Tricks of the trade: Diversion- stories of the stupid and sly?

[SuzieVN]

RN drank a bottle of codeine at night, passed out. I called 911.

RN emptied a vila of MS (RED), replaced it with NS (CLEAR). I sent it to be tested.

LPN wrote oders for oxcodone, over the course of a year. Made sure to be there to receive from pharmacy. POA called from out of state regarding a $5000 bill for oxydocone. Told him, no, patient not taking that. Not in chart, not on MAR, not in cart, no trail. Called pharmacy- they faxed me copies of his bogus orders...AND copies of every receipt he signed. BUSTED! (He even slid the original orders into the huge stack for the MD to sign, knowing that they sign anything without looking at it).

Advice: Like the digital age, the pharmacy has all kinds of checks and balances, every pill can be traced. So don't divert, and also never sign you gave a med that wasn't available- you can be found out. Don't do it.

[lmccrn62, MSN, RN]

I worked in a ICU and the unit secretary was sneaking into patient rooms stealing Morphine out of the patients infusion bag and shooting up with it. Security had been watching him until he finally got caught on the oncology floor and withdrawing morphine. Very sad!

[Caffeine_IV]

No personal stories but I have seen how easy it is to divert meds in hospitals and nursing homes. People usually get caught because as it becomes a full fledged addiction..they get greedy and sloppy.

It is sad to me thinking of someone so desperate for a high to suck a fentanyl patch that been on someones body.

[Sadala, ADN, RN]

I had a nursing instructor tell me about one of her coworkers.. She would take the pain patches off of patients stash them in her pocket and soak them in vodka at home.., then drink the vodka.. How disgusting is that?!?!? Your drinking your patient's skin, hair, etc.

I just threw up a little bit in my mouth. Thank you for that.

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

I've used forceps before to dig out a vaccine vial that I absentmindedly tossed before writing down the lot number and expiration date I have learned to never sign off on a narc waste if I do not see the narc actually wasted. Folks in my department just toss them in the sharps container, but I insist that I see the actual vial and watch them dispose of it in the sink. My preceptor in school told me about a coworker she had that would have you sign off (they all trusted her), and then pocket it or dig it out of the sharps container a little later. Not worth it, heck, I don't mind to draw it up myself and waste it, but I refuse to sign unless I SEE it wasted where it cannot be retrieved later.

[Shuggypie, ASN, BSN, RN]

For some reason I keep thinking that this thread is giving those who do divert way too much information!