Nurse Calling In Scripts to Pharmacy Illegally

Nurses General Nursing

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I have a question and a concern. There is a nurse where I work that calls in prescriptions to the local pharmacies for anyone that wants one. Not for narcotics or anything like that but if someone needs a refill for their lasix, or an antibiotic called in she will take it upon herself to call it in. She uses a the name of a doctor that she says will always cover her. She doesn't check with this doctor, she just uses his name.

So staff or friends will call her to call in a script for themselves or a family member and she does it. This happens on a daily basis.

If fact I was having some symptoms of a UTI and mentioned it to someone else and next thing I know this nurse came to me and said she called me in some Bactrim and I should go pick it up after I got off work. She had no idea of my allergy status (I'm not allergic but still). And I have never seen this particular doctor before.

My concern is I know this is illegal and normally I try to mind my own business but what is my legal responsibility. I'm pretty sure our Nurse Manager knows about this.

This is a very difficult situation, I would speak to a lawyer that is experienced with nursing license defense ASAP. She needs to be reported, however you also need to protect yourself from her.

Specializes in Perioperative; Cardiovascular.

She is a threat to patient safety in all levels. She needs to be reported and you need to fail a complaint with Wal-mart. She picked up a prescription in your name. Whose to say that she is diverting drugs that way too (narcotic or not). It's still wrong. This is your challenge to do the right thing as a professional. Remember the code of nursing that you recited at graduation. Stick to it.!

Specializes in Critical Care, Float Pool Nursing.

I say leave it alone. It sounds like this is the culture of the workplace. Let the nurse and the doctor work it out between themselves, without interfering in their relationship. Nurses fill out paperwork for doctors all of the time, and then just have the MD sign it. At our hospital, we fill out restraint order forms for them and just bring it to them to sign; because it's expected. Just leave it alone.

And you are not legally responsible to report this either. Mandatory reporting applies in cases of elder abuse, child abuse, etc.

Specializes in Critical Care, Float Pool Nursing.
How do I report this to BON? Anyone know the procedure? I'm new at this job, less than two months and this nurse has been here 24 years. The Nurse Manager is aware of many things this nurse has done. In fact, the NM told me that "she is crazy, don't mess with her". Evidently she has stalked the NM to point of her needing to change her phone numbers. Everyone I've listened to here has told me that Administration is afraid of her. Other than this I really like this job, but I'm thinking I may just have to cut my losses as I don't need this kind of drama in my life. This is a very small rural hospital, everyone knows everyone and I'm not from around here.

As far as the Bactrim, she went to Walmart on her hour long break and picked it up for me. Then asked for the $4.00! Afterwards, I realized that this got me involved, which is probably what she wanted. If I report her, won't I be on the line as well? I'm actually a little afraid of this person. Maybe a lot afraid.

Then just drop it and look the other way. Rural hospitals don't have the resources that a lot of other hospitals have, and those resources might be the luxuries that these thread posters have and are basing their perceptions on. If you have only been there for two months, who are you to interfere? If you report her, you won't be on the line, but it can cause a lot of trouble for your career. Don't be surprised if your name gets "blacklisted" in the community and you can't secure further employment.

Also, in spite of whistleblower laws, people have successfully sued would-be "snitches" when they weren't able to prove their case against the ones they were reporting. Beware, and good luck.

Also, are you absolutely *positive* that she isn't conferring with the doctor behind closed doors or on the phone? Or that he didn't give her permission to call in scripts for convenience's sake for certain patients he may know?

It's the culture of the work place because administration and the nurse manager are afraid of her. RNdynamic, do you have a reference that shows there is no legal responsibility to report this matter?

Specializes in med/surg; floatpool, mom/baby, nursery.

I would notify the MD whose name she is using....I sure bet he doesn't know how out of control this person is!!

Specializes in ortho, hospice volunteer, psych,.

I think she must be stopped!

The system our PCP's office uses works well and I have no issues with. For routine maintenance meds, such as my HTN meds, my NSAID cream, I just call the nurse (an RN) and she calls them in to the same place we always use. Has to be the same place.

For pain meds, ABX, control drugs, etc. the MD calls them in at day's end to anywhere we like. I say that as though we have several choices.:arghh: We have a CVS, a Wal-Mart, and the pharmacy within our grocery store.

A new symptom always warrants at least a talk, if not a visit, with the doctor.

Specializes in Pedi.
And why did WalMart not ask for proof of identity before releasing 'your' prescription? They likely have video of this transaction. She needs to be stopped.

I have never been asked for proof of identity when picking up a routine medication. At most they ask my address but the last few times, they didn't even ask that. They require ID for controlled substances although I'm pretty sure I picked up my mother's Percocet after she had surgery without a problem.

As far as the OP's situation goes... it sounds like perhaps this nurse was given a role and she took it upon herself to expand it? I know when I worked in the hospital, the nurses in the outpatient clinic were often the ones in charge of managing patients' refills. The nurses manned the prescription refill line. They had access to the prescription system and could handle refills as long as the patient/parent wasn't requesting any changes or anything new. So a nurse could handle a refill if the patient called in and said "I need a refill on my Dilantin" and the patient had been on Dilantin 200 mg BID standing for quite some time and that could be verified. They put in the prescriptions and set them up to be mailed out to the patient- the MD did review/sign them at the end of the day. Now, the last time I was over in that clinic was 6 years ago and e-scripts are way more common now so I am not sure if they have the ability to e-scribe or call in refills.

A nurse- no matter the environment- most definitely CANNOT call in a script for a new antibiotic or anything of the sort.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

Report her before Miss Doctor only in her head kills someone!

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
She is a threat to patient safety in all levels. She needs to be reported and you need to fail a complaint with Wal-mart. She picked up a prescription in your name. Whose to say that she is diverting drugs that way too (narcotic or not). It's still wrong. This is your challenge to do the right thing as a professional. Remember the code of nursing that you recited at graduation. Stick to it.!

I imagine it might vary by state, but I know that one can pick up a prescription for other people (at least for non-narcotics). So I don't know that Walmart necessarily broke any laws.

This problem is bigger than the threat to patient safety, the nurse is a known threat to management and staff and they are afraid of her, it sounds like she has a personality disorder and is volatile. I would seek legal advice regarding duty to report and would consider resigning.

How do I report this to BON? Anyone know the procedure? I'm new at this job, less than two months and this nurse has been here 24 years. The Nurse Manager is aware of many things this nurse has done. In fact, the NM told me that "she is crazy, don't mess with her". Evidently she has stalked the NM to point of her needing to change her phone numbers. Everyone I've listened to here has told me that Administration is afraid of her. Other than this I really like this job, but I'm thinking I may just have to cut my losses as I don't need this kind of drama in my life. This is a very small rural hospital, everyone knows everyone and I'm not from around here.

As far as the Bactrim, she went to Walmart on her hour long break and picked it up for me. Then asked for the $4.00! Afterwards, I realized that this got me involved, which is probably what she wanted. If I report her, won't I be on the line as well? I'm actually a little afraid of this person. Maybe a lot afraid.

Did she assume you went to the local Walmart for a pharmacy, and used your insurance???--and the pharmacies have some strict policies on just giving meds to anyone for you-- Was the script in her name or yours? If she went the pharmacy on your behalf, please advise the pharmacy to not dispense any meds to anyone but you--if she is that "crazy" she could be calling anything in to the pharmacy under your name and picking it up.

Otherwise, I would call the BON or email them and report it. It seems to me that management knows this is going on, but choosing not to do anything about it--because she is crazy???? But takes care of patients????

If you choose not to call the BON, protect yourself first. It sounds like a scam to call in meds, and "go pick them up herself" FOR you. That is crossing the line into your personal life. And is creepy. So look out for you.

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