Quitting during BIG investigation

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Greetings, I have an issue that I hope some of you could help me out on. I have been planning on quitting my job at a nursing home for a couple weeks now. I'm planned to turn in my two notice after the end of the month (beginning of April.) I already have another job.

Here is my dilemma. This evening, some controlled medication came up short on a count sheet. Granted, this is liquid medication being poured from a huge bottle. So mistakes are bound to happen, someone maybe pour a ml or two too much. Well, since I was in charge this evening I notified my DON of our issue. After talking with my med aides, I discovered that the bottle was already 5ml short last weekend and the charge nurse at that time never addressed it. Now here it is Monday, and it was brought to my attention that there is now approximately 20-30mls missing. Immediately all staff in the building at that moment who was able to pass medication, was drug tested and then shortly afterwards the police was called in to file a report. The officer differed an investigation for a short period of time until administration can get statements from everyone who had passed medication on the cart for the medication in question and then review cameras in the building to see if any simple mistakes had happened before a really big investigation occurs.

The patient hasn't been in the building for more than a month and I have never passed medication to him or anyone else in that time and my name is not on any documentation sheet, showing that I accepted the cart and its responsibilities. I don't believe anyone actually took the medication. I have worked with the same people for the past 3 years, none of them seem to have the propensity to steal meds much less a liquid version. I don't think anyone investigating will find anything, which means it may take awhile for them to find this unsubstantiated and drop the case.

Now, the big question. I'd still like to leave this job as scheduled. Would this be unwise to leave at this time if a big investigation occurs? Please help!!

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From everything I read, don't leave a position during any investigation. No matter how innocent you are (or think you look) it always looks guilty. Unfortunately, that can mean being stuck in a position/unit you were ready to leave a long time ago...

i really hope hope it clears out and you can move on soon. Being an unhappy nurse is the worst...

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Thanks! Right now, interestingly enough the police dont seem to be taking the whole thing real seriously. I hear they are going to be handing out a bunch of write-ups, but do far that seems to be the only thing. Not much longer now I guess!

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If the bottle was 5ml short over the weekend and the patient isn't in the building, how did another 15- 25ml disappear? Someone took it or someone gave it to another patient. Does not make sense.

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The patient was in the building. We just havent had him for very long.

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Specializes in TCU, Dementia care, nurse manager.

How do you know it was only 5ml short last weekend? How are the amounts kept track of? Isn't there a notebook with signatures of the nurses or tma's who worked each shift? If not, then management screwed up with policy. Why is a big bottle of narc hanging around for so long? Management screed up and nurses get screwed.

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According to the CMA who worked that Friday, she observed the bottle being off by 5mls. She came back Monday and observed the bottle being off by 20-30mls. She told her charge nurse initially that it was off, and I guess that's where communication ended. And then come Monday, when I was in charge I notified my DON immediately which should have been done the first go round.

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