i have a "hypothetical" situation and i would like to get advice or feedback.
i have a friend who moved to another state and is a nurse. well here back in the "home" state i found out that her nursing license was suspended due to diversion ( not of narcotics, but one for a prescribed med and the other two were otc) and for falsifying work notes as well.
well she now lives in state b and has a current license in good standing. the two states are not part of a compact agreement.
should this be reported to state b or should i just let nature run its course and not say a word?
believe me i am planning on not saying a word to anyone and just letting this one play itself out!! i just wanted to get some feedback!! thanks again!!
nicenurse lpn
for a purely hypothetical answer, i would do just this.
how many times have nurses 'borrowed' a med from another nurse?
that's diversion, too.
or giving someone a couple of tylenol...another case of diverting.
as to falsifying notes, tell me that doesn't happen every single day, by many nurses.
how many times have nurses documented skin intact, vss or some other task that actually wasn't done?
p-u-h-l-e-n-t-y, and we all know it.
boards of nsg do not take this lightly.
you're assuming something that you know nothing about.
not cool or professional.
all nurses should know better.
leslie
What the heck? I have NEVER given another patient someone else's drug. Are you telling me that you give people's medications to other patients? You have GOT to be kidding me. I am not a wet-behind-the-ears nurse, I have 3+ years experience and work in a critical unit pushing meds all the time and I have NEVER done this and to be frank, I have never heard of another nurse doing this.
I guess I *will* have to babysit all the nurses that might take care of my parents in the future if that's the norm among nurses. For pete's sake...
What the heck? I have NEVER given another patient someone else's drug. Are you telling me that you give people's medications to other patients? You have GOT to be kidding me. I am not a wet-behind-the-ears nurse, I have 3+ years experience and work in a critical unit pushing meds all the time and I have NEVER done this and to be frank, I have never heard of another nurse doing this.
you need to reread my post.
i've never done it, but i do know that it's common practice amongst certain nurses/facilities.
i'm talking about meds such as prilosec or coumadin, or other common meds.
perhaps you're a bit more protected because of your specialty?
i don't know what to tell you...except that it's common.
Think about this also some states will put all addicts into the same alternative program, doesnt matter if its drugs or alcohol related, doesnt matter if patient harm was done or not. There are some people who reported themself to the board asking for help with a problem, because they chose to refer to the board for help they got restrictions placed on them. That does not make them a bad nurse or a bad person. If they are working a true 12 step program, they are alot safer with thier restrictions than nurse sally who is not being monitored. Those nurses in the program are randomly drug screened and will be for a minimum of three years. So guess what I might be the nurse taking care of momma giving her the best care possible and in a alternative program being closely monitored, or I could be the nurse flying under a rader not being monitored not working a 12 step program still using whatever, alcohol, pot, painpills..... taking care of momma which would you really rather have of those 2? And it can only be those 2.
What the heck? I have NEVER given another patient someone else's drug. Are you telling me that you give people's medications to other patients? You have GOT to be kidding me. I am not a wet-behind-the-ears nurse, I have 3+ years experience and work in a critical unit pushing meds all the time and I have NEVER done this and to be frank, I have never heard of another nurse doing this.
I guess I *will* have to babysit all the nurses that might take care of my parents in the future if that's the norm among nurses. For pete's sake...
I do this all the time, technically. Patient one gets dilaudid ordered for severe pain, but I can't pull it from the pixis because pharmacy has not profiled it yet. Patient two also has dilaudid ordered and it's already been profiled. I will pull dilaudid under patient two's name and give it to patient one. Then I'll fix things up later for the sake of accounting and documentation.
soooooo you look up people you know or work (worked with) on the state board license check? Kinda like googling a first date?
I think I've looked up almost everybody that I work with or went to school with. It's not that I'm out to "get" anyone, I just think it's kind of awesome that we're all there. I've looked myself up more than a few times, too.
Hypothetically or not - I would just steer clear and mind my own business since you're states away and the alleged in no way affects your own patients
Aren't we advocates for all patients, not just those who happen to live in our area? I have a problem with your statement. Perhaps the nurse has learned her lesson and has become Mother Theresa, perhaps she has gone way downhill and is one fix from hitting bottom. We can't know from the information given. If she lied to get her current license then she has not faced the consequences of her actions. If you feel she is a danger you should report. If you just don't like her and want to end her career, you should take a good look at yourself first. I can see both sides of this, but I can't know or feel what you do. Good luck.
as i stated earlier this is apurely hypothetical situation. i only wanted to get opinions and feedback regarding this particular situation. i would not report b/c as others have pointed out, this person is states away. it was interesting to say the least about the variety of the different opinions. and fyi i am not a "barney fife" wannabe lol. it surprised me to see how hostile some of these replies were.
If it were up to me, only employers/potential employers would have access to information from the BON. It really bothers me that any Tom, Dick or Harry can look me up on the BON site and see where I live, never mind my license status. There are too many Nosy Parkers in this world.
No kidding. Glad to see the majority of my level headed colleagues are all in the mind your own (TOS WORD) business camp. Good grief.
I think I've looked up almost everybody that I work with or went to school with. It's not that I'm out to "get" anyone, I just think it's kind of awesome that we're all there. I've looked myself up more than a few times, too.
You seriously need a hobby my friend. This is totally OTT. I have never looked up a single person, myself included. I know I haven't been reprimanded, and I really don't give a sheet if someone else has. What is that piece of knowledge good for, besides malicious gossip?
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
what the heck? i have never given another patient someone else's drug. are you telling me that you give people's medications to other patients? you have got to be kidding me. i am not a wet-behind-the-ears nurse, i have 3+ years experience and work in a critical unit pushing meds all the time and i have never done this and to be frank, i have never heard of another nurse doing this.
i guess i *will* have to babysit all the nurses that might take care of my parents in the future if that's the norm among nurses. for pete's sake...
oh for pity's sake! for all of your three vast years of experience, you're pretty self-righteous!
back in the dinosaur days (after unit dose and before med pyxis), 24 hours worth of medication for each patient used to come up in little drawers at 3pm. if mrs. jones went into chf and needed 40 mg. of iv lasix stat, she probably wouldn't have an extra dose in her drawer. if someone else did have the 40 mg. of lasix, and assuming they didn't need it stat, you'd grab it and give it to mrs. jones while you waited for her dose to come from pharmacy. (which could take hours.) when her dose came, you'd replace the dose you took from the other patient.
management would send frequent memos prohibiting the practice, but we all did it . . . management never came up with an alternative way to produce the needed drug immediately. nor did they come up with a way to keep mrs. jones from coughing up pink froth before her dose could come from pharmacy. until pyxis. or point of care pharmacists, both of which are relatively new ideas.
I do this all the time, technically. Patient one gets dilaudid ordered for severe pain, but I can't pull it from the pixis because pharmacy has not profiled it yet. Patient two also has dilaudid ordered and it's already been profiled. I will pull dilaudid under patient two's name and give it to patient one. Then I'll fix things up later for the sake of accounting and documentation.
I guess I *will* have to babysit all the nurses that might take care of my parents in the future if that's the norm among nurses. For pete's sake...
Whether you think it's Right/Wrong or Agree/Disagree with the practice you certainly can't say that she isn't looking out for and taking care of the patient with severe pain.
Katie5
1,459 Posts
for a purely hypothetical answer, i would do just this.