says 'you got rid of those cans right?" I said yes and he said good. By the way, the beer in the refrigerator.... GONE. I immediately got on the phone and left a message for the property manager, and will be calling my supervisors boss tomorrow. Under the circumstances, I think they should both be fired. :trout:

Sorry so long.

AngelNurse25 · Jan 30, 2007

Funny you should mention this because I'm in the thick of it now. Long story short, this is the weekend job that put me through nursing school, non healthcare related (start as an RN next week...)....
anyway, I came in to work yesterday at 7 am to relieve the overnight guy, and while I was cleaning the desk I found a bag with two empty Budweiser cans. :beercuphe When I put my lunch in the refrigerator I saw a paper bag at the bottom (of course I opened it) and there was a can of Miller beer. A couple hours later, another employee asked me if I'd noticed anything strange about the guy I relieved, and I didn't say anything but cued her to tell me what she knew. She said that when she came in she smelled alcohol at the desk and he had the music on so loud she said it sounded like a "disco".
This is a corporate office building open to employees 24/7, and this is the second incident in a month (that I know of). This guy was fired before, but given a second chance because his friend is the supervisor. Well I called the supervisor yesterday, and do you know what he said? "Well, he's been going through a lot right now, he has a lot of problems." I was floored. He said that he's been messing up and he doesn't know if he's going to keep him, blah blah. I decided not to report it to the property manager because the supervisor said he would take care of it. Well, my shift starts at 7am and ends at 11pm, so at 11pm, I'm expecting the supervisor or a replacement. Guess who walks in to work? Yup! :cheers:
Well I told him that I found his beer and that an employee caught him drinking, and he asked me if I told anyone. I said of course I did, I had to. Then he went into this 'woe is me' and I cut him off, I said you really shouldn't be drinking at work. He asked who I reported it to and I said the supervisor, and he said ok. Well this morning at 7am I relieve him and before he leaves he says, "hope to see you next week" and just as he walks out the door he says 'you got rid of those cans right?" I said yes and he said good. By the way, the beer in the refrigerator.... GONE. I immediately got on the phone and left a message for the property manager, and will be calling my supervisors boss tomorrow. Under the circumstances, I think they should both be fired. :trout:
Sorry so long.

What a jerk, one should be fired for doing it, the other should be fired for supporting it, which is essentially drinking on the job, too. Glad you reported them. Keep us updated

:yeah:

Gennaver, MSN · Jan 30, 2007

...I thought this this CMA on staff handed off pills outside our facility door to her husband one night as she was leaving but I wasn't sure and later that night two patients there that are lucid and do not have dementia stated they insisted they were not given their medication and because it was signed out I had to assume the CMA gave it. Of course it was an opioid and a benzodiazepine medication.
I spoke of my concerns to the DON and I was never asked about or asked to write a report up and the next week the DON was gone... resigned with no notice... needless to say I walked as I was the only RN in this facility besides the DON and the rest of the staff is a LPN and the balance of staffing is made by staffing agencies...
...never even acknowledged by her or the adminstrator.. Scary thing is I wasn't asked to do a drug screen when I accepted employment there and that is scary but I live in a small town and there are only so many places to work... Sooner or later I am going to find a job where I can feel good after a day's work and not wonder if my patients are medicated adequately or at all...
Wish me luck

Hello,

The BON's resignation makes me think that it was not only the CMA who was diverting but, also herself/himself!

Since the BON's administrator acted like nothing happened I am sure that hindsight is clear that possibly it is time to call the State and go above your facility. Diverting drugs is a big deal. I am no a nurse yet but, the first time I met a DEA officer was while being trained in a hospital as an ambulance driver in 1986. He told me that hospitals were some of their busiest places. Even though the CMA was working in LTC, there were plenty of patients who were being compromised and may still be.

Good luck, I agree, it is our consciences we must answer to as well.

Gen