My apologies for this being such a novel! There's a lot on my mind and I'm not sure who or what to do at this point, so I'm going to let it out here and maybe one of you wonderful people can offer some advice.
I've only been a nurse for about a year and a half, but managed to land a job working as an RN in an office-setting managing the medical care side of 30+ individuals. There is one other nurse who was hired earlier this year. When management picked her, I was ecstatic because she brought SO much nursing and leadership experience to the table that I frankly lack, and she has taught me SO much ever since. We balance each other out really well, and it was wonderful. Until I started noticing some things. Early on, I noticed she was very accusatory of others and argumentative. For instance -- she accused me of going through her desk (we share an office room), and she wasn't really rude about it, but she stated that she had noticed some things on her desk moved around on several occasions, so of course she blamed me. Well, I understand why she would accuse me because we do share an office; however, I am not the only one with access to our office, and I really have no desire to go through anyone's things, so I point blank told her I never go through her stuff. What got me she had rummaged through another person's desk to "borrow" an ethernet cord. I didn't realize where she had obtained this cord until she told me. Now, I'm not the one to start drama by ANY means. Typically, I stay to myself and stay away from all the drama, even though that makes me out to be a sort of oddball to everyone in the office. I'm not there to start crap-I'm there to take care of my people. But the fact that she went through someone's belongings to "borrow" (steal) a cord just really threw me.
Then another instance. We receive medications from our pharmacy routinely, and one of her individuals had a pack of antibiotics that were sent in and then discontinued. Rather than waste those antibiotics, she kept them in her narcotic drawer with the excuse of "you never know when someone might need those" and "they're just antibiotics." Granted, yes, they are "just" antibiotics, but they were not HERS to keep. As a nurse, I really do not care what medication it is, if the medication has been prescribed for someone else, they are simply not mine to take. Maybe I'm too black and white with that, but that's how I see things. Anyway, so a few weeks later, about the time she accused me of going through her things, she said the antibiotics had come up missing from her drawer. I simply shrugged my shoulders because I honestly had no idea where they were. Then, not too long after that, we received medications from the pharmacy as we usually do. Some of them were narcotics for her clients, and this was a day she was not in the office, so I simply locked them in her narcotic drawer and left a message for her stating what I left and where. What was odd, though, is I noticed in the back of this drawer was a pack of antibiotics stashed away. It was the same pack she said had gone missing. I didn't say anything, didn't do anything, because I didn't want her thinking I was "going through" her things -- I was just placing narcotics in her drawer. So I just shut the drawer and locked it and let it go.
Some other things have happened, but I'm going to focus on the most recent, more concerning incidents. We have a med tech/med runner in our office whom this other nurse has become relatively close with. She knows more about the med tech than I do, that's for sure. Well, several weeks back this nurse told me in private that the med tech/med runner had offered her extra Adderall that her son had left over when his meds had changed. Her reason is she believes she has ADD but her doctor will not prescribe the meds for it just yet, so she took a couple Adderall, and halved them. I was stunned but I kept silent trying to figure out what to say. I don't have a single bit of proof and it'd be her word against mine, so I'm really not even sure who to go to. I wasn't even sure if this was something she was simply telling me to see if I'd go to someone about, if that makes sense. I have been keeping my eyes and ears far more open around her, and this passed weekend I thought of something. We have coworkers who are coordinators over our individuals. They assist us in quite a bit. Well, one coordinator is under the other nurse, and their individual had a prescription for Adderall which was discontinued and changed to Ritalin about a month ago. Last week, the med tech and I were discussing this coworker of ours and how this coworker has yet to bring in the discontinued Adderall to our office to be wasted. The other nurse was out of the office that day, so the med tech asked the nurse if the Adderall had been brought back. According to the med tech, the nurse said yes and that it had been wasted. Thing is, I never signed off with her that those were wasted. We do not have an electronic system that requires two nurses ID's to waste medications, we use paper. And I never signed off on those. So yesterday, I asked this nurse nonchalantly if that discontinued Adderall had been brought back, just to see her response. Her first response was no, but then she stopped, closed her eyes, shook her head and said she wasted them but they were never brought in to the office. Once again, I had NO idea what to even say. I'm just overwhelmed with this right now, and maybe I'm thinking too much into it??? Yeah, probably not... but then I got to thinking and I wondered if she said the med tech gave her Adderall when really she actually took what she "wasted," and I'm not close enough with the med tech to ask her anything about this.
This is the same nurse who claims she's been through the ringer with the DEA over previous coworkers stealing meds and she values her license too much to jeopardize it. Why would she admit to taking nonprescribed Adderall? While I am very black and white on prescription meds, keeping the discontinued antibiotics was one thing, but taking Adderall??? And why would she waste Adderall that never touched her hands? If that Adderall is missing, I sure has hell wouldn't sign my name to a waste sheet when it never reached my hands. I would try to get to the bottom of where it is and WHY it hasn't been brought back TO be wasted.
Guys, what do I do if all I have are statements with no other hard proof of anything going on? Remember I haven't been a nurse for very long, and this is the very first time I've ever experienced something like this, and to put it lightly, I'm VERY concerned!
Any way you could look up her RN license number with the BON to make sure she is practicing in good standing??? Not to bespeak poorly of your employer, but it wouldn't be the first time that an employer or HR failed to check out a prospective employee's creds. And she could have slipped thru the cracks after a STELLAR pre-employment interview with super-duper GLOWING references, dates, etc.
Is there any underlying relationship for that nurse and anybody in admin or personnel that could be protecting her??? Could be EXTREMELY difficult for you to know, esp since someone like her is likely to be a SUPREME manipulator and con-artist.
Like other PPs have cautioned, you are in a precarious position of being SUCKERED into a fall-guy scheme. You could be being setup for a fall - you word against hers. If nothing else, mucho headaches & problems & worries for you.
I'll differ from the others' points of view in that I think this needs to be addressed NOW, not later. Giving her more time to set up her duckies in order will only strengthen her scheming and possibly make her MORE dangerous. Go up your chain-of-command now with your suspicions. It is not your responsibility to be an investigator. That's administration's. Expect an acceptable response in a defined period time, or else MOVE ON!
Don't jeopardize your license, your career or your good name.
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
I have a similar job to yours. I absolutely trust my partner. There's no way I could work without that trust. If either my partner or I makes a mistake, we figure it out together because we know neither one of us is trying to hide anything.
First of all, check the waste documentation on the adderall. Something was done wrong, or not done at all.
Then go to your supervisor.
Unfortunately, you probably also need to start looking for another job, in case your sup doesn't handle this well and things get worse.
I am wishing you luck. Thanks for reminding me how lucky I am to have trustworthy coworkers. I get spoiled sometimes.
Thank you SO much for the advice, guys! Honestly, for a while, I felt like this was all in my head, and maybe I was reading too much into the situation. But one thing I was taught as a kid is if someone is in a constant accusatory mindset, more than likely they are guilty of doing the same exact thing. As much as I love my job, it is far too stressful in ways it should not be, and the longer I'm there, the more I realize that. I'm finding out too much is going on that is, quite frankly, unethical and illegal, such as this situation with the other nurse. The clients are great, but this... this is too much. All I know is I worked my butt off for my degree and I refuse to have it put in jeopardy over "she said/she said," especially when the nurse flat-out ADMITS that she took a narc she had NO prescription for (who does that?!?! and WHY?!?! I mean, maybe I'm naive, but WOW!...) -- that just leads me to believe she's doing the same with other meds. So, I've put in several applications to various places, and *fingers crossed* someone will offer me a job soon!
In the meantime, I'm definitely still keeping tabs on what's going on in that office. If something else happens, I'm going to have to go to our boss about my concerns. My conscience can't take it.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
AN members have offered good advice to keep a written record of concerns to bring up to supervisor or up the chain. From your readings, think you are both receiving medications on behalf specific patients-- each of you has a "locked drawer". If you have to receive meds on her behalf again, place them in YOUR locked drawer along with signed drug delivery sheet from pharmacy; transfer to colleague upon their return.
Best wishes in finding a new position. We're here for you...stop in anytime.
I would look for different work. She can ruin your career. Times are hard. But while you have a job to go to. You can be searching for a new job. Just don't tell anyone your plans and keep your search separate from work.
I second this particular opinion. In many such cases of reported wrongdoing or whistleblowing, I have never, never seen it go well for the person who does the reporting; this is even if you manage to do your report prior to her trying to blow up your career. She is setting the stage and that stage is for you. Surprisingly, I recognize the M.O. of making accusatory and/or bizarre statements on a repeated basis. She is doing that on purpose in an ongoing attempt to successfully gaslight you and throw suspicion around and off of her back. Beat her to the punch. And better yet, have a new job before she strikes. Didn't someone warn Caesar to beware the Ides of March, or something like that? You have been warned by several nurses here that have a better perspective to help you avoid disaster. Don't rely on others at the place of employment. You have no idea what their level of involvement may be and they certainly aren't there to look out for your interests over their own career.
. She said, "Now that everyone is gone, I want to tell you something..." and she told me that she noticed a pack of narcotics for one of her individual's went missing from her drawer. I didn't ask what med it was or when it supposedly went missing -- for some reason, I end up just stunned with the news about these meds because it's such a huge mess! But what I don't understand is why she didn't make a bigger deal about a WHOLE PACK of missing narcs for her individual??
Do you guys think maybe it would be too soon to bring up my concerns to my boss? My concern is something is going to happen and I end up more involved than I want to be.
This is an attempt at a "cover story". She is concerned that at some point the missing narcotics will be noticed, she is hoping that you will "recalling" her telling you that they went missing. Hardly proves that she didn't take them herself but if she is at the point of openly stealing patient medications her thinking probably isn't too rational.
You said she has been through the ringer with the DEA before because of "coworker's stealing mead's". It would seem that this has happened before and she somehow got away with a clean license by blaming her co workers or she has completed her conditions and you just don't know about it.
I would be very careful if I were you. I understand that reporting her to your manger will most likely create an ugly work situation as she is bound to find out you did so, but you don't really much choice. The casual accusations that you have gone through her drawers and that drugs are missing are intended to imply that it is you that is stealing medications.
- Seek an urgent closed door meeting with you manager. Report only what you really know. She held onto antibiotics instead of disposing of them. She stated they went missing but later you saw that they had reappeared. This is helpful as it shows she didn't follow procedure and that the drawers are not secure (or that she is lying)
- She told you that she took Adderall that she said she obtained from a tech as she believes she has ADHD but it isn't diagnosed and she therefore does not have a prescription for a controlled substance that she knowingly took.
I would right up a statement with all the details you remember including times, dates and any witnesses. Also be sure that you are squeaky clean, do not take anything unless you have a valid prescription for it, no old headache medicine or left over pain relief. I wouldn't be surprised if your facility decides to do some random drug screening in the near future.
I just read your post that you are applying for jobs. As sad as it is that she is the problem and you are the one leaving because of it, it probably is the smartest move. This person is a nightmare that you need to get away from! Best of Luck
She is trouble with a capital T and you will not remain unscathed being that you work so closely with her (as far as both your role and your physical proximity, etc.)
She is a fabricator and whatever happens it will be her word against yours.
You need to make this log-keeping a very short project; it can't be an ongoing thing where you keep notes "in case anything ever happens." You need to take at most a few weeks or a month to concisely write down irregularities and you need to inform your supervisor. When I say concise, I mean:
1) Implies that I have gone through her things. Asks me if other people have gone through her things. Gossips of suspicions about other coworkers
2) X med not wasted. Concerning story about whether it was wasted or not; changed story
4) Reports accepting adderall from a coworker's child's prescription because she has self-diagnosed with ADD and states personal physician won't prescribe
Etc. Including dates.
You are in danger by even having access to restricted areas that she has access to, and by having to do things like receive her patients' medications on her behalf and lock them in her drawer.
This is bad news. Unless a very urgent situation arises, play it cool until you are ready to present the problem to your supervisor (soon).
This 100% ! Also, after a short list, it is supervision's job to investigate, not yours. Stay away from that dumpster fire ?, lest you get caught up in it, and inadvertently burned. Keep copies of your notes, plus note who you give them to, and when. I've seen shady management turn a blind eye, then throw the original reporter under the bus, or at least try to. Good luck, because sometimes these situations can get tricky
OP - you have knowledge of info/situations/details NOW that points to ILLEGAL activities occurring presently AT THIS TIME. Would not your NOT reporting your concerns make you complicit in that illegal activity???
I mean I'm NO lawyer, but your failure to report/take action could infer you just 'turning the proverbial blind eye'. You have critical suspicions NOW - what if something terrible occurs to someone else, like a pt or other innocent party. I believe the Law would say 'you KNEW', but yet 'you did nothing'.
I don't think you have the luxury of waiting - time is an issue here. Start with reporting up your admin chain of command. To repeat, it is Admin's job to investigate, NOT YOURS. And start looking for another job!! Even if Admin takes the high road and does respond approp, your position may become very awkward and uncomfortable. You prob would do best in a new job.
As a nurse, there's something about being a 'mandated reporter'. This situation may apply here. Don't know if your malpractice insurance can help you, but they might have some advice for you. Give them a try.
.thumb.jpg.e7b5bd336d518053002d5b4dbeef882b.jpg){kind=small}
amoLucia
7,736 Posts
Any way you could look up her RN license number with the BON to make sure she is practicing in good standing??? Not to bespeak poorly of your employer, but it wouldn't be the first time that an employer or HR failed to check out a prospective employee's creds. And she could have slipped thru the cracks after a STELLAR pre-employment interview with super-duper GLOWING references, dates, etc.
Is there any underlying relationship for that nurse and anybody in admin or personnel that could be protecting her??? Could be EXTREMELY difficult for you to know, esp since someone like her is likely to be a SUPREME manipulator and con-artist.
Like other PPs have cautioned, you are in a precarious position of being SUCKERED into a fall-guy scheme. You could be being setup for a fall - you word against hers. If nothing else, mucho headaches & problems & worries for you.
I'll differ from the others' points of view in that I think this needs to be addressed NOW, not later. Giving her more time to set up her duckies in order will only strengthen her scheming and possibly make her MORE dangerous. Go up your chain-of-command now with your suspicions. It is not your responsibility to be an investigator. That's administration's. Expect an acceptable response in a defined period time, or else MOVE ON!
Don't jeopardize your license, your career or your good name.
Good luck.