I've also been "flagged" by pharmacy in the past for scanning a patients' labels (instead of their arm bands) too often when giving IV piggybacks late at night. The diverting healthcare worker typically isnt one whos going to be selling or diverting his or her drugs on the street, but they are abusing the drugs while they are working., Leon worked hard on diversion prevention at HCMC after discovering a surprising pattern: almost all of the diverters he investigated wanted to be caught. But on Wednesday, Bridges calmly responded that she never intentionally broke protocol. Human resources, pharmacy personnel, security, everyone is being brought into this investigation, because the bigger picture is patient safety. After an investigation into a diverter is opened, it is unclear what happens to the offender. Recently I applied and interviewed at an ER local to me here in Pa, the interview went fantastic and I was very excited. However, the protections that these laws provide - through protection from abuse (PFA) orders - are triggered immediately after someone claims that they are the victim of domestic violence. In psychological terms, I recognize this incident as an early attachment injury a relational trauma . It would be right before the procedure that I pull it, and I would waste the unused portion right after the procedure is done. A single addicted health care worker who resorts to "drug diversion," the official term for stealing drugs, can endanger thousands. var currentheadline = document.getElementById("headline").innerText; I needed help, didnt know how to ask for it, and I was hoping somebody would stop me. Thats pretty powerful when youre sitting there listening to this on a consistent basis., Leon implemented mandatory annual training for everyone in the hospitalfrom food service workers to surgeonsto recognize the warning signs of drug diversion. Do I really need to fill out the form? I counsel them on whats substantial because the language is very loose.. He tellsSecurity Managementthat he would call in a sheriffs detective to interview the suspect. Allegations of diversion always stem from charting issues, always. If you have been accused of diverting medication, your employer will absolutely report you to the BRN. I have been beyond frustrated with the work environment and now I am being falsely accused of this. Perhaps you were falsely accused as a result of the appearance of wrongdoing that was misconstrued by an observer. Please call me if you are reading this post because you are a RN accused of diverting medication. While prosecutors have outlined the case as clear-cut deception, Bridgess defense insists its anything but. In a few cases, we have even had a nurse accused of diverting because they GAVE more medication than other nurses never mind that they were working tons of overtime, so of course they were giving more! Due to the stigma of discovering diverters on staff, many hospitals just arent preparing themselves to address the problem proactively, Cichon explains. They do occasionally make arrests but they are rare. If somebody wants to steal or becomes addicted, they are going to find a way to do it, and sooner or later they are going to get caught, but then theres a problem because the hospital has to work backwards to determine how much was stolen and reconcile all that, he says. The remarks, in Merrimack County Superior Court, were the first public responses Bridges has offered since her suspension and arrest last spring. Has his finger shaking in my face telling me I was Ask an Expert Ask a Lawyer Employment Law Questions Employment Lawyer: LawEducator Ask Your Own Employment Law Question It just feels like such a insult I now feel at risk everyday i work there. Specializes in Pediatrics, Rehab, Trauma. It said she later acknowledged that her documentation had been substandard.. HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS SOMETIMES DONT TELL THE TRUTH. We successfully negotiated an arrangement to permit immediate reinstatement of the RNs license following assessment by a mental health professional deeming our client safe with probation. Its just a question of whether you know it or not.. The circumstances of your case may differ from the results provided. You could lose it, you could accidentally take it home, someone could see you pocket it and report it, etc, etc. This required a successful result at two hearings: asummary suspension hearing and a Board of Nursing formal administrative hearing. This study guide will help you focus your time on what's most important. We frequently defend nurses and doctors accused of diverting drugs. Think real hard about the names you put down for references. No accusations from patients. To ensure safe quality nursing care, it is critical to immediately address nurses suspected of diverting drugs or using drugs. It takes about 4-6 months for a BRN investigator to contact you. My breathalyzer and UDS were negative. You are not following protocol. 1-612-816-8773. allnurses Copyright allnurses.com LLC. Perhaps you failed to properly waste a med. Have honest, non-judgmental talks with family and friends, and seek counseling if a serious rift has occurred. In another, Bridges said that her patient, a man with cancer, had been taking high doses of morphine at home and was at risk of going through withdrawals while he waited for hours for a bed in the main part of the hospital. Unfortunately, experts acknowledge that most diverters dont get caught until they have been diverting for so long they start to get sloppy. Toni Martin, 34, of . Subscribe to our newsletter for important updates and information regarding the Board of Registered Nursing. var photocredit = "'' 'Kerry Bridges (right) sits next to her attorney, Jim Moir, in Concords district court on Tuesday. In that area, I knew immediately, this patient could have a broken bonethey were in intense pain and requiring this medication, Leon says. If you were only warned, it sounds like your manager is trying to give you a gentle warning nudge to change your practice. There are different drugs today, of course, than there were 20 years ago.. We give them a notebook full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation. You may be fired for failure to comply, but heres a news flash: if youre suspected of diverting, youre going to be fired anyway. They are under a lot of pressure to catch instances of diversion, and repeatedly pulling a narc an hour of more before you give it is a definite red flag. In fact, up to 15 percent of healthcare workers are addicted to drugs or alcohol, compared to 8 percent of the general population, according to the Mayo Clinic. She joined the Navy in 1990 and retired in September as a major in the Maine National Guard, where she submitted to random drug tests. Today a woman from the finnish customs called me saying its narcotics, she asked me if it was me who ordered the narcotics saying that that way i wont get into much trouble and it will be easier but if i deny ordering them i would have to go to the police station for a court hearing so they can get my statement and decide what to do. Once a drug is outside of the closed loop, when it gets dispensed from a pharmacy or administered by a doctor, its no longer in the purview of DEA rules and regulations, he explains. If youre both ordering and putting away drugs, thats a bad thing because you can order six bottles when you only need five and keep one for yourself, Hayes notes. Last week, for example, they produced records and surveillance footage from the department that show Bridges removing liquid morphine and other medications from a dispensary and then, in some cases, swiping into a break room nearby. (NICK REID / Monitor staff), Support the If you did not divert, you have no business in the Diversion program and this is NOT an effective or easy way to avoid the hassle or expense of the BRN or potential discipline. Please spend some time reading the Diversion section of the blog, for more information. If you have been accused by your employer or the state of diverting drugs, please call us immediately so that we may help you protect your medical or nursing license. Through the use of aggressive cross-examinations and strategic motions practice, we were able to dismantle the states case of alleged drug diversion and prove that our client was not diverting narcotics, but was in fact falsely accused of drug diversion. Healthcare providers are in very stressful jobs, Hayes says. You can not just pull out narcotic medication because you "think the patient may have pain". Every specialty faces its own peculiar risks. Sabrina Thalblum . People who are falsely accused tend to get angry --which makes others believe that they are indeed guilty. While filing a complaint with the BRN is not mandated by law . Agreedand the DEA won't care how busy your floor is. You need to change yesterday. The plain and honest truth is that I did not have several narcotic wastes witnessed by another nurse, as there was no one immediately in the area to assist me on several occasions. Placing a narc in your pocket can be grounds for immediate dismissal. Choosing a specialty can be a daunting task and we made it easier. We are often contacted by nurses falsely accused of diverting narcotics, abusing narcotics, or stealing narcotics from patients. Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant. 248.644.6326F. I work on a really busy floor and I often have pulled out a pain med in expectation that the patient will ask for it, though when I go into their room, they are sleeping or don't want it at that time. A trial has begun for a former paramedic accused of diverting drugs meant for hospital patients. [Recommended Reading: Whos Liable for an Active Shooter Incident? It sounds like they suspected you of diversion but couldn't prove it, and terminated you for a lesser charge. Depending on the diverters role, state accreditation boardssuch as those that license nurses and pharmacistswould be notified and could potentially conduct their own investigations. THE PROBLEM OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST NURSES on Tuesday, 04 August 2015. Nurses at Concord Hospital are prohibited from withdrawing medication without an order from a supervising physician. Expectations Are Changing, Introducing the New Executive Protection Certificate. Hospital staff called the pattern unusual. Has 42 years experience. South African nurse wants to work in Canada. When selecting an administrative law or criminal law attorney, it is vital to select counsel skilled in trial and administrative hearing practice, as victory can only be achieved after a hearing or trial. var sellablestring = "MONITOR STAFF"; NOTHING else. Can nurses visibly see you pocketing these meds, or even a patient you think is sleeping? Because, as you well know, there are certain situations in which your word alone just isn't enough. Good luck to you. allnurses is a Nursing Career & Support site for Nurses and Students. It is no secret that attorneys are not cheap, but losing your RN license is a much bigger financial impact and participation in Diversion will cost you about $18,000.00 over the three or more years you are stuck in it. 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