I'm guilty!

Published

I had the sweetest little old lady today as a patient. She was a Spanish speaking woman with a daughter and granddaughter in attendence. As usual I spoke my limited Spanish and learned some new vocabulary. I just loved these wonderful people.:heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat

So, when it was time to discharge the patient, the daughter said that her mother wanted to ask me something, but was embarrassed. :imbar

What could it be? :confused: I said, not to be embarrassed, but to ask me anything.

Well, what she really wanted was to take a pink pad home with her, was it okay?

How could I say no? I told them to slip it in their bag when no one was looking, and keep the whole thing hush hush...:cool:

I'm an accomplice to a crime.:eek:

This makes me wish I had given a patients wife something for her husband when they were discharge, but I guess I was too worried I would get caught. The patient was being discharged to rehab and the day of discharge, doc ordered a certain prescription cream for pts bottom that was very excoriated. The patient was able to receive 2 applications of the cream then was picked up to go to rehab. The wife asked me if she could take the cream with her, but I told her I can't send the pts home with meds unless there are certain orders already set up.

I always send home any cream, eye drops, or inhalers the pt has if they are going to be using that med at home. It's just a waste if you don't. I have sent a pill or two home as well - like if the pt is d/c'd on a new med and they don't think they will be able to get to the pharmacy to fill the new script that night. It is very common for out discharges to leave after 5pm, and sometimes even later. If they aren't going to get home till 8pm, I can see how they might not be able to get to the pharmacy that night. I wouldn't want them to miss a dose of an atb or something. But never NEVER any kind of controlled substance. I will give them a dose of pain meds before they go home, but they have to take that before they leave. If it's like, a PO cipro or something, I will give them the unit dose pill in the little envelope. It does make quite a difference! Especially with someone who is taking home an elderly parent or grandparent - it takes long enough to get them settled in without having to try to hurry so you can go back out for a script that night!

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Specializes in ER, ICU,.

I am guilty also! Dang!

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
This makes me wish I had given a patients wife something for her husband when they were discharge, but I guess I was too worried I would get caught. The patient was being discharged to rehab and the day of discharge, doc ordered a certain prescription cream for pts bottom that was very excoriated. The patient was able to receive 2 applications of the cream then was picked up to go to rehab. The wife asked me if she could take the cream with her, but I told her I can't send the pts home with meds unless there are certain orders already set up. Now I feel bad because they will be charged for a whole tube (and the charge will be 10x the actual cost) and the only got 2 uses of out it! For the people who gave patients insulin syringes and lovenox, how did you manage that one? Especially the lovenox, the usually only send us enough for the day unless social work special orders it for the patient and the hospital pays for it.

I work in a clinic where we have to order insulin syringes often for coverage if a patient comes high as well as patient teaching/return demonstrations. In terms of the Lovenox, when a patient is about to be discharged and we already had lovenox delivered for the unit we may sometimes give what is left over if the patient has no money rather than return it to the pharmacy. I'm sure they will become a bit stricter about this these days, but until they choose to turn some of us in, we try to do what we can.

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

Wow LOVENOX,THAT MAY BE GRAND LARCENCY!! :smokin:

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guilty too. one pink pad. it was the patient's birthday and she asked.

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Specializes in ER.

Wow! I'm looking at life with no possibility of parole for the things I give out!! Sweet, appreciative pts...I'll push the supply cart out the door for them!! Anything goes but my crash cart.

And let's don't even mention the supplies the county coroner gets off of me...we have a deal: no bodies brought to the ER / I'll refill your bag ANYTIME!! Saves me about 70 bodies a year. I'll serve my time with no protest.

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