Nurses help me

[milo65]

good day everyone.

i need your help.

the hospital where Im working let me go due to violation of policy. My husband has a sleeping disorder, he have 3 sleeping meds. 2 of which are prescribed and 1 is OTC. I meant to grab the OTC out his medication box and unfortunately took the wrong one. Both has the same color. It was certainly an error but not intentionally. when i went to work i was slower than usual and my colleagues noticed that i was off. I didn't think I was and my head was clear in fact, i didnt have mistakes. my supervisor asked me if i am ok and i was truthful and told her what happen. she reported me and drug test came back positive for a prescribed medication. the hospital is zero tolerance so they let me go though I worked the entire shift with no mistakes and I was not sent home even after my supervisor knew what happened.

so now i am ask to self report to the BON. HR told me that i need to do it before their complaints because it would not be good for me. I asked her if theres a time frame because I would like to utilize my membership and assistance of the state nursing association before i report to BON or to the IPN however, they just told me as soon as possible. they terminate me yesterday friday and now its weekend. The state nurses association is closed by monday and I am freaking out because I am scared that their complaints would get to the BON first.

I need your help everyone.

I have read online that before doing anything consult a legal counsel.

I am thinking of just running away and move to other countries as I am so sick that this happen in my life. its very painful.

thank you

[caliotter3]

You would do best to consult with legal counsel. You can find an experienced attorney at the referral service here: The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA) – The American Association of Nurse Attorneys (TAANA) is a non-profit organization made up of attorneys, students, and others interested in legal issues as they relate to the health care industry..

[Sour Lemon]

I have read online that before doing anything consult a legal counsel.

That's exactly what you should do.

[milo65]

thank you my friends. I really appreciate your help and response.

I truly am scared how much time frame the hospital give me to self report to the BON because HR told me it shouldn't be after their complaints.

[milo65]

Thank you.

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

I am confused, did you take a sleeping pill before work?? Or the night before?

[milo65]

6 hours before work. Around 1pm and had to work at 7p

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Certainly consult an attorney before you do anything.

Your husband's medication box contains loose meds?

Your co-worker's reported you for being off, but you felt you were not impaired.

You made no mistakes and they let you finish your shift.

I am seeing a boatload of excuses.

[Lisacar130]

I don't know how to tell this this hun but what just happened is considered just as bad to the BON as testing positive for marijuana, cocaine, etc. I have personal experience with this but I actually am in recovery for a serious drug problem.

What state are you in?

There is no way out of this besides reporting yourself first like they said and enrolling into a monitoring program. It'll be the only way to save your license. You tested positive. It wasn't a false accusation. It wasn't a faulty drug test. It doesn't matter if you took it by mistake or on purpose. No lawyer is going to get you out of being in a monitoring program. The good news is that in most states the monitoring program is an alternative to having public discipline on your license. It does consist of random drug tests and you will have to go to meetings as if you are a drug addict and you will have to suck it up and go along with it if you want to keep your license.

I my state if you don't report yourself first like your HR is telling you, that offer of a monitoring program as an alternative to discipline is off the table. You would then have a hearing with the BON and get public discipline (which means this would show up on your nursing license, making getting a job almost impossible) and you would still have to do the monitoring program anyway (including the random drug tests and meetings).

Any positive (unless you have a prescription, which you don't) is a positive. They don't care what happened, trust me.

Again, what state are you in? I can try to find more details for you of what the monitoring program might be like as they are all a bit different.

I am afraid if you wait too long you won't be able to do the alternative to discipline.

[broughden]

6 hours before work. Around 1pm and had to work at 7p

Why on earth would you do that? Even if it was the OTC sleeping aid did you think it would clear your system by then and if not why risk it?

Also you're a nurse and didn't think to more carefully check what you were taking?

[milo65]

Thats what really happened though. My supervisor reported me but did not send me home. I worked the whole shift.

[milo65]

I am not here to be scolded or to be questioned. I own my mistake. Healthcare professionals like us know that medication errors can happen any time and even at home. I hope you don't experience what I've been through right now. If you dont have pleasant or nice to say just dont say it please.