Nurses Diverting Narcotics.

NurseCalamity · May 21, 2015

Yes very common, and nor just nurses, doctors as well... making deals with their patients to bring them back some of the narcotics they prescribed, it's a huge problem and is growing. I don't know how home health works with their narcotics, but eventually anyone abusing narcotics gets caught. It is only a matter of time

NurseCalamity · May 21, 2015

Yes. They want a witness statement. She's been suspended before under investigation for being involved with another nurse who was stealing narcotics, the other nurse has got her license revoked recently. They are pulling all of the narc sheets and seeing how many times she has supposedly "wasted because dropped on the floor".. there's always a paper trail, always.

TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN · May 21, 2015

Never called you dumb or even implied I thought you were dumb. I thought I was supporting your decision, but I guess you want to take it the wrong way. That's OK. Good luck.

Libby1987 · May 21, 2015

Home health runs on the honor system (intermittent visits, I don't know about shifts)

Red Kryptonite · May 21, 2015

Never called you dumb or even implied I thought you were dumb. I thought I was supporting your decision, but I guess you want to take it the wrong way. That's OK. Good luck.

I'm very confused by this post. I see nothing in the thread that would prompt it.

NurseCalamity · May 22, 2015

No... I wasn't referring to you. I was saying that the RN diverting thought I was dumb..

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · May 22, 2015

Many diverters are highly intelligent and skilled nurses who fool everyone and steal undetected for years. The mechanisms that these people use to divert controlled drugs for their personal use are unbelievably deceitful and damaging to others. My experience is that they prey on helpful, teamwork oriented coworkers.

Most recently, I worked with one who would enter an order in the EMR for a Fentanyl drip. He would have a coworker sign for it. Then he would d/c the order in the EMR and keep the Fentanyl drip for his personal use.

Do not sign for receiving narcotics from pharmacy for any patients other than your own.

Libby1987 · May 22, 2015

I'm only curious, are many of these taken from the patients' due doses? Are they going without?

ETA narcotics were handled differently when I worked in acute, they were more accessible.

NurseCalamity · May 22, 2015

Yes it has to be taken from due doses or else their count would be off and they would be busted. They just round up Narcs day by day.

Libby1987 · May 22, 2015

I have a hard time having compassion for someone abusing the vulnerable entrusted in their care, while being paid for it. Why can't they buy theirs off the street like everyone else? (TIC) Hoping they take it from doses that were declined.

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · May 22, 2015

Today I caught a fellow coworker diverting narcotics.... she's an RN with a past history of doing this, but it couldn't be proven, not even with a pop up Urine screening. She had patients complaining about not being given the correct pain pill.... she's basically busted now.... so my question is, have you ever turned a fellow Nurse in for diversion of narcotics and how did it all turn out?

I have reported two coworkers for being impaired at work. One resigned when confronted, the other situation resulted in criminal charges.

I have worked with two others who were caught in the act, one who overdosed at work and the other who was caught injecting herself in a utility room.

It is such a very serious allegation that I think that nurses hesitate to report their suspicions.

Graduatenurse14 · May 22, 2015

I am new RN and sometimes when I waste and need a witness, the other RN's will sign as the witness in the Pyxis then leave before I dump it in the sink/sharps container. I asked one if she didn't want to see me waste it, she said no and flew out the med room door. This makes me nervous! We are all super busy but it is protection for both of us.

I really, really try to watch the whole waste and shame on me if I don't as I'm only putting my license at risk and have no one to blame but myself if something were to come back on me as a "witness" to a waste for someone diverting it.