I have been impersonated to obtain narcotics

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Nov 18, 2003

Try not to take it too personally. This woman has a disease that's out of her control, and I doubt her intention was to "use" you or inconvenience you. Your name was probably the first one that came to mind, and she used it. That doesn't make it OK, and I don't blame you for being upset. But as a recovering alcoholic, I can tell you that other people, let alone their feelings, never even cross the mind of an addict in search of his/her drug of choice, and that's not personal. It's just one of the many bad decisions we make in the course of feeding our addiction.

I'm sorry this has happened to you.

darla80 · Nov 18, 2003

thanks for the insightful thoughts and the reality check

Yes, she needs help and hoepfully she will now get that help

OBNurseShelley · Nov 18, 2003

I wouldnt' take it personally, you just happen to be the "right" person. This person has a problem, and it has nothing to do with you. And, you're probably not the first person she's tried to impersonate.

darla80 · Nov 18, 2003

I wonder if there is any way to prevent this from happening again?

I am surprised that the pharmacy takes narcotics RX off an auto system.....

frankly I NEVER leave scheduled drug RX on the auto system nor do I give them to the Tech..

I always talk directly to the pharmacist.

she used a pharmacy in a llittle town about 40 miles away

The pharamcist here in this town know me well and they would have caught her sooner.

it probblay happens more often than I realize

Dave ARNP · Nov 19, 2003

I know it's hard not to take it as an offense aginst you, but sadly this woman has a disease that would push her do the same to her own mother.

I do understand the position you're in. My office has had several attempts to call in controlled subtances, under the pretense of being an employee. Everything from being "the new guy/girl" at the office, to people who thought they could do a good impersonation.

This is why you need to know your pharmacists in the area, and that they know you. One local pharmacy does call backs on all scheduled drugs, and another uses a code system for providers.

Best wishes on getting everything resolved. Just understand that as long as there is addiction, this will probably happen again.

Dave

darla80 · Nov 20, 2003

Thanks Dave, you are so correct in your statements.

Interestingly the local pharmacist know me well and they would have recognized her impersonation. She used a pharmacy in a town about 40 miles from where I work

Do your pharmacies take narcotics RX from an auto system?

My sister is a nurse in NC and she said her pharmacies do not accept auto RX for narcotics

I always speak directly to the pharmacist with scheduled drugs but I guess these small town pharmacies are different

What type of an office do you practice in?

I LOVE IM **

Thanks for your input

Darla

Dave ARNP · Nov 20, 2003

Darla,

As far as auto systems go. NO. They would never do such a thing. Actually, auto systems are rare in my neck of the woods, however those who do use them do not do scheduled drugs through them, the pharmacist will always call back for any drugs left on them.

Dave

BTW, I am in Family Medicine

Big Bab's · Nov 23, 2003

Hello!!....I also work in an IM office and I really enjoy it, its got alot of variety......The possibility of being impersonated on the phone is something that we have discussed at our office, and not really ever come up with ideas on how to prevent this.....most of the px's in my town don't communicate a whole lot with eachother and as far as I know there isn't any "guidelines" on who and how call-ins should be done.....as far as I know, you don't even have to be a nurse to do it.....in fact, our office has a nurse aid, and in a pinch we have had to have her call in meds......Until I started working in an office setting, I had no idea that meds could be "called in" I thought you had to have a script in hand.....I often wonder how much this kind of thing happens and we just don't know about it.....I know when I first started in the office, NONE of the px's questioned me, or called to find out if was TRULY who I said I was and was REALLY a new employee or just some Joe off the street.....Its kinda scarey now that I really think about it!! :confused:

oramar · Nov 23, 2003

I hope this does not cause you to much aggrivation and grief.

darla80 · Nov 24, 2003

Hi Babs

we do have a tremendous amount of responsibility when dealing with people and thier meds

especially in IM

the meds our patients are on are quailtiy of health drugs but are also often the very thing that saves thier lives day in and day out.

My doc has a pretty tight protocol and we are both very very careful with the meds.. written RX and with the phone ins. he writes all RX but I have learned that in some office the nurse even does the writen RX...blows my mind

Do you like Internal Medicine?

What jazzes you about this side of the medical field?

I absolutely Love it

Joy and Smiles * Darla*

Big Bab's · Nov 25, 2003

I love the office setting and IM...I like the fact that I get to know my patients over a lifetime instead of a few days they are in the hospital...I also enjoy the variety of IM...we really get to see a little bit of EVERYTHING!!....I literally learn something new everyday, and almost always go home feeling like I've made a difference in someone's life....Even some of the not-so-great moments have value.....the Dr I work with is soooo funny!!...You know its been a good day at work when you go home at the end of the day with a headache from laughing to hard!!!.....There are the sad moments too, like last week when my FAVORITE patient, a little ole blue-haired lady that took a fall and shouldn't be home alone any more, had to be admitted to the nursing home, she's "all there" upstairs, if ya know what I mean, just too weak to be alone.....she's one of those that you meet and you just want to put her in your pocket and take her home with you!....THAT was a sad day!!...but life goes on, and you help somebody else and go on.......Question!....when you say that you've heard of nurses and rx's...are you talking about nurses writing out rx's on script pads??..or something else??....I can't imagine any Dr allowing that, but there are some goofy ones aout there!!....anyway, its nice to chat with somebody in the same exact job as me!!.....Thanks!