Should I self report?

Nurses General Nursing

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I work on a very busy heart/ stroke floor. I got a write up but not terminated for pulling too many Lopressor 25mg on a patient one day! We scan our meds so it shows the pt only received the correct dose! I honestly do not remember if I pulled a partial sheet in a hurry and forgot to return the rest and left them in my cart or if I didn't log out correctly and someone else went in but why would someone take Lopressor and not narcotics if that was the case??? I am just lost here! My question is should I self report this to the board? Any help is appreciated!

Sunny

Specializes in retired LTC.

Normally, when anyone makes a mistake that I catch, I'll just let them know and its corrected it. NO BIG WHOOP!

But for some reason, pharmacies I've worked with have had this super snotty, haughty, smarty-pants attitude that they NEVER make mistakes. Like they walk on water with God!

So I always had this sense of smugness if I caught an error.

Knowing today what I know, I should have made out some med error report because of the error made. But it prob would have been 'round filed'.

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I agree! That is what didn't match up to me! If you were to report me why wouldn't you terminate me? I also didn't sign the write up or add comments! Not sure that I should because I pull meds on 5 to 6 pts multiple times a day. I don't know exactly what happened and don't think I should just make something up! Thanks for your advice!

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Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

I wouldn't sweat it. Sounds like a chaotic workplace, run by people who couldn't find their butt with both hands. If they're dumb enough to report you to the BON, then they'll have to justify why they let such a dangerous nurse keep working for them.

They really need to do a full audit of their pharmacy system before they start scapegoating individual nurses. By the way, do you have a union? Most hospital managements are a lot better at intimidating people than they are at actually following through on anything.

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Boy you got that right! No we don't have a union in Texas! They have never had problems with me before!

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Make very careful, detailed notes about everything that happened and hold onto them. In the meantime I would say nothing more about this and I certainly would not report to the BON. If they were to discipline you for this, they would need to also discipline nearly every nurse practicing in the state. Learn from this, move on and don't make the same mistake again.

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No, I wouldn't self report. Actually, you never did anything wrong but mark it down in a journal and make sure you have legal counsel available if you need it. The board has to look at the whole process not just the fact you pulled out a number of the medication. You gave the right dose and there was no off count so I would not worry about it. Just be wary of who is around you as you don't know who to trust and to protect yourself. People divert drugs of all kinds, and it does not have to be a narcotic which is really scary.

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No matter how stressed and overwhelmed, you need to slow down to where you are aware of what is going on. Let them write you up for being careful.

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Specializes in Vascular Access.

I'd say as long as you aren't developing a chronic problem of losing meds, it shouldn't be a big deal. In fact, we have bigger fish to fry... I'd call it a complete non-issue. In this particular scenario I'd just have a brief conversation and then blow it off. Stuff happens.

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.

Why do they think YOU were the one who pulled out extra? Lopressor isn't a counted med (at least, not anyplace I've ever worked)... anyone who ever got into that cubie (or that entire drawer, if it's not a covered cubie) could have pulled out the additional doses. Or, as has already been mentioned, pharmacy may have mis-stocked it in the first place.

Unless they have VIDEO of you pulling out extra meds, or unless they have prior accurate counts and then discrepancies after you pulled (is your Lopressor even counted with every dispense, like a narc or a benzo?), there is NOTHING to indicate you had anything to do with the loss of 50-cents worth of medication.

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Lol! I know!

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

I do not get why they think you did this? How many Lopressor were missing? Could it not have been anybody on the unit?

I see no earthly reason why any nurse would be diverting Lopressor so the write up seems awfully punitive to me. I would want them to show me exactly how they knew it was you. It just doesn't make any sense.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

It's Lopressor for heavens sake! What do they think you'd have done with it? Granted, you should follow facility policy for returning meds to pyxis or pharmacy but it's not a narcotic. How do they know you/the patient didn't drop the med and you had to get another? The MAR should be the source of truth for what the patient received. Definitely DO NOT self report to the board, no reason to!

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