Settlement and final order

Published

To make a long story short, my previous employer accused me of stealing dilaudid, which i did not do. There were some issues with documenting pain scores, administering a dose of dilaudid to someone on a PCA (It was ordered and other nurses had done it as well), and forgetting to waste one time. There was not enough evidence to charge me with diversion so BON came up with 3 charges related to the documentation and pain medicine administration and wasting. My question is, whether or not I decide to agree to the settlement, will my current employer keep me around with a punishment from the board on my record? Does anyone have experience with this? I have worked at this hospital since September and NEED to keep my job to support my family. If there is any possibility of getting these charges dropped, I may tell my attorney I want to go for it because i don't want this black mark on my record. I feel like I am being made an example of and it is not fair. I didn't do anything that almost every other nurse on my floor did too. Any advice is appreciated.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't know if this helps but my case manager has said that in my state (Illinois) some hospitals will keep the nurse and some won't. She did say that once the mark is there getting a NEW *hospital* job is impossible (in my state). It may be different in other states.

My question is if you agree to the settlement, how much time would you have before the mark is there? Do you have enough time to get a second per diem or part time job somewhere else just to get your foot in the door to increase your chances at least one of the jobs will keep you? I don't know... if it takes a month or longer to actually publish the mark you might have enough time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

There is already a discipline document posted and I haven't agreed to anything yet. So, it is public at this point.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Are there places that are more accepting of nurses with marks on their record? I am just so worried about never finding a job again.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hopefully your hospital job will keep you. I have heard that at least around here, home heath is more forgiving. I know someone who was on probation for taking drugs and she was able to get 2 different home health jobs even while on probation. Her mark was really detailed about what happened too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Any ideas on how to bring it up to current employer?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I would just try to be positive about how you learned from your mistakes with documentation and emphasize that there was not an issue with diverting narcotics. Sorry this has happened. What does your lawyer say about if you should le accept it or not?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I haven't talked with her yet. I meet with her Monday. I guess I'm also curious if you are guilty of what they are charging me with, but it is nothing you wouldn't see in almost every nurses charting, have you ever heard of the BON giving out warnings or dropping charges? I know it's unlikely, but one can hope.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I've seen or heard of a public reprimand for really really stupid things... like missing CEU's for one nurse and for another it was saying something mean to a coworker. You would think a warning would be sufficient for those but apparently not.

Just see what your lawyer says on Monday.

I actually did take drugs from my old employer and enrolled in my state's alternative to discipline program. Sometimes these programs will also monitor for mental health and stress... but it could be better than having a public mark even if you don't have a problem. It may be too late to sign up for this and or your state might not even have such a program but just throwing it out there because that's what I have experience in. Depending on the state sometimes the terms and conditions or potential work restrictions may or may not be compatible with your current job, just to warn you. Sorry this has happened to you.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I haven't talked with her yet. I meet with her Monday. I guess I'm also curious if you are guilty of what they are charging me with, but it is nothing you wouldn't see in almost every nurses charting, have you ever heard of the BON giving out warnings or dropping charges? I know it's unlikely, but one can hope.

The Board can certainly decide that there isn't anything worth pursuing and let the matter drop. Or they can give a formal reprimand. They have an array of options depending on the results of their investigation. A previous employer can't just ruin your career because they're mad at you. You should also be careful not to cop to anything you didn't do.

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Dialysis, ltc/SNF

Best wishes

Up Vote Up Vote ×

So they've already decided not to drop the matter. Unfortunately I think they believe I was diverting, but cannot prove it, so they will punish me for charting mistakes and not wasting one time. Right now their settlement offer is 75 hours education and a 300 dollar fine. Does anyone know if your punishment is something like that, is it the same as a punishment if suspension/probation? Like are all punishments seen as equally bad by future employers?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion