Nurse Manager confronting me about going to the bathroom with a needle.

[iorgins]

Yesterday I was doing some wood working before heading to work and I ended up with a bothersome splinter on my index finger, which really was really bothersome for  me. So I ended up taking a TB syringe to dig out the splinter in the staff bathroom, and then disposed of the TB syringe in the sharps container.

My nurse manager confronted me on why I went to the work bathroom with a needle. They basically said they watched me on camera going inside the bathroom with a needle. They then asked me if I needed help with drugs and addiction. Which I was at a loss for, and I felt very insulted. I explained to them that I had a splinter in my finger that I removed with the needle. I even told them to immediately drug test and get HR involved if they suspected me of doing drugs. 
 

What should I do? What should I expect moving forward? I feel like now my reputation is tarnished and they will gossip about me doing drugs. I feel ashamed that my employer would assume this. I feel embarrassed to even go to work knowing that I’m being judged for something I’m not. 

 

 

[JKL33]

Don't you think their inquiry was reasonable?

I'm sorry you didn't foresee this happening; it would have been reasonable to assume that if anyone noticed the situation then this is exactly what would happen.

I think the optics of what you did weren't good, but they probably understand now that you were not shooting up in the bathroom given that you had a reasonable explanation for your behavior and were not altered while they were speaking with you, etc.

If they are letting it go then you let it go, too.

In the future think through the optics of your choices. If you need permission to use the hospital's tools to get out a sliver, ask permission. If you're doing something that isn't suspicious then there's no reason to go into the bathroom to do it, etc.

Hopefully this will blow over. Just use good judgment. Did they accept your explanation, then?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

You knew you shouldn't have done it because you went in the bathroom. So embarrassment is from being discovered plus the unexpected optics of possible diversion as JKL33 said.

The drug use perception is unlikely to stick in the long run with zero evidence and the truth on your side.

Embarrassment is short-lived and will fade with time. Hopefully it will end up being a humorous, cautionary tale in your future.

[speedynurse, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I would be cautious any time the supplies in a hospital is used - I know of one nurse who got fired over a slightly similar experience….well an experience with hospital supplies. It was an innocent enough situation that ended badly. Just be careful in the future - it’s important to be transparent and watch out for yourself because unfortunately, most others will not.