Help!

[AnonymousGuest]

Last month I had 2 admissions coming I to my building. My ADON activated all the orders. 1 admission arrived and her narcotics were put in the drawer by the lpn on the cart. The other narcotic for the admission that did not arrive went missing. I was standing supervisor at the time so I was taking care of my poor little old lady with a fractured left arm. She woke up around 4a in pain. I could not find the lpn on the cart anywhere to medicate her. So her keys were laying on the table. I went ahead and pulled her an oxy out and signed for it. So no one knew that narcs went missing until later that morning.

Because dayshift did not count the cart. We were both drug tested. I came up clean and the lpn on the cart popped positive for cocaine. That next day we were both "suspended with pay".

They did an investigation and I came back to work my next scheduled day. They said they were not going to pay me for the day I missed.

In the handbook it states that after the investigation is over and I was brought back that I should have received my pay for the day missed. They said since I did not count the cart after medicating my patient that I will not get paid because I received a verbal consent. Meanwhile, the other 2 nurses did not count either and I never signed the in and out sheet so technically I did not have to count the cart. I would have had I known she was a thief. Any advice would be helpful. 

[Daisy4RN]

Even though you were cleared it sounds like you still did not follow proper protocol (if I am understanding you correctly you were supposed to count after you took out the narcotic and didn’t) which I am guessing they are just using as an excuse to not pay you, when it IMO should just be a warning of some sort. Have you asked HR or your DON about it?

[londonflo]

On 11/28/2021 at 10:39 AM, Mystique482 said:

My ADON activated all the orders. 1 admission arrived and her narcotics were put in the drawer by the lpn on the cart. The other narcotic for the admission that did not arrive went missing.

The ADON activated the orders without the medications? sloppy or suspect!

On 11/28/2021 at 10:39 AM, Mystique482 said:

I could not find the lpn on the cart anywhere to medicate her. So her keys were laying on the table. I went ahead and pulled her an oxy out and signed for it. So no one knew that narcs went missing until later that morning. Because dayshift did not count the cart.

The most poorly managed system I have ever heard of.

On 11/28/2021 at 10:39 AM, Mystique482 said:

The other narcotic for the admission that did not arrive went missing

Where did those narcs go? Get out of that employment position...Poor leadership, poor medication procedures, organization and containment and the worst system for getting the pain pills to the patients in pain! 

[amoLucia]

You asked ... just take you're lumps quietly! JMO

Lots of discrepancies here that can really drag you down into the quagmire. You have ten years of experience and you kind of float along with that mishmash of sloppiness. Just the keys lying loose on the cart  bespeaks much ...

Your trying to 'split hairs' WILL NOT win you any points if the BOH/BON investigate you and/or your facility!  Also your RPh consultant (another mandated reporter) may see the incident report and take further action.

Meekly try to play down your involvement rather than argue a bad situation gone even MORE BAD!

Just to ask - LTC or Assisted Living?

[amoLucia]

1 hour ago, amoLucia said:

You asked ... just take your lumps quietly! JMO

Lots of discrepancies here that can really drag you down into the quagmire. You have ten years of experience and you kind of float along with that mishmash of sloppiness. Just the keys lying loose on the cart  bespeaks much ...

Your trying to 'split hairs' WILL NOT win you any points if the BOH/BON investigate you and/or your facility!  Also your RPh consultant (another mandated reporter) may see the incident report and take further action.

Meekly try to play down your involvement rather than argue a bad situation gone even MORE BAD!

Just to ask - LTC or Assisted Living?

 

[AnonymousGuest]

I was not involved whatsoever. Since I was in the cart due to medicating my new admission. That is where and when my involvement stopped. I did get a new job though. Ty for your input. 

[amoLucia]

I don't understand your involvement.  You were in the cart. They had you produce a urine, so they believed enough.

Be glad you're out of that facility. But just know, you'll need to tighten up your narcotic handlings. Regardless of how OTHERS do it, you need to do  things correctly like in a textbook.

Take care.

[sleepwalker, MSN, NP]

I wouldn't be making waves. There are way too many issues involved in this "process". You are smart to be moving on from this facility. 

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

It sucks and they *should* have to pay you, but it is what it is. Unless you plan to hire a lawyer for a cost much higher than one day’s wages, there isn’t much you can do. I agree with the other poster who said just be glad you don’t work there anymore. 

[vintagegal, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

For the love of all things holy, COUNT THE NARCS. And count them again, and count them one more time. If anything will get you a quick disgrace from a long time nursing career it is being careless with controls. I don’t care if the lord above himself is working with you, count and sign for what you did. And never just throw controls in someone else’s cart. Don’t even trust the DON with it. Unless they are checked in properly and narc count sheets created, those suckers don’t leave your sight.