I did a no-no

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I recently received a reprimand on my license in my home state for giving Phenergan to a sick co-worker.:cry: How will this affect me job wise.

Specializes in LTC, med-surg..

I'm sorry this happened. You were trying to do someone a favor and that is the thanks you got.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
The DON didn't fire you? You are very lucky indeed. Now you know why there is a saying, "Trust no one". I would avoid that coworker like the plague that she is. When one thinks about it, she is as guilty of any wrongdoing as you were. She was the one soliciting the theft of a controlled substance and should have been dealt with for having it in her possession without a valid prescription for same.

I was wondering that myself--why didn't she (the coworker) get written up for this as well.

And after reading the OPs follow-up post, I'm wondering why the coworker--who was supposedly sick--held onto it for three weeks instead of taking it. That sounds very off...

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Specializes in CCU & CTICU.
I was wondering that myself--why didn't she (the coworker) get written up for this as well.

And after reading the OPs follow-up post, I'm wondering why the coworker--who was supposedly sick--held onto it for three weeks instead of taking it. That sounds very off...

It does sound odd. I can only think that unless it was a vindicitve stunt, the OP made her uncomfortable when they offered it to her?

So question. When one of my coworkers asks for tylenol, and I give it to them from my own personal stash (yes, I carry a bottle of tylenol in my bag, I get nasty headaches), this is not considered practicing medicine because it's not from the hospital supply?

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Well, I wouldn't be giving any kind of drug to a coworker, other than tylenol, or ibuprofen from an OTC bottle I carry around. And if I were the coworker, I'd not ask another nurse for drugs.....why didn't she get in trouble, too?

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Specializes in LTC, psych.

I did get fired and the facility reported it to the BON. However Phenergen has not been a controlled med that was counted or kept in the narcotic box anywhere that I've ever worked. I have spoken anonymously with a couple of DON's about this and they've said that they'd have no problem hiring me but at this time I don't live close enough for that to be practical. The discipline has just now become official so I will start looking for a new job soon but just wanted to get an idea as to what I'm up against. Should I give up nursing & do some other type of work?? The co-worker was not a licensed prof. & I believe she was terminated for another offense a short time later.

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If you have DONs that are willing to hire you, I would find a way to make it work so that you do not have to deal with the rejection and everything that goes along with it. It is important that you are able to work while this cloud is over your license. It is one of the only ways that you will be able to successfully overcome the negativity in the future. Most employers won't give a person the time of day if their license isn't spotless, so having two that are willing to hire you is a positive. Good luck with this.

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Specializes in jack of all trades.
I did get fired and the facility reported it to the BON. However Phenergen has not been a controlled med that was counted or kept in the narcotic box anywhere that I've ever worked. I have spoken anonymously with a couple of DON's about this and they've said that they'd have no problem hiring me but at this time I don't live close enough for that to be practical. The discipline has just now become official so I will start looking for a new job soon but just wanted to get an idea as to what I'm up against. Should I give up nursing & do some other type of work?? The co-worker was not a licensed prof. & I believe she was terminated for another offense a short time later.

It doesnt matter if it was a controlled substance or not. Even a tylenol is considered crossing the line from nursing into prescribing. This is not in our scope of practice per nurse practice act. Believe me after the mylanta incident I dont do anything outside of that nor trust that person next to me anymore. It was my first and only mistake of this nature and I payed for it a very long time. Besides the 4 months, I had to pay $500.00 civil penalty, additional continuing ed classes and 2 years probation. I cant express just how luck you are. This happened to me over 19 years ago and it's as fresh as it happened yesterday. It basically was nothing more than a co-worker being vengeful (she was one I had terminated from a previous position at another hospital I was a manager at) but it didnt matter. The BON is watching out for public safety not our paychecks or our welfare as nurses. Personally I think I was one the bon was makng an example of. Be honest you made a mistake and move forward. Take it as a hard lesson. I'm not going to say put it behind you but you can move on productively and make it clear in new endevours what you have learned from the experience. Also if you dont have get it. They would have assisted you in facing the bon.

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Specializes in ER.
It doesnt matter if it was a controlled substance or not. Even a tylenol is considered crossing the line from nursing into prescribing. This is not in our scope of practice per nurse practice act. Believe me after the mylanta incident I dont do anything outside of that nor trust that person next to me anymore. It was my first and only mistake of this nature and I payed for it a very long time. Besides the 4 months, I had to pay $500.00 civil penalty, additional continuing ed classes and 2 years probation. I cant express just how luck you are. This happened to me over 19 years ago and it's as fresh as it happened yesterday. It basically was nothing more than a co-worker being vengeful (she was one I had terminated from a previous position at another hospital I was a manager at) but it didnt matter. The BON is watching out for public safety not our paychecks or our welfare as nurses. Personally I think I was one the bon was makng an example of. Be honest you made a mistake and move forward. Take it as a hard lesson. I'm not going to say put it behind you but you can move on productively and make it clear in new endevours what you have learned from the experience. Also if you dont have malpractice insurance get it. They would have assisted you in facing the bon.

Thanks to both you and the OP. You have allowed me to learn from your situation. Sorry about what happened. :o

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Specializes in BHU, ICU, ER, Med / Surg, OHN.
yes the co-worker took the med, kept it for 3 wks, then took it back, gave it to the DON, & told her she'd gotten it from me. Yes it was stupid of me to trust her, & yes I will never even give anyone even a Tylenol. I have known nurse to do similar actions but no one ratted on them. I attended a disciplinary conference before the BON & they chose to give me the reprimand as it was my 1st offense.

Did you sign the med out to a patient, then give it to the co-worker? Or was it your own prescription?

If you did, then youre lucky a repremand is all you got. Thats falsification of legal documents (medical records) AND practicing medicine without a license.

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

By the by...most hospices will not hire you if you have an incident like the one described attatched to your license. Hospice field nurses function VERY autonomously with access to lots of controlled substances in very loosely controlled environments. Any question of the nurse's credibility or judgment when it comes to practicing within the nurse practice act or to diversion of medications will disqualify a nurse from consideration for employment with most hospice agencies.

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Specializes in LTC, psych.

Yes I had a . No I did not do any false documentation r/t the med. I've compared notes with some nurses in this area. Some say it's nothing they haven't done. Others, including the DON who fired me, say "I've never given out anything more than Tylenol or Ibuprophen." However per my attorney they could receive the same discipline for that.

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Sorry about what happened to you. I have never given any one any medication and after reading this, I'm afraid i won't be. At least not anytime in the nearby future. Just wow.

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