I think I just ended someone's career

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Long story short, I had to report a registery LPN who was seen crushing, cutting, snorting, and then rubbing the residual powder on her gums by nearly an entire med floor. Most of her narc cards are missing several pills each. She was so intoxicated she could not stand at the cart and nearly fell over several times. She was escorted out and made the statement that she was already being investigated and was about to finish RN school. While waiting for the bosses to arrive some of the staff made it a game to shoot staples at her face and throw cups and tape at her, she was so impaired she didn't notice and just continued to look around the room we had her sit in. Her eyes were half closed and she would constantly fall asleep, while talking in a very slow and slurred speach! She couldn't even dial her phone to call her husband, someone had to dial for her...made we want to cry. I have never seen someone so completely intoxicated.

I feel bad that this nurse's promising career was cut short, I feel worse about her patients.

Sad day for nursing.

:sniff:

First, there was no excuse for the staff to treat her like they did. Granted, this woman was impaired, but have some compassion. No one knows what private hell this woman may have been through that contributed to her becoming addicted. The staff needs to investigated and disciplined too, as I wonder how they themselves treat impaired patients.

If she was this impaired, she should have been escorted to the ER for an assessment. What happens if she goes home and dies of a drug overdose?

But don't feel bad and feel you ended someone's career. The LPN ended her career. She may have a chance to get it back if she successfully completes a many year long program for impaired nurses administered by the BON.

We tend to have a large population of chemically addicted patients due to the nature of the facility and I have never seen a negative action against someone impaired like this before. The only thing I can think was that this was a nurse, nurses are not allowed to be sick to need help...I guess?

We can't force her to go to the hospital but to be honest I left all this in the hands of the bosses to decide, personally I would have just called the police.

The throwing happened while I was being debriefed. The bosses knew, it was used by some to describe the level of impairement to them. I think the bosses were more concerned of what to do with the nurse, couldn't let her drive home yet couldn't restrain her. Eventually she called her husband (numbers dialed for her) as described after refusing a cab.

Sorry you were not in there to tell them to stop it. That is no profesional way to describe anyone's level of impairment. That is downright, bold-faced bullying. :down:

The people that were involved in the throwing are generally good people, as I have known them. They are extremely protective of their patients, I have no doubt in the world that they treat their patients like family. Never seen an incident like this before. I honestly think they let their emotions get the better of their professionalism.

Safe to say that emotions were extremely tense all around.

I was wondering the same thing, what led her to this life...I hope she does ok and finds help.

Actually... no, they're not. No one who is "generally good" would do such a thing. I find this behavior more disgusting than that of the nurse (who is, after all, addicted/imparied/SICK). Didn't anyone have any compassion for her?! I mean, she wasn't seen abusing a pt or anyone else! And even then, it's no excuse to abuse her! Actually, this is assault and battery and those people should be reported to their respective board, if applicable.

DeLana

Wait, did no one stop her the moment they saw her begin to snort the crushed medication? Did they wait for her to finish snorting and then rubbing it on her gums before action was taken? Where was the nurse manager or supervisor? If nearly an entire floor saw her in action, I am surprised that no one jumped in earlier to end the madness. Have there been missing narc meds with her before?

I am appalled that someone would be throwing things at her and staples at that! We are simply not allowed to continue the breakdown in human dignity. I hope she gets help, recovers and pay her dues, and I hope that those who stepped around a fellow, troubled human being be taught what it means to be a good Samaritan.

Everyone was in shock. I have never seen someone snort narcs before, neither had anyone else. We just watched with our mouths on the floor. She was down a hall and this was in the middle of the night so no one would have yelled. Immediately after that is when phone calls started to be made.

I was the supervisor.

She is registery so no history.

I don't pretend to understand addiction because I don't. I do whole heartily agree with every poster above who spoke out against and questioned the throwing things-including staples? at this woman. Isn't that criminal assault? What is wrong with a group of' healthcare' workers- I can't even call them professionals who would do such a thing. How many ED nurses and Doc's'throw things" @ their patients to "test" their level of impairment? Seem to me a more civilized, competent, educated aproach to ASSESSING a LEVEL of IMPAIRMENT might have been a NEUROLOGICAL EXAM- do you know where you are, what is the date, the month the year, coordination assessment APPROVED by the NIH- I don't think staple throwing is a part of that exam. Those who threw things @ her and the 'bosses" who were in their "boss" positions should be fired and prosecuted for criminal assault.JMHO

The people that were involved in the throwing are generally good people, as I have known them. They are extremely protective of their patients, I have no doubt in the world that they treat their patients like family. Never seen an incident like this before. I honestly think they let their emotions get the better of their professionalism.

Safe to say that emotions were extremely tense all around.

I was wondering the same thing, what led her to this life...I hope she does ok and finds help.

They are big bullies who are being enabled by someone or they wouldn't even begin to act like that. Where are their morals and nursing ethics?

Maybe the bullies contributed to her behavior?! I mean maybe the bullies were stapling her and throwing things at her all day long everyday at every facility she worked! Who knows?! She was definitely crying out for help. Bless her heart!:heartbeat

\r critical thinking skills and treated this as medical and psychiatric emergency. What if she stopped breathing. provide basic nursing care to our own- this could have been an CPR situation,

What's sad is the other employees throwing stuff at her. And don't feel bad, you did the right thing. Would you want this impaired nurse taking care of you or your family? Hopefully she'll get the help she needs.

Maybe some of you should have got your mouths off the floor and started using your critical thinking skills you are licensed to do and treated this as the medical and psychiatric emergency it was. What if she stopped breathing? What would have been thrown at her then- This is outrageous. I'm speechless. I

Not sure why you are including me in this, the bullying occured while I was in another floor of the facility and only (as far as I know) maybe 2 people participated, don't know if anyone else even witnessed since again, I was on another floor at the time.

I took the action that I am legally allowed to and what my facility policy states. In my state it is illegal and considered unprofessional by the BON for me to remove illegal narcotics, restrain her, or give her medical care she does not wish to recieve. I can observe and I can report, thats about it.

I admit I failed her and her patients by not seeing the signs earlier. I failed to jump up and slap the drugs out of her hand. I flinched.

Specializes in PACU, OR.

I am deeply saddened by this story, but it was absolutely necessary for you to report it; medical staff in that level of intoxication are a danger to their patients, their colleagues, and themselves. It is to be hoped she will find, and firmly grasp, the help she desperately needs.

As to whether or not you have "ended" her career, that is entirely up to her. I extend my sincere good wishes to her for her recovery, and the hope that her career is only put on hold while she recovers. At worst, she will continue her self-destructive behaviour and completely wreck her life, but we must all hope this is not her destiny. At best, she will overcome her addiction and look back on this incident as nothing more than a setback.

Please impress on your colleagues that their conduct was wholly unacceptable. It reminds me of stories I have read of cruel children teasing animals in the zoo; even worse, it calls to mind the tormenting of senile old women accused of being witches.

I think you yourself are pretty depressed about this; you must have found it very traumatic. Try not to be, you did the only thing you could under the circumstances.

Have you or any of your 'bosses' notified your BON? In the two states I am licensed in, it is mandatory. And I am sorry, I agree, the other nurses need to suffer some type of reprimanded, for their uncalled for behavior. But I am not surprised at their behavior. I've read postings by our peers who sow no tolerance for nurses who have been rehab. And voice a complete lack of trust in them, when they attempt to return to work. This nurse has a long, hard road in front of her. I just hope she makes it. It will not be easy.

I've been a nurse for a long time and have seen addicts rub drugs on their gums. It is a fast way for them to get the high they are seeking.

GrannyRN65

Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

Nothing this bad has happened at my facility, but we did have 2 incidences. One, the RN was coming to work so intoxicated we helped her into the supervisor's office to sleep and called the DON. She was allowed to go to rehab, but she ultimately started drinking again and was fired. The other was suspected of stealing drugs and was fired when she was caught outright. Not sure what happened to their licenses.

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