Unsafe Nurse - what can be done?

[PiperLPN]

I worked wiith a PRN nurse who had been fired for not giving meds to patients and throwing them away instead. I worked behind her once and found a bunch of pills in the sharps container (her MO at previous job). Also she was getting through 2 hr. med passes in about 30 minutes. When several nurses complained nothing was done about it. Now this nurse is working PRN at my current job. This is making me crazy! What can be done? I informed management about her and, again, nothing was done. What should I do? I really dread having to work with her.

[PiperLPN]

Some people just shouldn't be nurses. Thanks very much for sharing your story. FYI: The investigation on this nurse is underway.

[NamasteNurse, BSN, RN]

Thanks, I just needed to hear that. The whistleblower always becomes the bad guy, and that's the chance I'll have to take.

Call your ombudsman. No whistleblower problems, you are anonymous.

[Maria Lenore,RN]

We are patients advocate. I think you should not stop reporting this matter to the proper authorities....

[pawashrn]

Just because she is working, don't assume nothing is being done. document your findings and release them to your manager. Example if you find lopressor in the sharps and it was to be given at 9pm. go back and retrieve the vital signs and see if there was a change. If it was lasix look at the output. You must be a diligent sleuth if you plan on taking this on. This is an administrative problem, not a personal agenda. Proving that she didn't give the pills is hard. She can say I dropped them and had to throw them away. Pick your situations carefully. Accusations can come back and place you in jeopardy.