Tired of impaired nurses

[epipusher]

Ok...I have been a nurse for almost 20 years and thought I had seen it all. My current employer seems to be a becon for impaired nurses. We currently have 3. The latest one is causing loads of issues. She was a great nurse that worked with us for 1 year. It was found out that she was removing approximately 40 percocets per shift for patients she was not assigned to. Management aproached her and sent her for a drug test. Since she had a personal prescription for the drug, nothing was done. Many of the staff were very uncomfortable when she was around. (She was not signing the MAR--you had to look in the pxysis for the last dose given) Management pushed the issue and she up and quit. Well 6 months go by and she is back (rumor has it that she was terminated from the last place). I questioned my manager about this and she said there would be stipulations. I see none. Her first day back was today and I snooped around in the pxysis. She gave 10 percocet in one shift and once again failed to sign them out on the MAR. None of these patients are alert enough to report that they had not gotten the medication.

What can I do? Does any one know what actions I can take if management continues to turn a blind eye? I know we are short on RN's, but this is crazy. We already have a tough enough job without worrying about team members stealing drugs! A group of us are really upset and not sure what steps to take next. Help!!!

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

wow, you too shelly?

you know, it's very interesting...

many of my favorite posters are recovering/recovered addicts.

i try not to stereotype, but have found similiarities in the posters i admire so much:

honesty, assertiveness, sincerity, accountability, tremendous sensitivity, empathy...so many endearing qualities.

i just needed to put that out there.

sev'l of you guys, i never even knew about until after i had become smitten.:)

Leslie - you are so right!! There have been some posters that I have just really felt akin to, and like we are really on similar levels, and then find out they are in recovery, you included!

Anne Hats off to you, dear!!

[shelly304]

On a side note-I have written in a few posts that I am leaving my hospital clinic to work elsewhere. Over the past two years a situation

in the clinic has gotten out of control. We have an NP that basically is running a "pain mgnt." clinic. After many discussions with my NM, hospital admin., and the BON, I have made the painful decision to leave. The "state" has put this particular NP on letter 3 times now. The hospital is turning a blind eye because of the amount of money being brought in. I have watched this situation spiral, said my concerns, reported my concerns anonymously, and have made this very, personal, and painful choice to leave. There is so VERY much more to this situation then I could even write.

I am in a similiar situation to the OP. But I did what was right, ethically and for myself. When I leave, I know I will have done the right thing.

Gee, a recovering addict not feeling comfortable with watching a hospital make millions off others addictions. Who would have thunk it!!!

[leslie :-D]

wow, you too shelly?

you know, it's very interesting...

many of my favorite posters are recovering/recovered addicts.

i try not to stereotype, but have found similiarities in the posters i admire so much:

honesty, assertiveness, sincerity, accountability, tremendous sensitivity, empathy...so many endearing qualities.

i just needed to put that out there.

sev'l of you guys, i never even knew about until after i had become smitten.:)

Leslie - you are so right!! There have been some posters that I have just really felt akin to, and like we are really on similar levels, and then find out they are in recovery, you included!

Anne Hats off to you, dear!!

thanks anne, but i'm not in any addictions recovery (thank you, God).

but am a recovering fellow in mental health, for sure.

i guess it goes to show you that any type of healing/recovery that encompasses a whole lot of pain and truth, makes us only stronger yet more tolerant in the end, yes?

leslie

[leslie :-D]

But I did what was right, ethically and for myself. When I leave, I know I will have done the right thing.

shelly, i have definitely discovered that the only way to stay at peace w/yourself, is to stay true to yourself and all you hold dear.

i am quite sure, you will go far, no matter where your journey takes you.

leslie

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

On a side note-I have written in a few posts that I am leaving my hospital clinic to work elsewhere. Over the past two years a situation

in the clinic has gotten out of control. We have an NP that basically is running a "pain mgnt." clinic. After many discussions with my NM, hospital admin., and the BON, I have made the painful decision to leave. The "state" has put this particular NP on letter 3 times now. The hospital is turning a blind eye because of the amount of money being brought in. I have watched this situation spiral, said my concerns, reported my concerns anonymously, and have made this very, personal, and painful choice to leave. There is so VERY much more to this situation then I could even write.

I am in a similiar situation to the OP. But I did what was right, ethically and for myself. When I leave, I know I will have done the right thing.

Gee, a recovering addict not feeling comfortable with watching a hospital make millions off others addictions. Who would have thunk it!!!

You are doing exactly what I decided to do after a co worker was turned in and I was one of the "bad nurses" that turned her in. My dh and I talked about it at length, as well as with my sponsor. Another nurse with us had alraedy had serious repurcussions after this nurse, one with a more senior position, was caught. I did stay on this facility's prn list but have not worked there at all.

I did also work just some part time office work one summer for a GP who had been around for yrs. and had a large following of dedicated patients. I didn't stay long after I saw the hoard of patients coming in getting scripts for pain, insomnia, nerves, muscle relaxers, and on and on. I heard one family member comment in the lobby that "as long as you paid your bill, this md would give you whatever you asked for, including a rear full of narcotics then putting you behind the wheel to hit or kill anyone in their path on the way home. No ride home by family, just let them drive themselves home. OMG!!! One lady would get Demerol 100mg to 125mg im and then drive herself home. I got out of there as fast as I could and never did that until I finished my short notice. I made it clear to the MD, who I had worked with at the hospital for years, that I would NOT give a patient meds like that and give them their keys. NO WAY!!

Sounds like we are a lot alike too. Anne

[BlueRidgeHomeRN]

guess it is true that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

let's all just send up a prayer of thanks that we are here to discuss this and support each other, and not in a morgue where we very well could have ended up. no one ever wants have an abuse problem, but dealing with my own demons has given me both a greater tolerance for others' failings, as well as a pretty finely tuned bs meter..both good things that came out of bad........

[pattycakeRN]

I am a big believer in personal responsiblility. I find it ridiculous to consider addiction a 'mental illness'. You choose what you put in your body- end of story. I just see it in a very black and white way, and I have zero sympathy for drug users. As far as those who choose addiction and are nurses, or then become nurses, I really can't say. I think each person's situation is so individual that you can't put a yes/no answer to that. I don't think anyone has a perfect answer.

[heron, ASN, RN]

On the whole, I think this has been a pretty productive thread, raising questions that need asking without the sniping I've seen in other threads on the subject.

I have to acknowledge that, although I disagree with the choices the OP has made, the reality is that she is working in critical care w/ a possibly impaired co-worker under a management that refuses to deal with the problem. This is my idea of nursing h-ll!

I think the the overall consensus has been that nurses IN RECOVERY should have at least one chance to return to practice, perhaps in a restricted setting.

But the OP's experience as she described it here leads me to ask, what can we offer those nurses who have been burned by having to work with an impaired colleague?

[ms. papa RN AGAIN]

I am a big believer in personal responsiblility. I find it ridiculous to consider addiction a 'mental illness'. You choose what you put in your body- end of story. I just see it in a very black and white way, and I have zero sympathy for drug users. As far as those who choose addiction and are nurses, or then become nurses, I really can't say. I think each person's situation is so individual that you can't put a yes/no answer to that. I don't think anyone has a perfect answer.

Not one of the in recovery individuals on this forum has asked for yours or anyones sympathy. We take full accountabilty and responsibility for the choices we made that led to our addictions. But we also have the right to accept the responsible actions and choices we made to recover, get well and return to the field of work that we love. Just don't stand in judgement and get in our way.

[leslie :-D]

I just see it in a very black and white way, and I have zero sympathy for drug users.

i understand what you're saying patty.

i feel the same way about active drug users.

but once they've been on the road to recovery and walk that very long walk, i have nothing but admiration for them.

leslie

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

thanks anne, but i'm not in any addictions recovery (thank you, God).

but am a recovering fellow in mental health, for sure.

i guess it goes to show you that any type of healing/recovery that encompasses a whole lot of pain and truth, makes us only stronger yet more tolerant in the end, yes?

leslie

Oh, leslie!! I AM SO SO SORRY! I think what had confused me are your postings on this type of subject because you are ALWAYS so compassionate and you don't judge. I am not really used to that in the (excuse the expression) the "normal" nursing population. You are always kind and seem to see "us" as people and nurses, and not as the people we were, or the kind of person I was when I was using.

I wish there were about 100 thousand nurses just like you, offering support to those who need it and just being "you". I can tell just from your posts a lot about your personality, and everyone should have a friend like you.

Hope I didn't offend! Bless you dear!

Anne

[sissiesmama, ASN, RN]

guess it is true that what doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

let's all just send up a prayer of thanks that we are here to discuss this and support each other, and not in a morgue where we very well could have ended up. no one ever wants have an abuse problem, but dealing with my own demons has given me both a greater tolerance for others' failings, as well as a pretty finely tuned bs meter..both good things that came out of bad........

amen to that sister!!

anne :yeah: