I was working with a nurse the other day that has been at our facility for years. Myself and a few people noticied that she had not been acting right that day, especially in the afternoon. We were in the back med room together early afternoon and I noticed her trying to give a controlled substance to a pt, she had a dose with her that was twice the dose and she also wanted to give another narc. The pt didnt need either one of these meds, the first one she tried to give was written Qhs and the other she wanted to give to relax him. This is a pt we all know well and take turns taking care of and he had just gotten up from bed and started his day, he certainly wasnt ready to fall back asleep. After she and I drew up the correct amount of the second narc she was never seen giving it and as I was wasting it she wanted me to leave her some extra in the syringe, why?
When the pyxis report was pulled by the adn after a few of us reported her, it turns out she pulled out three times the amount of the first controlled substance that she wanted to give, 3 vials of benadryl and the second narcotic that she supposedly gave!!!!
She also almost made a major med error involving my pts meds, which all of a sudden went missing and she half admitted that she might have mixed them up into her pts meds when crushing the meds, but the tried to get out of her admission.
It was from this point on that she slurred her speech, couldnt sustain normal conversation, seemed tired, dissapeared off the unit leaving her pts without giving me report for 10-15 minutes at a time. I had another nurse come over to watch my pts for a few and she seemed to think the other nurse wasnt acting right.
This is a nurse is is liked and has been there awhile. Me, Ive been there for only a short time but I felt my obligation to report her not acting right had to be carried out. Now I am feeling like everyone at work is pointing fingers at me, she was escorted out by two ADNs close to change of shift. They are all talking about me and and I know it, there is a nurse telling me things that are being said. The funny thing is, is that no one really knows what went down except myself and the ADN and manager, but people have their assumptions and stories and are now hating me. Will people get over this and let it go and stop talking about this? Im feeling like I need to quit, I feel harrassed in an indirect manner knowing everyone is pointing fingers at me and talking about me, but I know I did the right thing......help I feel upset about all of this and amm looking for another job.
Thanks everyone for your supportive comments. THere should be some mechanism in the pyxis to stop you once you've taken out the correct dose of a med, if its due only qhs, you shouldnt be allowed to take it out early or more than once that day unless you get a new order or a pharmacy overide. There is room for improvement with the pyxis system for sure.
This nurse was able to take out the pt's dose three times within 20 minutes! Yikes.
When an addict steals drugs so blatently on the job, she/he is in the advanced state of the disease. Death often follows. There's not much we can do to prevent an addict from stealing - we can only make it easier to find them. You might be surprised how many nurses would have done nothing. When you have time, go to AANA.com and click on peer assistance where there is lots if information re: addictions on the job.
...You did the right thing. Maybe the talking about you was that you were the one to stop it!! You did the right thing, you did the right thing, you did the right thing!!
stick to ur guns, u did nothing wrong, what if the pt had been your child or mother or friend? ur in a field of ethics and did the right thing, since others are pointing their fingers, or so u feel, just hold ur head up higher and know that they know they will have to tow the line when ur around and that is what makes them uncomfortable. u will be their boss someday if u keep it up, just don't let others run u off unless u feel so uncomfortable u would be better off somewhere else. good luck
Where I worked I found a vial of morphine in the doorway of a patients room. I immediatly took it to the nurse in charge. There was no investigation ever done-it was said because the morphone count was correct then that was ok!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody on shift ever admitted to it, and as I was new I didnt know what else I could have done. In the Uk if that had occurred it would have been documented as a major incident and investigated throughly.
You braver than I might be. I would like to think that I could do the same, but I don't know. Most of my co-workers have there for years and are tight as thieves, and will cover for each other. I have witnessed it myself. One nurse who covered my lunch break gave a dose of Pen G half an hour after I gave mine, and when my preceptor found out, she changed the document to read the correct time. I don't know if they would have covered each other for something as serious as your case, but I don't know anymore.
You have your priorities right and you did the right thing. Don't let anyone make you doubt yourself, the way I am in danger of doing. You inspire me to do the right thing - not necessarily the popular thing.
Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.
When I started my job at an ALF (long ago) there was a narcotic error made within my first week! I was doing MAR transcription and since I was new, they assumed it was me!!!!!! I was terrified, and I felt everyone was pointing fingers and hating me! Of course I was totally innocent...but I felt like I needed to leave! (which of course would have made me look so guilty so I stayed!).
Turned out months later that the culprits were found...and charged! But during that time I felt all eyes were on 'the new nurse', and rumors were flying! I felt so out of control, and disrespected...but stuck to my guns and it all worked out!
Stick to your guns too...what you did was not only right...but MANDATORY! It isn't just a narcotic situation...it is stealing from a patient which shows total utter disrespect for the nurse/patient relationship or just human respect! I mean, I don't care if it is a colace being taken...it is stealing from a person on a fixed income depending on the help of a nurse when they need it most...I find it no different then elderly scams!
You did the right thing...and if doing the right thing is wrong??? Well...hang me up too...I am very guilty of doing the right thing! LOL!
You had to turn her in. Pts safety was at risk. Since you are feeling singled out, why not ask your manager to schedule a unit meeting to discuss what happened. The meeting doesnt have to point fingers saying nurse so and so was pilfering narcs, but the meeting can discuss the issues involved, ie pt safety, risk of loosing liscenses, that kind of thing. That migh help put everyone on the same page.
As the daughter of a former RN who was addicted to narcotics, I say you absolutely did the right thing not only for the patients, coworkers, and herself, but for the terrified, angry family at home who KNOWS something is wrong.
My mom tried to detox herself every weekend. We had no idea what was going on and thought she was dying. The choir teacher at my high school (I was in high school at the time) asked if my mom was on chemo -- I wasn't even in choir! It was obvious to everyone that she was not right.
I'm still in nursing school, and they warn us about addictions a couple times throughout the semesters, but I'm surprised that nurses still try it. I guess I could never imagine trying to pull something like that. And I'm shocked that there are ways to get around the pixis! There are witnesses for wasting and everything is documented, I'm surprised that it is still a problem. It was very brave of you to turn that nurse in, be strong and don't let the other nurses get to you.
subee, MSN, CRNA
1 Article; 6,139 Posts
When an addict steals drugs so blatently on the job, she/he is in the advanced state of the disease. Death often follows. There's not much we can do to prevent an addict from stealing - we can only make it easier to find them. You might be surprised how many nurses would have done nothing. When you have time, go to AANA.com and click on peer assistance where there is lots if information re: addictions on the job.