My primary concern/question is bold & underlined below:
I work in LTC in WA...outside of the Seattle area.
Recently, it was discovered that a Resident Care Manager had been diverting liquid morphine..to herself...for years.
This was discovered when other nurses were counting & noticed that the bottle contents weren't blue, as the label indicated it should be.
Pharmacy was called in, loads of records were audited & the extensiveness of her diversion was uncovered.
She disappeared from work, and most had thought, justifiably, that she'd been terminated.
Less than 30 days have passed, and we now hear that she's returning to work..in a "non-nursing capacity", answering phones, filing, etc.
If the DEA and local law enforcement were involved, as well as the facility pharmacy, wouldn't a natural course of events involve some type of legal action being taken against her?
I'm dumbfounded that she's being allowed in the building, much less, on the payroll in any shape, form or fashion. An employee has voiced that "WA law mandates that she be helped in regards to retaining her job"
Is this true? I know all about chemical dependency treatment for impaired nurses (hopefully she was required to enter that type of program)---but to return within a month?
Have any others dealt with the return of a person in a once-supervisory role after such actions? ---I'm at a loss in regards as to how to even speak to her...much less even look at her...after all the years of lies & setting others at risk to attempt covering her tracks.
I tried to search the WA Department of Health's site to see if any infractions had been posted against her license...no license under her name even appears. If a license had been revoked, it would still appear, correct?
I'm just stunned at what people can obviously get away with...and still have a job.
