Brattyone78

In hemodialysis, Vancomycin 1 gram is ordered pretty often and the mixture of the dry Vanco with the IV fluid is done by the RN's and the rate is always ordered to be infused over one hour. We calculated gtts per minute (no infusion pumps) and monitored the pt and infusion rate throughout. Granted our infusion sites are either the veinous access of the fistula or the veinous port of a central line, which made it easy, as we knew the access was patent. In dialysis you have to give Vanco after the pt has completed their treatment or you'll dialize it out. The dry Vancomycin bottle comes in a box that has an insert that covers everything about the drug. I've worked many times in hospitals where there were Infusion Pumps, but they ran short, so I had to use gravity and gtt factors. Being a Cardiology Nurse for the past 8+ yrs Infusion pumps are required. :rckn:

What you are describing is a culture of unchecked abberrant behavior and criminal acts. The law is still to be followed and enforced in any workplace. Pushing another person is assault and battery. Silence is consent. The things that are occurring need to be reported to the County, State and Federal authorities. If it isn't reported nothing will change.

The risk of deverting pain medication to ones self is only as great as the selfishness required to medicate themselves AND allow the pt. to suffer in pain. There is no excuse for it.

Unfortunately this is not a new issue. The first job I had as a new grad was working the NOC shift in a LTC Facility. In 1995 we had very few job opportunities. To make this short , when I came on my shift I did drug counts with the off going staff. It consumed a great deal of time as we did actual hand counts. I found a controlled substance short 2 tabs. I gave the staff member the benefit of the doubt, giving her time to review her shift and account for the shortage. Unable to account for the 2 tabs, I made a notation of the count shortage. Without assigning blame i.e. " Medication count off by two tabs of vicodin, staff nurse Jane Doe and I rechecked and count remains short as noted above". We both signed as required. This was done two times, after that the drug count was never short.