Need some help!

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As a health care worker, we are madated to report nurses who are impaired. A friend of mine was over, stole my ambiem and xanax out of my medicine cabinet, so I told someone who obviously must have reported her to her superivsor. I am sure it was her, she was the only one in my apartment and has asked me to refill my prescriptions for her in the past. Today I get a call from the police department saying she could "sue me" civilly if she loses her job. Can someone please tell me how I can protect myself?? I am a bit nervous.

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Specializes in Cardiology.

If she really stole the meds, I highly doubt she would pursue anything that would draw more attention to her behaviors. My advice though, seek advice from an attorney.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

Others may disagree with me. But my opinion is that I am responsible for reporting impaired nurses at work, not at the privacy of their own home. This "friend" may be selling these drugs and not using, or not using on the job, stealing for a spouse ect.

Bringing the theft at home into a work environment without proof of using on the job, IMHO is a very gray area that I'm sure I wouldn't have visited.

However, I would have demanded the return of the meds and mentioned calling for poliece intervention if they weren't returned quickly. I also would have notified my pharmacy so refills couldn't have been obtained.

Could she sue for liable? Very possibly. Contact risk management at your hospital.

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Should I wait and see what happens or call an attorney right away? There are also ethical things going on where she is living with a nursing home patient 25 years her senior.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

yes i would lawyer up.. get some advice. keep us updated please. has she called you and spoke to you about this? good luck

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No she hasnt, I made a report with my police department when I noticed them missing. I also changed my number this evening. However, she did go to her local police department and had a police officer call me. She has not called me. I tried to do an intervention with her when she admitted to stealing ativan from the NH we worked at without reporting her. She assured me she was not using drugs and I took her at her word until she stole my own meds.

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When she was reported to her supervisor, was she tested? If so and she came up positive, she doesn't have much of a leg to stand on.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Why would someone from the police department be calling you to tell you that this person could be suing you for losing her job? I've never heard of any policeman doing that! That sounds very fishy and not right to me. You shouldn't be talking to any policeman about a criminal case unless they come to you and produce credentials to prove who they are. Do you suppose this "friend" had someone call you posing as a policeman to scare you? She's the one who going to have to explain how she got her hands on your prescription medications, not you.

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Specializes in med-surg, telemetry,geriatrics.

Hind sight is 20/20, but I agree with zoo keeper. I would have let it go, and confronted her. Then she would no longer be a friend that I would allow to ever come into my house again.

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele, ER.

What Daytonite said.

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I have confronted her in the past, once she took my meds I felt I had to report her.

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Specializes in IM/Critical Care/Cardiology.

As it should be. Stealing....... needs reporting! Get a copy of the police report you filed.

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