Would you give a 2nd signature for another nurse who claimed she dropped a narc &

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...couldn't find it?? The place where I work, you must walk outside between 5 "houses" to provide Skilled and Long Term Care. Each building houses 10 different patients/residents. So, the narc room is in one house and you have to take narcs out of this house (for the specifit pt), put it in a med cup or med bag and carry it with you over to the other house. Well, the offgoing nurse said she 'dropped a narc and couldn't find it in the snow'.

Missing meds require 2 nurses to sign. I didn't see it, so I didn't sign that I witnessed her wasting the med. What if it was found later??

Was that too high-strung of me? Would you have co-signed? (this was at shift-change when she asked me)

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Specializes in Med Surg.

It would depend on how well I knew the other nurse. If he or she is someone I've worked closely with and never had reason to doubt them, yes, I'd sign for it, especially if it's a one time thing. Someone I've never worked with before or a repeat offender, no.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

NO.... I would tell them to notify the supervisor on site for the cosign. You never know someones private demons.

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NO.... I would tell them to notify the supervisor on site for the cosign. You never know someones private demons.

She was the only nurse there for her entire shift (3rd). Shes only been working at our facility about a week (they only orient nursesfor 3 days)!

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I wouldn't do it, regardless of how well I knew the other nurse. For you to cosign for wasting the narc in that circumstance is you falsifying medical records. I'd be glad to help the other nurse retrace her steps and look for the missing med, but I wouldn't cosign for wasting it.

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No, I don't think you were being high-strung. You didn't feel comfortable, so you didn't sign. Understandable.

With that said, I once signed for someone who absentmindedly dumped a cup of pills in the sharps container after the resident refused all meds. This cup of pills happened to contain a 0.5mg klonopin, which obviously slipped her mind.

Could she have been lying? Sure, anything's possible. But we've worked together for years. I've nommore reason to believe she diverts medication than I do to believe she's a serial killer.

And sometimes you just have to use common sense. I've wasted that particular

resident's klonopin with her a dozen times at least when he's refused. Clearly, this time she dumped the pills without thinking. Can happen to anyone. I doubt very much that her master plan was to work with me for years, build up my trust, and then risk it all in an elaborate ruse to steal half a mg of klonopin.

In any event, do what you're comfortable with. I personally feel it's pretty obvious and clear-cut when another nurse is trying to steal meds vs when they made a honest mistake. I trust my own judgement and don't feel any moral or ethical guilt about such decisions.

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