Reportable BRN incidents

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry.

I had an incident recently at work. I've was supposed to give

75 mg dose of methadone to a pt which was 8 small 10 mg pills with one cut in half. I ended up giving all 80 mg and later told an another RN during a medication waste that I gave the entire dose and signed me off anyway.

The problem is I didn't waste until about 6 hours later and it raised suspicion the next day and was asked about it a few days later which I confessed about what really happened. My manager told me that we would have an investigatory meeting and to bring my union rep with me.

I'm worried about getting fired but even more worried about having this reported to the BRN. My question is if this would count as something reportable. I'm in California.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

Questionable wastes of controlled substances always raise a red flag which is why they should always be done promptly. Never walk around with the waste in your pocket. How this may effect your job will depend on your employers policies. If this is a first occurrence you will likely get some kind of write up. I highly doubt you would be reported to the BON on one med error.

Hppy

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I had an incident recently at work. I've was supposed to give

75 mg dose of methadone to a pt which was 8 small 10 mg pills with one cut in half. I ended up giving all 80 mg and later told an another RN during a medication waste that I gave the entire dose and signed me off anyway.

The problem is I didn't waste until about 6 hours later and it raised suspicion the next day and was asked about it a few days later which I confessed about what really happened. My manager told me that we would have an investigatory meeting and to bring my union rep with me.

I'm worried about getting fired but even more worried about having this reported to the BRN. My question is if this would count as something reportable. I'm in California.

I don't get this.

What did you have left to waste?

This reads as if you knew you gave the 80 mg but then documented a false waste of 5 mg, and since you did it 6 hours later that raised a red flag.

I hope I've misunderstood....

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry.

I gave the entire 80 mg dose and 'wasted' 5 mg with another nurse with her knowing that I gave the entire 80 mg. I didn't confess until suspicion was raised with the waste being done so late. That's the main issue.

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Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

I think I understand what you're saying. You made a medication error with Methadone by giving too much (80mg vs. 75mg), and instead of taking responsibility for the error and reporting it, you and a fellow nurse 'made up' that you did a medication waste of 5mg. Your employer questioned the "waste" because it took several hours for you and your fellow nurse to "fake" document it. Then you confessed to your manager after you were caught.

Yes, I think you and your fellow nurse will be fired and the BON notified. You will probably end up having to answer for covering up a medication error and false documentation. Your fellow nurse will probably end up going before the BON also.

I doubt the BON will have you surrender your license, but you will probably have some serious sanctions.

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
I gave the entire 80 mg dose and 'wasted' 5 mg with another nurse with her knowing that I gave the entire 80 mg. I didn't confess until suspicion was raised with the waste being done so late. That's the main issue.

If you still have a future with this facility your future right action would be to immediately report yourself for a "Wrong Dose" Med error and take the consequences. Not only are you in trouble but your co-worker may be as well for "Witnessing" a waste that never happened.

Hppy

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It seems possible that this will get dicey for you.

You have lied/made a false report about what you did with a controlled substance.

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Making a medication error sucks. If it makes you feel any better, giving a patient 5mg extra methadone probably wouldn't have affected them much.

But making a medication error, then falsifying the waste document with another nurse is much much worse. I don't know if you both will be fired, but the management of controlled substances is a big deal. If you don't learn from this mistake I see you getting loose with your administrations in the future and that's what your manager will probably think too.

Next time, own the mistake. Employers want to see accountability. Self reporting is better than them finding out after the fact.

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I would call a lawyer that specializes in nurse licenses in your state. Especially if you are fired. If you are fired there is a good chance they will report this to the BON. They easily could get you for falsifying documentation. I also assume anything you say at this meeting will be used against you too so I would call a lawyer prior to this meeting. If you are simply just written up you will be very lucky. The heart of the issue is that you lied on purpose and admitted to it, and this was a controlled substance. They will probably drug test you as well if they haven't already so don't take anything you don't have a prescription for. Good luck!

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I gave the entire 80 mg dose and 'wasted' 5 mg with another nurse with her knowing that I gave the entire 80 mg. I didn't confess until suspicion was raised with the waste being done so late. That's the main issue.

Both of you will be lucky to keep your licenses. As others have posted, get a lawyer that specialized in BON issues and hang on, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

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Specializes in Travel, Home Health, Med-Surg.

I hope by now you have spoken to your fellow nurse who also signed off on the waste. A heads up would be nice after you threw her/him under the bus.

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I hope by now you have spoken to your fellow nurse who also signed off on the waste. A heads up would be nice after you threw her/him under the bus.

Agreed. Give them a heads up.

This would have been a great time to develop a lax conscious and simply apologize for wasting so late. The mistake was made, time passed, and there was no bad outcome as a result.

By admitting your mistake and cover up at this point, you've managed to drag another nurse to the stake with you.

I hope you come out of this ok, but expect the worst just in case.

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