Nurses who steal narcotics....

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Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.

This is something that always ****** me off to no end. In my career I've know of 4 nurses who stole narcs. One would take liquid morphine and replace it with water, our pharmacy puts blue dye in ours. We had a card of narcs missing and the NOC nurse who accepted it (it had her signature on it) would not come in for a drug test. Another nurse years back would give vicodin, PCT whatever every four hours on the dot to the patients who had severe dementia knowing that they wouldn't be able to say whether or not they actually got the med.

I despise people like this. Why do it? Why not just go to one of those pain clinics and get your narcotics or whatever you want. Figure out which docs happily prescribe meds up the wazoo and go to them. Why take some elderly persons (I'm talking LTC) meds and make them suffer. What are your guys' thoughts on this.

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Specializes in CNA: LTC & DD.

I don't understand why get addicted to or casually take narcotics at all, regardless of how you get your hands on them.

Not to say that I don't understand the urge to self-medicate, but in practical terms I've just never seen drugs as a viable solution to any problems I've been facing - up to and including major episodes of depression.

A prescribed medication, under a competent doctor's orders? Sure, yes, might be required. Sneaking narcs from a quack, or stealing them from your job? Just...dumb.

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Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.
I don't understand why get addicted to or casually take narcotics at all, regardless of how you get your hands on them.

Not to say that I don't understand the urge to self-medicate, but in practical terms I've just never seen drugs as a viable solution to any problems I've been facing - up to and including major episodes of depression.

A prescribed medication, under a competent doctor's orders? Sure, yes, might be required. Sneaking narcs from a quack, or stealing them from your job? Just...dumb.

Yes very dumb and highly illegal. I worked way back in the day with an LVN who stole all sorts of narcotics. After I think jail time, and going through a whole process with the board, including rehab she was allowed to work again, mind you this was about 15 years ago. So she worked at our SNF, and we had to double count narcs with her meaning I would count off with her, and the other PM nurse would count with her, we also had to count all cards etc. I don't know if that is allowed nowadays, but she did well and I was proud that she would admit what she did etc.

But I've read somewhere and maybe I'm wrong, way back that nurses have a high incidence of drug abuse rates. I heard on the new a few weeks ago, that after surgery the patient was screaming in agony, the other staff heard her say SUCK IT UP and BE A MAN, then she collapsed onto him drugged out still with the needle in the arm she used to give herself his morphine with..........WOW.

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Specializes in CNA: LTC & DD.

A lot of news is made of healthcare professionals at all levels abusing substances and medications, but I'm not sure I've ever heard an objective statistic about it. I would like to know, just for curiosity's sake. I also think that with all the in-services employers are required to do to keep us up to date and employable they could slip one in about how to spot a functional addict or something.

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Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.
A lot of news is made of healthcare professionals at all levels abusing substances and medications, but I'm not sure I've ever heard an objective statistic about it. I would like to know, just for curiosity's sake. I also think that with all the in-services employers are required to do to keep us up to date and employable they could slip one in about how to spot a functional addict or something.

That's a good one. There was this nurse once and I couldn't prove it and even spoke to my manager at the time who didn't believe me because "she's so sweet she doesn't look like an abuser" Every night she would say oh I gave so and so a Vicodin, well that lady never ever asks for a vicodin unless she's in SEVERE pain and this nurse would act hyper like she was high on it. Another time, we had a dying patient, she said oh I tried the liquid ativan on him and it didn't help and for some reason my red alert went up. So I did give him a dose because he was starting to have signs of anxiety, and it worked like a charm............... She eventually quit.

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Its called aaddiction.... Be lucky you have not first hand experienced it. Maybe do a little reasearch into it, and you might understand.. I dont believe anyone starts an addiction by stealing meds fromPTs. Its a long road to get to that point. I am not defending addicts, but I have seen the process many, many times. Do you think these people just decide one day to take meds from the elderly? Theey usually have used up all other means to get their drugs and that is what they end up resorting to... Horrid? yes, but also very sad as well.....

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Specializes in LTC.

I think these nurses need help instead of someone judging them for their addiction. Addiction is an illness. Stealing is wrong, illegal, and horrid. To steal from patients is even worse. Yet until I'm perfect without sin I have NO room to judge.

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Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.
Its called aaddiction.... Be lucky you have not first hand experienced it. Maybe do a little reasearch into it, and you might understand.. I dont believe anyone starts an addiction by stealing meds fromPTs. Its a long road to get to that point. I am not defending addicts, but I have seen the process many, many times. Do you think these people just decide one day to take meds from the elderly? Theey usually have used up all other means to get their drugs and that is what they end up resorting to... Horrid? yes, but also very sad as well.....

I hope I didn't sound mean about addicted nurses. I do feel empathy for them and yes they did not say hey I'm going to get addicted. It is very sad, for the nurse, but I feel moreso for the patient. If I was addicted I'd quit as a nurse as that's a temptation waiting to happen, and find help, but then again an addict I guess doesn't think that way.

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Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.
I think these nurses need help instead of someone judging them for their addiction. Addiction is an illness. Stealing is wrong, illegal, and horrid. To steal from patients is even worse. Yet until I'm perfect without sin I have NO room to judge.

LIke I said I hope my posts don't read as me judging I know there are two sides to the story, and yes I have empathy for a nurse with a drug addiction, anyone with a drug addiction.

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Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.

And I just want to say I have a brother who is addicted to alchohol and I know how the mind works. I'm sorry again if I sounded judgmental but I just want people's opinions and stories about nurses who do steal. The nurse manager who caught the lady giving narcs every four hours to about 10 patients had a lot of empathy for her and even offered to put her into rehab and the company would pay for it. If I was a nurse manager I'd do the same thing. Like I said yes as a person who doesn't abuse I don't quite understand but then again what those nurses are doing isn't right.

It is very sad on both parties.

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Specializes in CEN, CPEN, RN-BC.

Wow... they really dye your morphine blue? Did they start doing it because of the nurse filling it with water? Insane!

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

My best friend stole as a professional. She went through hell and back. I remember the fateful day my job called me knowing if I new she had a problem. I was highly offended and it took years for me to finally forgive her for that. Looking back now, there were signs, but she was the last person I would have chosen to have this problem. It almost destroyed her family, but she over came her addiction and has yet to divert. That was over 20 yrs ago. The guilt she still carries for making her pts suffer is something she will never forgive herself for.

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