Narcotic diversion vrs. Incompetent nurse

Nurses Safety

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Specializes in Geriatrics, psychiatric, rehabilitation.

I work in a LTC facility and change shifts with the same nurse 90% of the time.

This nurse is often unable to complete a narcotic count without an "opps I fotgot to sign that out" or neglecting to sign in recieved narcs during their shift.

I am meticulous with my count and often if not always the emergency narcotic supply is not documented correctly with log in times and seal numbers.

Recently on 2 occasions I had to notify my supervisor and DON of an missing narcotic.

The result was a 2 day suspension, if that long. Our facility is short 3 or more nurses especially on night shift.

I have written personal witness statements, discuases my concerns with my direct supervisor and expressed my worry this person may either have a problem or is fully incompetent.

I fear for my liscense as I already have been unfounded a few months ago from another nurses med error with missing ativan instol. We are in a current state survey this week and Im again swapping shift reports with this nurse.

-so anxious

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We can't guess which problem is more likely. But here (below) it seems you are saying that you faced some kind of unfounded accusation or discipline related to another nurse's handling of controlled controlled substances, and I I do know I would not be working there any longer if subjected to that.

4 hours ago, VampireBaby said:

I fear for my liscense as I already have been unfounded a few months ago from another nurses med error with missing ativan instol.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, psychiatric, rehabilitation.

Yes that particular nurse was dismissed but I was also told my a person in management it was due to a +UDS and the employee I am having difficulty with passes UDS so it is okay?

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

Do meticulous narc counts when coming on and going off duty. Make sure you get discrepancies resolved when you come on. Keep meticulous counts and sign-outs during your shift. Pass off a perfect narc count when going off duty. Complete incident reports for any appropriate incidents, as per your facility policy.

That's all you can do. You will not be officially informed of personnel actions taken against other staff members; you will have to rely on the grapevine. Do not constantly run to management with personal complaints against others; it doesn't cast you in a good light.

Keep your own practice squeaky clean and you should be ok. If there are additional unfounded accusations made against you, do not get defensive and do not make accusations against others. Let your meticulous practice speak for itself. If this isn't enough to keep you from being targeted, start looking for the exits.

6
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Specializes in Varied.

Ensure you're doing everything correctly. Especially counts and discrepancies. Write everything up that isn't to policy.

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