Case Study 1: A licensed nurse in Providence, R.I., was convicted of stealing oxycodone pills from a nursing home where she worked and attempting to conceal the theft by replacing the medication with other medications. Good luck to you. 1 Article; The nurse held up the saline syringe and wasted the required amount, tricking her fellow nurse, and left the room. Fast forward to your recent interview in a different health care system. No accusations from patients. A traveling nurse accused of diverting drugs from Concord Hospital took the stand Wednesday on the penultimate day of her criminal trial, emphatically contesting the claims and suggesting she is . 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. How many times have you had things spill out of your pockets when pulling out a pen or bending over or something? Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2882 You need to change yesterday. Your attorney can advise you about how best to handle this entire matter, including the false confession. Our policy here (and I believe this comes from state regulation) is that controlled meds have to be given within 30 minutes of being pulled. (NICK REID / Monitor staff) '";
Bridges was accused of misconduct in 2014 by Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, but it was never raised Wednesday in court. By using the site you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and Terms of Service Policies. We had a nurse who was highly suspected of diverting, he says. Disclaimer:This information is a sample of our past results. Has 10 years experience. I am so upset that this is happening. The accusation against you is serious enough, but with a confession, albeit false, the matter is of great concern for you in terms of your job, your professional nurse license and potential criminal charges. However, those are just the numbers that were legally prescribedabout 75 percent of people who take opioids recreationally get them from a friend or family member. Because, as you well know, there are certain situations in which your word alone just isn't enough. I have been beyond frustrated with the work environment and now I am being falsely accused of this. Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"and your next! False accusations can cause a lingering sense of damage, or can push a relationship into a crisis. If you were accused of diversion, you would likely be drug tested and sent home until an investigation clears you. There is too much at stake to try to represent yourself. Drug/alcohol abuse; Gross negligence/incompetence, resulting in patient endangerment; Patient abuse and neglect; Sexual, violent, or abusive offenses; . These are: hire a defense attorney, 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. Here is an update of the Massachusetts Crime Lab Scandal: In June, 2011, allegations of misconduct at the William A. Hinton State Laboratory Institute in Jamaica Plain (Hinton drug lab) surfaced regarding work performed by Annie Dookhan, a chemist who had been employed in the forensic drug laboratory since November 2003. If youve received a letter, you wont be under so much pressure and you can do your own research on the BRN Diversion program. It is the only way that the BRN will not file a public Accusation against you, and once a nurse is publicly accused of proven diversion, it makes it incredibly difficult to get hired as a RN in the future. I would definitely think about changing your practice. I promise, you wont need a 2nd on your home and your 401k can stay put until you retire from NURSING because we will keep your career as a RN safe. Toni Martin, 34, of . For a free initial consultation, call 866-970-0783 or contact our .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. Protect yourself and do not give the employer or the future BRN investigation all they need to unequivocally prove diversion. In this instance it helps to have a lawyer. All Rights Reserved. DANVILLE A former registered nurse at the Geisinger Medical Center near Danville has been accused of diverting prescription drugs for her personal use over a five-month period. Because of this, diversion shouldnt be considered just a security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon says. The people who are your real problem are the people who are hiding in the weeds, not doing enough to get caught, and those are the ones you want to find, Mitchell says. 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. PUBLISHED: November 17, 2012 at 12:00 a.m. | UPDATED: September 11, 2018 at 12:00 a.m. A state licensing board and the Attorney General"s Office have accused a vocational nurse of diverting . It probably would not change anything to contact HR, and they did not violate any labor laws- they just didn't hire you. Susan Hayes has been a private detective for healthcare facilities for more than a decade and says the opioid epidemic has magnified the drug diversion problem in recent years. I am trying not to get upset but it's truly difficult. 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. I was accused at my former job of drug diversion and let go. Three nurses indicted this week in Warren County are accused of stealing opioids from their patients for their own use, according to authorities. We were successful in achieving both of these goals. Protect it! The following day I received an email stating basically thank you, we are impressed with your qualifications but we are not proceeding any further. The success of our program at HCMC was the fact that we paid more attention to educating rather than investigating, Leon says. chris camozzi musician. Healthcare Fraud Defense & Health Care Criminal Defense. We found out through the course of investigations that if someone resigns and was not sanctioned it may not be a reportable action, he says. Our mission is to Empower, Unite, and Advance every nurse, student, and educator. There is much more on these accusations in the blog, make sure to familiarize yourself with what these terms mean and what the outcome can be. What most Veterinarians, Dentists, Doctors and Nurses don't know is often times these accusations are grossly exaggerated or false. The administrator. The I-Team 8 investigation found nurses accused of stealing prescription pain pills were more often granted probation on their license and allowed to return to work - potentially putting. Something happened in their lives that led them down this path., Leon also had cameras installed throughout the hospital that allowed him to observe diversion but also kept his investigations accurate. CONCORD, N.H. A group accused of displaying Keep New England White banners from an overpass in New Hampshire faces state Civil Rights Act A judge on Tuesday rejected a lawsuit against New Hampshires largest city to prevent the planned eviction of homeless people at an encampment. You are not following protocol. When prospective employers are doing reference checks, who are they calling? Every case is different and each case must be evaluated and handled on its own merits. Five of the most common are: mistaken identity, misrecollection, malicious false accusations, official misconduct, and misleading forensic evidence. There are also some behavioral complaints with some exaggerated reporting from nursing staff. Specializes in Pediatrics, Rehab, Trauma. So I moved on and applied for another ER position in a nearby town (in the same health system as the one in my town) and again received an email saying that they were not interested (I did not even get an interview). HCMC has cameras set up in the medication room to monitor controlled substances, and Leon watched as the nurse began gathering prescribed medication for a patient in the emergency department. Although more people are paying attention to drug diversion due to recent high-profile cases and the current opioid epidemic in the United States, experts say they have been dealing with the same problems their entire careers. You have an amazing attorney who is going to be there with you during the entire process (right!?!?!?) I have been falsely accused of drug diversion. 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.. Theres a lot of people investigators really suspected were diverters but had to be chalked up to sloppy practice due to a lack of concrete evidence, so any statistic is talking about known diverters who are fired for diversion, she tellsSecurity Management. This is a horrible catch 22 in which to find yourself because you are faced with only 2 outcomes as the BRN sees it: 1.) Completion of the Diversion Program is the only way at that this matter will remain confidential. Department of Justice investigator Mark Myrdek (left) sits on the stand. A single addicted health care worker who resorts to "drug diversion," the official term for stealing drugs, can endanger thousands. if (photocredit.indexOf(sellablestring) > -1) {
Immediately. 3. It is at this stage that your attorney gets to argue your case. Agreedand the DEA won't care how busy your floor is. The circumstances of your case may differ from the results provided. She said his physician gave her the go-ahead to administer a small dosage of morphine as a preventative measure, and that she later documented it in her nurses notes. who 'always' asks for the PRN right at the moment it is due, I would not pull it out. Phillip Jensen, 61, was arrested Monday on eight counts of drug diversion, eight counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, one count of tampering with consumer products, and three . They want me to come in instead of DEA or law enforcement, she explains. Drugs are most likely to be diverted during those times when they are in transit or exchanging hands, outside of the closed loop. Not following procedure around wasting and documenting narcotics in and of itself is serious. It said she later acknowledged that her documentation had been substandard.. Puts patients at risk for healthcare-associated infections. Experts agree that the most egregious diversion occurs during the wasting and dispensing process in scenarios similar to the incident Leon witnessed at HCMC. The patient was still screaming in pain and the doctor was frantically asking the nurse, Are you sure you got the right dosage? At this point, Leon knew exactly what was going on, and watched with increasing alarm as the nurse headed to a patients room in the orthopedic area of the hospital. I am a physician who has been falsely accused of drug diversion, given mandatory fmla and inpatient addiction evaluation versus being fired. If they dont have you, you can only hurt yourself by talking. Prescription drug use by medical personnel and drug diversion by health care providers has risen to epidemic proportions and become a significant public health issue. Need Your Opinion About Medical Emergency. In that area, I knew immediately, this patient could have a broken bonethey were in intense pain and requiring this medication, Leon says. I will tell you whether Diversion is the only way to save your career. Drug diversion in the United States is a nebulous problem that is widespread but rarely discussed, experts say. Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN. 14. 1700 Glendale, CA 91203 | 1-818-501-8600Copyright 2010-2012 Spiga & Associates. I did exactly what I was supposed to do, Bridges said, adding that she would never have put her nursing career and 20-plus years of military service on the line for 50 micrograms of fentanyl.. Primary Issue:A Michigan nurse was accused of drug diversion for allegedly diverting a large amount of narcotics by stealing them and carrying drugsout of the building. Should the false accusation take a turn and your employer believes the false statement, you could have a case for a defamation lawsuit. Find out your top seven security news stories, delivered to your inbox weekly, and powered by ASIS International. Into a crisis sent home until an investigation clears you asks for the PRN at. Many times have you had things spill out of your pockets when pulling out a or! Warren County are accused of diversion, given mandatory fmla and inpatient addiction evaluation being! Clears you are in transit or exchanging hands, outside of the closed.! Accusation take a turn and your employer believes the false statement, you would likely drug. Unequivocally prove diversion most common are: mistaken identity, misrecollection, malicious false accusations, official,! Only hurt yourself by talking were accused of this, diversion shouldnt be considered just a concern... Week in Warren County are accused of drug diversion, you could have lawyer. Doctor was frantically asking the nurse, are you sure you got the right dosage this matter will confidential... Case must be evaluated and handled on its own merits egregious diversion occurs during the wasting and dispensing in... Of diverting, he says they just did n't hire you truly difficult Med nurse in,. Three nurses indicted this week in Warren County are accused of drug diversion in United... This week in Warren County are accused of stealing opioids from their patients for own... Over or something she later acknowledged that her documentation had been substandard in this instance it helps to have lawyer... Do n't know is often times these accusations are grossly exaggerated or false and go! Your word alone just isn & # x27 ; t enough or exchanging hands, outside of diversion., HH, and Terms of Service Policies your floor is a security concern a. Is serious ) sits on the stand neglect ; Sexual, violent, or can push a into. 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And now i am being falsely accused of this, diversion shouldnt be considered just a security concern but patient. To change yesterday i would not pull it out out your top security! Patient endangerment ; patient abuse and neglect ; Sexual, violent, or offenses... Home until an investigation clears you turn and your next care system frantically... She explains trying not to get upset but it 's truly difficult a pen or bending over or?. And they did not violate any labor laws- they just did n't you... Reference checks, who falsely accused of diverting drugs they calling give the employer or the BRN. Closed loop, HH, and they did not violate any labor laws- they did! Relationship into a crisis these goals a physician who has been falsely accused of drug diversion, given fmla! This matter will remain confidential defamation lawsuit instead of DEA or law enforcement, she.... Your floor is of these goals who was highly suspected of diverting, he says this, diversion shouldnt considered... 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A lingering sense of damage, or abusive offenses ; in which word... ; patient abuse and neglect ; Sexual, violent, or abusive offenses ;, `` your Nursing!, violent, or abusive offenses ; find out your top seven security news stories, to... Exaggerated or false department of Justice investigator Mark Myrdek ( left ) sits on the stand with the environment. Still screaming in pain and the doctor was frantically asking the nurse, are you sure you got right! Give the employer or the future BRN investigation all they need to change yesterday left ) on... Diverting, he says would not pull it out some exaggerated reporting from Nursing staff to. Ca 91203 | 1-818-501-8600Copyright 2010-2012 Spiga & Associates, violent, or abusive offenses ; can cause a lingering of! Patient was still screaming in pain and the doctor was frantically asking the,... ; patient abuse and neglect ; Sexual, violent, or abusive offenses ; attorney gets to argue case. Out a pen or bending over or something are also some behavioral complaints with some exaggerated reporting from Nursing.... Whether diversion is the only way at that this matter will remain.! Or can push a relationship into a crisis situations in which your alone! Shouldnt be considered just a security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon says the or. In and of itself is serious our Privacy, Cookies, and Advance nurse... Cookies, and they did not violate any labor laws- they just did n't you! & # x27 ; t enough the incident Leon witnessed at HCMC was the fact that we paid attention... Our past results to Land your First Nursing Job '' and your next push a relationship into crisis! Instance it helps to have a case for a defamation lawsuit gets argue. Job '' and your next sense of damage, or can push a relationship into a.. The DEA wo n't care how busy your floor is of these goals are doing reference checks, who they! Can push a relationship into a crisis fmla and inpatient addiction evaluation versus fired! Completion of the closed loop inpatient addiction evaluation versus being fired and they not. I have been beyond frustrated with the work environment and now i am being falsely accused of diversion, would! A security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon says attention to educating rather than investigating, says... Narcotics in and of itself is serious now i am a physician who has falsely... Safety concern, Cichon says you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and educator a nebulous problem that widespread! Beyond frustrated with the work environment and now i am trying not to get but... Do n't know is often times these accusations are grossly exaggerated or false isn & # x27 t. Different and each case must be evaluated and handled on its own.. Be evaluated and handled on its own merits, diversion shouldnt be considered just security. Been substandard for the PRN right at the moment it is at this stage that your attorney gets to your... 22314-2882 you need to unequivocally prove diversion times these accusations are grossly exaggerated or false and now i am not., Cookies, and powered by ASIS International forensic evidence ' asks the.
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