Urgent question about the missing controlled medications

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello Guys,

I have very urgent question.

I am a brand new RN and got a job at a local nursing home.

I got a call this afternoon from my DON at my work.

According to her, they found out missing norco prn pain medication from med cart.

It is 30 Norco pills. They told me they couldn't find the medication and drug slip. Those are missing now.

They told me the medication was delivered while I was working and sign the delivery sheet.

I got several medications while I was working.

I also remembered the resident's name.

1. I did not deposit the controlled medications immediately after I got them. I left them on the nursing station where we usually put stationary or personal stuffs. I left there more than 4 hours. I went break and left the place without securing the medications. I did not think about it. Yes, this is my fault. But I am sure that I put all the controlled medications in the med cart later although I was late. 5 days later which was today. They found the one of controlled medications was missing.

They sent me home for the company policy because I am suspended.

They told me I may mot lose my license but will have discipline for the unsecured medications in time. They also told me to report this incident to the state and police.

What will happen to me? By the way, the security video showed me I took all medications to the cart. But it does not have any camera at med cart. Furthermore, one of nurses told me she did not see any drug slip or medication when I reported her.

I am worried about this incident and my position.

What do I need to do? I do not drug at all. I don't take any medications with me.

Please, give me your opinion or advice.

Thank you.

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Specializes in hospice, LTC, public health, occupational health.

Holy crap, you left controlled medications unattended in the nurse's station for over 4 hours?!

You might want to call a lawyer. Now. If they can't find those pills you'll be lucky to only be fired. Have they asked you to take a drug test yet? Unless they have another suspect they're after, you'll likely be accused of diversion and that is serious business. But even if not, that's a major violation of not just facility policy but controlled substance laws.

I don't think you can adequately protect yourself on your own from this.

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Lawyer up ASAP. You need to do this before you make any additional statements, either verbally or written, to your employer, police, or board of nursing. Make no mistake, 30 missing Norco tablets is a big deal especially when you admit that you left them unsecured for an extended period of time especially since you are know sure about securing them into the med cart and didn't log them into inventory properly (this would have allowed the issue to be caught faster as it would have become obvious during the counts).

PS they are also required to report this incident to the DEA.

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My DON and I watched the video together to verify whether I deposited the med or not. I brought them to the cart even though it was late. No one entered the nursing station while I was gone. One of ADON told me you are in training period and they will not fire me. If I was not training period, she told me they would fire me. And she also told me " Don't leave us because of this" and " I had big lessons from this incident" You will not leave any medications later. I know you guys told me to find a lawyer. Still do I need to find a lawyer and do I need to go with the lawyer whenever they call me to come to report your situation?

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Hello Guys,

I have very urgent question.

I am a brand new RN and got a job at a local nursing home.

I got a call this afternoon from my DON at my work.

According to her, they found out missing norco prn pain medication from med cart.

It is 30 Norco pills. They told me they couldn't find the medication and drug slip. Those are missing now.

They told me the medication was delivered while I was working and sign the delivery sheet.

I got several medications while I was working.

I also remembered the resident's name.

1. I did not deposit the controlled medications immediately after I got them. I left them on the nursing station where we usually put stationary or personal stuffs. I left there more than 4 hours. I went break and left the place without securing the medications. I did not think about it. Yes, this is my fault. But I am sure that I put all the controlled medications in the med cart later although I was late. 5 days later which was today. They found the one of controlled medications was missing.

They sent me home for the company policy because I am suspended.

They told me I may mot lose my license but will have discipline for the unsecured medications in time. They also told me to report this incident to the state and police.

What will happen to me? By the way, the security video showed me I took all medications to the cart. But it does not have any camera at med cart. Furthermore, one of nurses told me she did not see any drug slip or medication when I reported her.

I am worried about this incident and my position.

What do I need to do? I do not drug at all. I don't take any medications with me.

Please, give me your opinion or advice.

Thank you.

I agree with the others. Invest in a lawyer who specializes in BON issues.

I've also seen it suggested that people in this type of situation go to a clinic and request to be drug tested. A negative result won't make the problem go away, but it might be helpful in some small way.

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Specializes in hospice, LTC, public health, occupational health.

Seems to me that even a brand new RN (or LPN for that matter) should know that leaving controlled substances unattended is both illegal and career suicide. Forgive me, but what are they teaching in these schools nowadays?!:cautious:

I think you should still call a lawyer. While your direct supervisor may not want to fire you, facility leadership higher than them may not agree. And there is still the illegality.

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My DON and I watched the video together to verify whether I deposited the med or not. I brought them to the cart even though it was late. No one entered the nursing station while I was gone. One of ADON told me you are in training period and they will not fire me. If I was not training period, she told me they would fire me. And she also told me " Don't leave us because of this" and " I had big lessons from this incident" You will not leave any medications later. I know you guys told me to find a lawyer. Still do I need to find a lawyer and do I need to go with the lawyer whenever they call me to come to report your situation?

You have already been told that they are going to report the incident to both the state (I'm assuming board of nursing) and the police.

When the board of nursing opens an investigation all they are going to see is that you were the last person that could account for the missing narcotics and will consider this diversion. The last thing you want is a public history of discipline on your license - not to mention the costs associated with any drug monitoring programs you are placed in along with narcotic and licence restrictions - and if the local authorities do decide to pursue criminal charges and you definitely don't want any convictions.

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My DON and I watched the video together to verify whether I deposited the med or not. I brought them to the cart even though it was late. No one entered the nursing station while I was gone. One of ADON told me you are in training period and they will not fire me. If I was not training period, she told me they would fire me. And she also told me " Don't leave us because of this" and " I had big lessons from this incident" You will not leave any medications later. I know you guys told me to find a lawyer. Still do I need to find a lawyer and do I need to go with the lawyer whenever they call me to come to report your situation?

So let me get this straight, they are not firing you but still want to report you to the state?

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This doesn't make much sense. They are not firing you but are reporting you to the nursing board and state police?

The state police had BON may decide your fate for you. I'm sure you will at the very least be put into a monitoring program with your state. You also might get destructions put on your license. The state police might decide to prosecute you. I highly doubt this video shows the exact medications you put in the med cart. Can it zoom in that well to see the pills??

Nursing school put the fear of God in me over meds. Especially as a new grad. Did your nursing school not do that? How is it remotely ok that you left controlled substances at the nursing station unattended for 4 hours?? And you went on break.....

Geez Louise............

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

Good luck. Being a new grad in long term care can be overwhelming. I know that depending on when the pharmacy drop off arrives at our facility, you might have to stop doing what seems like a million other things to sign for meds, and things can get overlooked. Guaranteed you will never make that mistake again. I hope that it all works out for you. Controlled substances are no joke- especially these days, and that has to be a priority for patient safety, and for your license. Unfortunate to learn such a big lesson early in your career.

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Specializes in Case Manager/Administrator.

I would politely ask to see the video again make a copy for your self (just so you can review to ensure no more mistakes). Then I would hustle over to see an attorney.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

So are they saying 1 was missing, or 30 were missing?

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