Pt selling drugs out of room

firstinfamily, RN · Oct 19, 2014

Never had an experience like this, did have a pt on sub-acute once that had little whiskey bottles in her bedside table. The size you get on the airlines/hotels etc. We never knew she had them until we were doing a spray day(pesticide treatments) and were cleaning out everyone's tables. She might have been having side effects with the combination of her medications and the whiskey. We confiscated it and gave it to her daughter. Pt went home shortly after this!! Were the police notified, perhaps the witness should file a police report just so there is one completed in case anything else happens there at least was one started. Did your security at the facility file a report??

sistrmoon, BSN, RN · Oct 19, 2014

Oh yeah both police and our security were involved. I'm just worried the witness could be in danger from those who would not want the testifying to happen.

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Oct 19, 2014

I've had patients bring smirnoff vodka, heroin needles in their pocket, heroin, cocaine, drug lists of people who owed them money, 10k in cash, phone numbers for "various lady professionals." If illegal drugs come in we call our police to "confiscate" the products. It's always fun doing the patient belonging sheet.

caliotter3 · Oct 19, 2014

We had a long term care resident who was there because his brother kicked him out of his house due to his drug selling activities. The man was very nasty and staff avoided him as much as possible.

Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN · Oct 20, 2014

They buy. They sell. They trade. They pass out, face-down, on a sandwich. Yep! It happens.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Oct 20, 2014

Not surprised; even had drug dealers show up and found pts near unresponsive. :blink:

Just another lively day at the office.

Fiona59 · Oct 20, 2014

Or how about when they go outside and return with more medication on board than they went out with?

PICC line is great for heroin. And we worry about dressing change technique

Gamecock73 · Oct 20, 2014

We had an elderly pt with a trach and PEG tube ask us to call "Junior" repeatedly. She would rattle off his phone number by heart. Upon further questioning, "Junior" turned out to be her dealer. (smh)

edmia, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2014

Selling I haven't encountered. Using? Well, yes. I have suspected patients who seem way happier and dozing off mid sentence after their "friends" visit... Never witnessed it though.

Once had an ED patient who had to get admitted. Before going to the floor, we do a property list and always ask if there are valuables to put in the safe. Unassuming little old guy says, yes, I have a little cash with me. Turns out his duffle bag had almost $15,000 in cash under his clothes. That was a fun count! Security was thrilled to have to recount :)

lxpatterson · Oct 20, 2014

Very sad! I had an injection drug user being treated for recurrent endocarditis that he gave himself...man, you're 35 with a prosthetic valve, don't you get it? He would disappear for half a day and miss a bunch of his ABX drips because of "errands" (which got more and more far fetched) and come back high as a kite.

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Oct 20, 2014

If a patient goes outside of the building at my hospital, they have to go back to the ER to get re-admitted. We don't allow smoking, and we don't give day passes, so really no reason to go outside. What I have witnessed several times is patients trying to sell their food stamp allowance. Once I was in the room with an employee who works at my hospital, and she was on the phone with someone, trying to sell her food stamps. She was a patient here at the time. Because of HIPAA, I just don't get involved, and don't "turn anyone in" because I feel that I will get in more trouble by violating HIPAA. Sad.