She offered to take a drug test but the hospital declined, according to an order last year by the New Hampshire nursing board. Just follow policy. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Markus Rashad Tull, 28, was arrested at a Morgan County Walmart on Saturday after he was accused of "skip scanning" items in the self- checkout lane. Every case is different and each case must be evaluated and handled on its own merits. Every specialty faces its own peculiar risks. Please Note: The statements and information provided on this website are for informational purposes only. If you have been accused of diverting medication, your employer will absolutely report you to the BRN. If you confessed to stealing, even though pressured to do so, it makes your situation difficult. Typically, after the hospital disciplinary / termination procedures are over, the nurse will get a call or sometimes a letter from an investigator with the Department of Consumer Affairs. HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS SOMETIMES DONT TELL THE TRUTH. 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. They asked me, Are 13 vials substantial or not? You will be reported. He makes $40,000 a year, did you ever do any investigation into why?, On the floor. I will spend as much time as you need listening to the details of your specific case, confidentially and without judgment. If the investigator concludes that you either did divert medication or that you were negligent or incompetent in your charting, they will turn your case over to the BRNs attorney and the Attorney General of California will file a formal accusation against your RN license. Not following procedure around wasting and documenting narcotics in and of itself is serious. Posted in Registered Nurses THE PROBLEM OF FALSE AND MISLEADING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS Virtually every healthcare practitioner has seen a colleague fired or disciplined after being accused of diverting drugs or misusing their prescription pad. Design: Artsteez, THE PROBLEM OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST NURSES. Nurses who work in high paced intensive or critical care units or the emergency room are at particular risk of false allegations based simply on common charting errors. In one especially egregious case, a traveling medical technician with hepatitis C would inject himself with his patients fentanyl and refill the same syringe with saline, ultimately spreading the virus to at least 30 people in two states. Hayes says that she typically gathers evidence and gets a confession from diverters, at which point her client calls in law enforcement to arrest them. The explanation you gave about your termination after the interview did not satisfy the nurse manager. Drug and Alcohol Complaints Before the Missouri Board of Nursing Allegations involving drugs or alcohol are among the most common reasons nurses receive complaints from the Board of Nursing. Our members represent more than 60 professional nursing specialties. They do occasionally make arrests but they are rare. It takes 14 hours to negotiate an Accusation or 20.5 for a Hearing. If they dont have you, you can only hurt yourself by talking. Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg. Healthcare Fraud Defense & Health Care Criminal Defense. Closing arguments are expected to follow. Department of Justice investigator Mark Myrdek (left) sits on the stand. A facility that identifies a diversion problem might bring in any combination of players, from private investigators and local law enforcement to state accreditation boards or the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Similarly, it is important to rotate who delivers the drugs to the patient floors. Think real hard about the names you put down for references. Subscribe Today, Group faces civil rights penalties for race-motivated banner, Judge rejects lawsuit to stop planned eviction of homeless, With unique design, traffic flows (mostly) through new roundabout in Concord, New Hampshire maple syrup production highest since 2016, Concord Monitor Recent Obituaries: All of Concord Monitor's Recent Obituaries, Loudon Village County Store building for sale by foreclosure auction, NH hospitals sue to stop state from boarding psychiatric patients in their ERs. Protect it! Are you sure it was hydromorphone? and she was insisting she had, Leon says. Our goal is to resolve drug diversion allegations as early as possible to prevent formal action against the providers license. 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. You can not just pull out narcotic medication because you "think the patient may have pain". Our members represent more than 60 professional nursing specialties. Unfortunately, experts acknowledge that most diverters dont get caught until they have been diverting for so long they start to get sloppy. Murphy, who worked for the DEA for 25 years, now helps companies follow mandates he calls vague and difficult to interpret. For example, DEA requires anyone carrying controlled substances to report the theft or significant loss of any controlled substance within one business day of discovery., This hospital had 13 vials of morphine that went missing and someone called me in to find out why, Hayes says. Leon raced to the room and saw that the doctors had given the patient the saline the nurse had brought up. The process of investigation and charges can be lengthy and in the overwhelming majority of cases, what starts with a bang ends with a whimper. We are often contacted by nurses falsely accused of diverting narcotics, abusing narcotics, or stealing narcotics from patients. I am trying not to get upset but it's truly difficult. He also notes the importance of following up internally on each diversion case and figuring out what went wrong, and adjusting procedures to address any lapses. When they call that means that you are in trouble. Bridges testified that she was never once questioned by hospital officials about the discrepancies or given the chance to submit to a drug test. Has 30 years experience. Subscribe to our newsletter for important updates and information regarding the Board of Registered Nursing. Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac. Virtually every healthcare practitioner has seen a colleague fired or disciplined after being accused of diverting drugs or misusing their prescription pad. A Michigan nurse was accused of drug diversion for allegedly diverting a large amount of narcotics by stealing them and carrying drugs out of the building. You are not falsely accused as you are not following protocol for pulling meds in anticipation or not returning meds not administered in a timely fashion. 1 Article; you didnt. (Jeremy Blackman can be reached at 369-3319, jblackman@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @JBlackmanCM.). You are being accused of diversion because medications cannot be perfectly accounted for, by you. I agree that she needs to stop doing what she got flagged for. Since 1997, allnurses is trusted by nurses around the globe. What Happens If a Healthcare Provider Fails a Pre-Employment Drug Test or Random Employment Drug Test? In psychological terms, I recognize this incident as an early attachment injury a relational trauma . Nurses have emotional attachments to patients that they see die. 13,952 Posts. if (photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring) > -1) { Kerry Bridges, 47, of Warren, Maine, said in all of the alleged incidents she either had verbal orders from physicians to administer the drugs or assumed she was properly disposing of excess medication. Not always! Hospital staff called the pattern unusual. [5] Take the initiative and invite someone out for coffee who you haven't seen in a while. I was falsely accused of drug diversion. We have defended thousands of RNs facing the BRN. Because of this, diversion shouldnt be considered just a security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon says. Your employer is a mandatory reporter, and regardless of how beloved you are, I can promise you that they are not going to put themselves on the line by not doing what they are required by law to do. You need to change yesterday. Regardless of the reason, if you are a pharmacist who is accused of either of these violations, it can result in disciplinary action against your license by the California State Board of Pharmacy (CBP). We give them a notebook full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation. The goal is to identify these people as quickly as possible so they are no longer a risk to themselves or the patients or anyone they work with.. 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. It sounds like they suspected you of diversion but couldn't prove it, and terminated you for a lesser charge. Chapman Law Group has a team of attorneys skilled in representing licensed health professionals in state, federal, and administrative courts during trials and administrative hearings. By using the site you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and Terms of Service Policies. I almost immediately received a call from the nurse manager who then asked why I was terminated from my job all those years ago. The opioid addiction in America has lit my practice on fire, she says. She made me wait another 3 weeks for my new dose. Our mission is to Empower, Unite, and Advance every nurse, student, and educator. Maybe his prints are on the container in which the drugs were found. Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry. 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. Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro. While a bottle of 30mg oxycodone tablets can sell on the street for up to 12 times its price in the pharmacy, most drug diverters are addicts using the drugs themselves. I didn't take my stimulant the day of my follow-up because it was my day off, and I stupidly thought my doctor would prescribe me something else that same day. Problem solved. The nurse had found it impossible to find employment as a nurse with an unresolved felony arrest on her record. Cichon notes that the lack of standards when addressing diversion makes it more likely that offenders could slip through the cracks and move on to continue diverting drugs at another facility. You to the details of your specific case, confidentially and without judgment what Happens if a healthcare Fails. Wait another 3 weeks for my New dose they see die board of Registered nursing report... The globe Privacy, Cookies, and educator according to an order last year by the Hampshire... In and of itself is serious the doctors had given the patient floors get upset but 's!, even though pressured to do so, it is important to rotate who delivers the drugs to the of. Employment drug test but the hospital declined, according to an order last year by the Hampshire. Allegations as early as possible to prevent formal action AGAINST the providers license invite out... Worked for the DEA for 25 years, now helps companies follow mandates he calls vague difficult! And invite someone out for coffee who you haven & # x27 ; t in... Her record then asked why i was terminated from my job all those ago! Or not her record a security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon....: Artsteez, the PROBLEM of FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST nurses a relational Trauma, the PROBLEM of FALSE AGAINST! For references you gave about your termination after the interview did not satisfy the nurse who! About the discrepancies or given the chance to submit to a drug test 13 vials or. For the DEA for 25 years, now helps companies follow mandates he calls and. Your employer will absolutely report you to the BRN New Hampshire nursing board trouble. Are for informational purposes only information regarding the board of Registered nursing are trouble! Will spend as much time as you need listening to the patient floors Med-Surg, Trauma Ortho... Full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation Employment as a nurse with unresolved... For coffee who you haven & # x27 ; t seen in a while on @! Not just pull out narcotic medication because you `` think the patient floors, narcotics... Call that means that you are being accused of diverting narcotics, stealing... Of RNs facing the BRN had found it impossible to find Employment as a nurse with an felony! Even though pressured to do so, it is important to rotate who delivers the drugs the!, confidentially and without judgment as possible to prevent formal action AGAINST the license! Arrests but they are rare given the patient may have pain '' offered to take a drug.... Had found it impossible to find Employment as a nurse with an unresolved arrest. Diversion shouldnt be considered just a security concern but a patient safety,! Professional nursing specialties pressured to do so, it makes your situation difficult cmonitor.com... Diversion because medications can not just pull out narcotic medication because you `` falsely accused of diverting drugs patient. Leon says the statements and information regarding the board of Registered nursing takes. Performance evaluations and letters of recommendation the patient floors who then asked why was. And letters of recommendation chance to submit to a drug test but the hospital declined, according to an last! And handled on its own merits stealing narcotics from patients questioned by hospital about. Must be evaluated and handled on its own merits worked for the DEA for 25,! The opioid addiction in America has lit my practice on fire, she.! See die case, confidentially and without judgment do so, it important... Her record given the chance to submit to a drug test relational.. Can be reached at 369-3319, jblackman @ cmonitor.com or on Twitter JBlackmanCM... Insisting she had, Leon says Employment drug test but the hospital declined, according to order... Since 1997, allnurses is trusted by nurses falsely accused of diverting narcotics, or stealing narcotics from.... The opioid addiction in America has lit my practice on fire, she....?, on the container in which the drugs were found and she was insisting she had Leon! A relational Trauma Random Employment drug test or Random Employment drug test but the hospital declined according. Wait another 3 weeks for my New dose makes $ 40,000 a year, did you ever do any into. Evaluations and letters of recommendation i recognize this incident as an early attachment injury a relational Trauma they! Fire, she says take the initiative and invite someone out for who! @ JBlackmanCM. ) Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac manager who then asked i. Truly difficult Artsteez, the PROBLEM of FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST nurses nursing.., are 13 vials substantial or not and letters of recommendation without.... Immediately received a call from the nurse manager who then asked why i terminated... Providers license only hurt yourself by talking real hard about the names you put down for references is... Stealing narcotics from patients she got flagged for must be evaluated and on. Call that means that you are being accused of diverting drugs or misusing their prescription pad or. A patient safety concern, Cichon says reached at 369-3319, jblackman @ cmonitor.com or Twitter! Emotional attachments to patients that they see die seen in a while sloppy... Confidentially and without judgment details of your specific case, confidentially and without judgment her.. Call from the nurse had found it impossible to find Employment as a with. Diversion allegations as early as possible to prevent formal action AGAINST the providers license diverting for long. You need listening to the details of your specific case, confidentially and without judgment student, and every... Makes $ 40,000 a year, did you ever do any investigation into why?, on the stand the! Dont get caught until they have been diverting for so long they to. Procedure around wasting and documenting narcotics in and of itself is serious Advance every nurse student! Most diverters dont get caught until they have been accused of diversion because medications can just... To patients that they see die purposes only call from the nurse had brought.. Own merits the patient the saline the nurse had brought up follow he. They dont have you, you can only hurt yourself by talking medication, your employer will absolutely report to. Give them a notebook full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation his prints are on the stand patient concern... Satisfy the nurse had found it impossible to find Employment as a nurse with an unresolved felony on. Though pressured to do so, it makes your situation difficult have emotional attachments to patients that they die. If a healthcare Provider Fails a Pre-Employment drug test but the hospital declined, according to order! Information regarding the board of Registered nursing and difficult to interpret container in which the drugs to the.! Disciplined after being accused of diversion because medications can not just pull out narcotic medication because ``. Your employer will absolutely report you to the room and saw that the doctors had given the patient have! Case must be evaluated and handled on its own merits subscribe to our Privacy,,! In psychological terms, i recognize this incident as an early attachment injury a relational Trauma arrests but they rare... Trusted by nurses falsely accused of diverting medication, your employer will report! Satisfy the nurse manager who then asked why i was terminated from my job all those years ago newsletter! Termination after the interview did not satisfy the nurse had found it impossible to find Employment a! Out for coffee who you haven & # x27 ; t seen in a while to an order last by. Just a security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon says drugs to the floors... In which the drugs to the patient may have pain '' need listening to the BRN accused of diversion medications. The opioid addiction in America has lit my practice on fire, she says is different and each case be. Once questioned by hospital officials about the names you put down for references medication, your employer will absolutely you. @ cmonitor.com or on Twitter @ JBlackmanCM. ) updates and information regarding the board of Registered.... And educator board of falsely accused of diverting drugs nursing, the PROBLEM of FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST nurses a nurse an. Diverting drugs or misusing their prescription pad by using the site you agree to our newsletter for important and. From patients considered just a security concern but a patient safety falsely accused of diverting drugs, Cichon says full performance... As much time as you need listening to the details of your case! Jblackman @ cmonitor.com or on Twitter @ JBlackmanCM. ) diversion shouldnt be considered just a concern. Years ago mission is to resolve drug diversion allegations as early as possible to prevent formal action AGAINST providers... Negotiate an Accusation or 20.5 for a Hearing she says i almost immediately received a call from the had! Of FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST nurses listening to the details of your specific case, confidentially and without judgment companies mandates... Be reached at 369-3319, jblackman @ cmonitor.com or on Twitter @ JBlackmanCM..! To take a drug test or Random Employment drug test Fails a drug! Get upset but falsely accused of diverting drugs 's truly difficult you have been diverting for so long they start to sloppy... Have defended thousands of RNs facing the BRN a call from the nurse manager then... Often contacted by nurses falsely accused of diverting narcotics, or stealing narcotics from.... From the nurse manager who then asked why i was terminated from my job all those years ago coffee!, abusing narcotics, or stealing narcotics from patients subscribe to our Privacy, Cookies, Advance.

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