Signing out medications for my manager.

Nurses Medications

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Hello Nurses-

After several years as a home health nurse, I've just returned to hospital nursing. The manager on my med-surg-tele unit regularly asks nurses to sign dilaudid out of the Accudose for him to administer to patients on the floor. As a brand new employee still on orientation I was afraid to argue with him about whether this practice is right/legal. He contends that it is absolutely okay to have nurses sign out meds to give to him (the manager) to administer and that he "is required to give a certain number of meds each month." I asked him why he doesn't have his own access to the Accudose and he said that it's because he's responsible for reconciling the medications so it would be a conflict for him to have access. I haven't been able to find ANY literature on the internet about policies regarding signing out medications for other nurses and I want to be able to back-up my contention that this can't be okay. Any advice or references to legal or professional sources would be greatly appreciated.

I am so sorry that your manager is putting you and your co-workers in this position. He/she is likely diverting medication to feed his/her legitimate pain issue and/or addiction. Like someone said above call the anonymous hotline to report this. You could be saving your managers life.

Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

The only nurse I've ever worked with who didn't have access to Pyxis, was on probation for narcotic diversion.

At the risk of just piling on, DON'T DO IT!.

No. No. NO. NO. No. No access? No meds. Just that simple. This IS a time that your license could be at risk. NO. NO. NO. Run away when this person comes near you at the cart.

Best wishes.

Specializes in Trauma ICU, Peds ICU.

If he doesn't have access because, in his words, "it would be a conflict," and you're circumventing that... how dies that make sense?

Specializes in cardiac CVRU/ICU/cardiac rehab/case management.

I had a manager who asked me to do this. I was a new nurse and thought she was so "hands on " with pts especially their pain levels. It never occurred to me that she was using even when I noticed occasionally that pt she medicated didn't seem to get relief. I just seen a manager, who I held in such high regard I comp[letely missed seeing she was also a user.

Specializes in Very well rounded..

toddandola23,

I am sure there is more you could have told us but all the previous comments are correct. Contact the Pharmacist, maybe anonymously and give your story. Probably some drug tests in ya'lls future. He can pass Lovenox or digoxin for skills. Hell he can do vitals also. Before you do anything make sure you can pass a drug test!

Good day.......

Everyone is absolutely right in telling you not to do this. It is completley illegal to sign out a narcotic and give it to another nurse to administer. Even though this person is your manager I am sure if you told him you wanted to discuss this procedure with his superior or head of pharmacy to make sure it was OK you would find out there would be complete reluctance on the manager's part to do this. This is just so wrong it is terrible to imagine someone is actually getting away with this. Please don't risk your license for this person. This is never an acceptable policy anywhere. I have been in the nursing field for over 40 years and can tell you without a doubt this is wrong. Go to your board of nursing, as others have said, if you want legal proof this is not allowed. Or better yet call your state BON and tell someone there that this is going on and see what they say!!!! OMG, it will blow them away that the manager is actually convincing people to do this for him. Good luck and let us know what you find out!

Specializes in Neuro ICU/Trauma/Emergency.

I would bring this to the attention of the DON, hopefully in confidence. At the end of the day you are operating under your license not the nurse manager. It sounds as if he is diverting narcotics, especially since he has a preference for a particular medication. Immediately report your collection to the DON or document the times you handed off the last medication and for what patient it was intended. Monitor whether or not you notice him using the accudose system on his own to notice any hypocritical fraudulence. But, whatever you do CYA(Cover your A**)

Specializes in OB/GYN/Neonatal/Office/Geriatric.

Add me to the NO column as well. I would never do it no matter who asked me. I would go through the chain of command--tell them what is being asked of you. Good Luck!

Do not put your license in jeopardy. Find the nearest exist if you have to.

Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.

OMG...just...NO. That's insane that he's convinced other nurses to actually do this for him.

Specializes in ICU.

Can I say major red flag? I would speak to his supervisor over this issue and refuse to do it again. Sorry I dont sign out narcs under my name and give them to someone else, absolutely not, never, ever. Sounds like a diverter to me.

So I would encourage you to report this, explain your entire dilema to who ever you need to , risk management, his boss ect, you need to cover yourself and never do this again. Be prepared for drug testing, you could loose your job over this.

Please let us know what happens!

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