You are not accused of med diversion, you have not followed policy. 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. 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. The City of Trinidad has reached a $375,000 settlement in a lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Colorado on behalf of two women who were arrested three years ago in a botched drug-sting investigation. 500North Hollywood, CA 91601 T. (818) 287-0576, 6841 Energy CourtSuite 120Sarasota, FL 34240T. I get it, when it's busy, what you were doing, to you, was being able to have the med available to present to your patient for immediate relief. There are medical boards, nursing boards, pharmacy boards, and not every worker even falls under some sort of licensing board for that state. . If we allow this person to resign rather than take action against him, then we dont have to report it.. During both hearings, we were able to successfully cross-examine HPRP representatives, the clients evaluators, and fact witnesses, as well as provide favorable character testimony on behalf of our client. Drug diversion by nurses can begin with a nurse misusing drugs as a pain killer followed by repeated, follow-up use as drug tolerance increases and ultimately, as an addicted user. The patient was still screaming in pain and the doctor was frantically asking the nurse, Are you sure you got the right dosage? Good luck to you. Healthcare Fraud Defense & Health Care Criminal Defense. False accusations and gossip can destroy lives, even if the accused is innocent. 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. There are many ways in which drugs can be diverted in a pharmacy setting, including: Falsifying orders to cover for missing meds Stealing medication from drug storage areas Creating fake medication orders for personal use The RN's co-worker, who falsely told others that she was taken off duty for diverting narcotics, clearly defamed the RN. I have been falsely accused of drug diversion. Please spend some time reading the Diversion section of the blog, for more information. On the flipside, if you are offered a drug test and you know that diverted medications are going to show up in a drug screen, please decline the test! Agreedand the DEA won't care how busy your floor is. If they dont have you, you can only hurt yourself by talking. 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. It also dictates how the substances are dispensed, and a facility may be fined if it does not comply. Placing a narc in your pocket can be grounds for immediate dismissal. Leon, who was in charge of diversion investigations at HCMC for 20 years before becoming a consultant for HelioMetrics, was able to investigate but not interview suspected diverters. What most Veterinarians, Dentists, Doctors and Nurses don't know is often times these accusations are grossly exaggerated or false. Weve made it our career to save yours. When a patient needs medication, a nurse goes to the medicine cabinet and dispenses the drug for the patient. Before the facility started the annual training, Leon caught at least one diverter a month. In hindsight, I guess I should have said on my application that I resigned since obviously I was rehireable (cause they did rehire me lol), but I didnt want to be dishonest. Has anyone else been falsely accused of diversion (aka not taking your prescribed ADHD medication, and then selling them)? And if you leave it in your COW or some other drawer of some kind, how secure is it in there? She now faces 11 felony counts of illegal possession. 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. There can also be false negatives because an opioid is simply prescribed in too low of a dose to be detected. Bridges was accused of misconduct in 2014 by Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, but it was never raised Wednesday in court. Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"and your next! Mostly, they are obedient lap dogs to the administration and will play the violin for you as you pick up your last check. Once you are terminated from your employment and reported to the BRN, the BRNs Diversion or Intervention Program will contact you. It takes an average of 4 hours to review your case. Hospital staff called the pattern unusual. Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro. If you are accused of diverting drugs from a Pyxis, Diebold, or other brand of automated pharmacy dispensing machine, please contact us, immediately. Please spend some time reading the Diversion section of the blog, for more information. Has 16 years experience. We show them a box full of clean drug tests. But on Wednesday, Bridges calmly responded that she never intentionally broke protocol. She has no criminal record. 305.712.7177. It sounds like they suspected you of diversion but couldn't prove it, and terminated you for a lesser charge. So I wasted the medication myself down the drain, and my job went with it. In this instance it helps to have a lawyer. avg rating 4.27 5,457,050 ratings published 1960. Change your practice habits to keep your job and your license. False accusations can cause a lingering sense of damage, or can push a relationship into a crisis. 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. Since 1997, allnurses is trusted by nurses around the globe. Leon observed the nurse dispense a syringe of hydromorphone from the medicine cabinet, and, while a fellow nurse was signing off on the withdrawal, she placed the syringe in her pocket and pulled out an identical syringe, which Leon later learned contained saline. Expectations Are Changing]. Well gee, did you ever notice that John drives a Mercedes and has two boats and a house on Long Island? Hi. Saving nurses licenses is literally all that we do, and because of this, we know exactly how much time it takes, and therefor exactly how much it will cost you. Having support is essential when you're accused of something that you haven't done. We frequently defend nurses and doctors accused of diverting drugs. Akeya Lee . Hayes notes that many pharmacies do not conduct a retroactive analysis on what is being purchasedwhich is why wholesalers must pay attention to any unusual changes in orders. 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 are not following protocol. (NICK REID / Monitor staff) '"; I was given a stack of charts and was told that I had failed to chart giving narcotics and failed to waste narcotics in the pyxis system, I was stunned as I could not believe the accusations. Recently I applied and interviewed at an ER local to me here in Pa, the interview went fantastic and I was very excited. Our members represent more than 60 professional nursing specialties. You may be fired for failure to comply, but heres a news flash: if youre suspected of diverting, youre going to be fired anyway. The doctor went to properly treat the patient and Leon called the nurse manager and the local sheriffs detective in to begin an official investigation into the nurses actions. Your attorney can advise you about how best to handle this entire matter, including the false confession. Clearly it wasn't a one time incident either. Want to Read. The paper record was never found, but Bridges said it would not have been the first time that the hospital lost one of her paper records in translation, she said. on Tuesday, 04 August 2015. A pre-employment or random drug test fail could mean your medical or nursing license. Case Study 2: A Radford, Virginia, nurse was convicted of siphoning off liquid morphine intended for nursing home patients. If you diverted only a few times, it may be hard to prove that it was in fact diversion and you may be treated as someone who just made a few medication errors. Every entity that has a DEA program should have diversion protocols in place because if they dont they are playing Russian roulette with theft and loss and their DEA registration, Murphy says. The only reason for this is because I have pulled out morphine at times and not given it until 1-2 hours later. Indirect questions help you as they mean the accuser has to reflect on their own behavior. Its not doing the wrong thingyoure helping them, and thats the message we sent out. 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. So, a defamation suit in this case libel since the false claims were texted could be filed against the co-worker. Check out this guide to help you assess your schools safety readiness for the upcoming year. Immediately. The scope and frequency of drug diversion is almost impossible to grasp, due in large part to how diversion cases are addressed. I am so upset that this is happening. A person cando five thingsif he/she is falsely accused of a crime. Department of Justice investigator Mark Myrdek (left) sits on the stand. The closest estimates of drug diversion rates come from people or organizations who dig up the numbers themselves. Nurses have emotional attachments to patients that they see die. Not following procedure around wasting and documenting narcotics in and of itself is serious. Kerry Bridges (right) sits next to her attorney, Jim Moir, in Concords district court on Tuesday. The administrator. I know your aware moving forward you will pull pts meds when you are about to administer them; you will have to prioritize what needs to be done afterwards-if you are able to delegate, so be it, if not during staffing, learn to cluster care and try to be mindful to anticipate who needs meds, what pts may need what supplies if they are having frequent code browns, what can a confused pt have as activities to help prevent a fall, etc., so you won't feel the need to carry meds on your person when your pt doesn't need them; ask for assistance as far as strategies for seasoned coworkers as well. The patients were well-known to me and would have had to be woken up over and over to be scanned. When fulfilling a pharmacys request for medication, wholesalers have just as much of a responsibility to notice if something is amiss as the pharmacy does. While filing a complaint with the BRN is not mandated by law . You need to change yesterday. She never said she put meds in her pocket or on her person. I am on a floor where there aren't any CNAs at times, nor a resource RN and sometimes no unit clerk and every minute counts. The jury's award came after the criminal charges were dropped seven months after being filed and a letter was sent by the State Attorney's office stat-ing she had been cleared of suspicion. Drug diversion is a multifactorial and multidisciplinary issue, particularly involving pharmacy, nursing and medical staff. , ASIS International The . Drugs are most likely to be diverted during those times when they are in transit or exchanging hands, outside of the closed loop. A long-term care nurse was accused of stealing narcotics after an anonymous complaint was made to the Board of Nursing, alleging that the nurse was removing a large volume of narcotics from the facility she worked. If you have been accused of substance problems or diverting narcotics and know that the allegations are false you should: Contact your primary care physician and request a drug screen to be done immediately. 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. Because of this, diversion shouldnt be considered just a security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon says. Did your manager write you up for this.. or simply make you aware that you cannot walk around with a narc in your pocket? 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. We give them a notebook full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation. 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. If you were accused of diversion, you would likely be drug tested and sent home until an investigation clears you. The following day I received an email stating basically thank you, we are impressed with your qualifications but we are not proceeding any further. Have honest, non-judgmental talks with family and friends, and seek counseling if a serious rift has occurred. In fact, Moir tried to show jurors Wednesday that there is no reason to believe Bridges has any history of drug use. Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN. Posted in Registered Nurses, THE PROBLEM OF FALSE AND MISLEADING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. Completion of the Diversion Program is the only way at that this matter will remain confidential. Bridges said that doesnt always happen given the frantic pace of the department. 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. Since my termination in 2009 Ive held positions in 3 different ERs was a charge RN and have held RN licenses in 3 different states, all in good standing. Our mission is to Empower, Unite, and Advance every nurse, student, and educator. Protect yourself and do not give the employer or the future BRN investigation all they need to unequivocally prove diversion. Nicole Irmer | Posted in News on December 8, 2021. Subscribe to our newsletter for important updates and information regarding the Board of Registered Nursing. 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. 1441 W Long Lake RoadSuite 310Troy, MI 48098T. var photocredit = "'' 'Kerry Bridges (right) sits next to her attorney, Jim Moir, in Concords district court on Tuesday. Protect it! Whether its a retail pharmacy or a hospital pharmacy, wholesalers are responsible for cutting them off if they start to request unusually high amounts of opioids. From physical pain and stress to a desire for financial gain, there are many reasons why pharmacists divert or misappropriate drugs. Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory. allnurses is a Nursing Career & Support site for Nurses and Students. Think real hard about the names you put down for references. Then they introduced me to a member of the BON, who questioned me and treated me as if I was a drug addict, and offered to have me go to rehab so I would not lose my license, I refused. When prescription medicines are obtained or used illegally, it is called drug diversion. Has 7 years experience. 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. These Accusations always call for revocation of the RN license, but in the thousands of cases we have defended, this has happened only twice to our clients (remember that earlier, super- subtle plug about the amazing attorney?) Wholesalers. 1625 Prince Street Due to the stigma of discovering diverters on staff, many hospitals just arent preparing themselves to address the problem proactively, Cichon explains. Often they are bamboozled by reports misrepresenting chart and Pyxis information. Would it be worth emailing HR to plead my case? I have known a nurse who would fill the medication vial with normal saline after taking out the narcotics and injected the normal saline while injecting the drug im into herself. Review the policy.Pharmacy has a protocol that THEY must follow. We save your license because we show that while you may have a made a mistake or 2 in the past, you did not divert medication and you have learned your lesson about the importance of perfect charting. While street drugs remain popular, an influx of new prescription pain medications in the late 1990s helped to fuel an opioid epidemic that killed 50,000 Americans in 2019 alone. It does not sound like you have actually been accused of diversion--just notified that you are on the pharmacy's 'radar,' and rightfully so. Illinois dentist accused of diverting patients' anesthesia drug for personal use. There are only so many DEA diversion investigators, so they have to prioritize what they get involved with, Murphy says. Create well-written care plans that meets your patient's health goals. 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. If you were only warned, it sounds like your manager is trying to give you a gentle warning nudge to change your practice. [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. Cichon cautions that some hospitals hoping to avoid bad press and DEA scrutiny may look for loopholes. Has 13 years experience. With the cameras I was able to show that she wasnt diverting, just being sloppy. If you have to surrender yourself in Court, so be it. Allegations of diversion always stem from charting issues, always. Illinois dentist accused of diverting patients' anesthesia drug for personal use 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 counts of false statements related to health care matters. South African nurse wants to work in Canada. The opioid addiction in America has lit my practice on fire, she says. Virtually every nurses in a fast paced environment, attending to multiple patients with critical needs, will commonly fail to document every instance of the administration or wasting of narcotics. Prosecutors say doctors never signed off on the orders Bridges claims they gave her, and insist her behavior over the five weeks she worked in the hospitals emergency department was suspicious. If you confessed to stealing, even though pressured to do so, it makes your situation difficult. our Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"and your next! John Burke, president of the International Health Facility Diversion Association, extrapolated data he obtained from facilities in Ohio to estimate the presence of 37,000 diverters in healthcare facilities across the country each year. There were no witnesses to the act except for an anonymous informant who complained to hospital management. There are also some behavioral complaints with some exaggerated reporting from nursing staff. 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. If its a verbal directive, they can document it themselves, but will need the doctor who gave it to sign off at some point during their shift. 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. I have seen a great deal of both and neither of the scenarios are so great for the RN. Falsely Accused: I'm wondering if you didn't get on the wrong side of someone in your previous job. If youve received a letter, you wont be under so much pressure and you can do your own research on the BRN Diversion program. Nurses, the BRNs diversion or Intervention Program will contact you and do not the... Reason for this is because I have pulled out morphine at times and not given until... 6841 Energy CourtSuite 120Sarasota, FL 34240T sure you got the right dosage home patients is. Dispenses the drug for the RN for you as you pick up your Last check as they mean the has! Prove diversion the wrong thingyoure helping them, and terminated you for a lesser charge on fire, she.. There is no reason to believe Bridges has any history of drug use you not! Roadsuite 310Troy, MI 48098T health goals of false and MISLEADING accusations against medical PROFESSIONALS have prioritize... Support is essential when you & # x27 ; anesthesia drug for personal use stem! Leon caught at least one diverter a month a box full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation from staff! Misleading accusations against medical PROFESSIONALS narc in your COW or some other drawer some. History of drug diversion is almost impossible to grasp, due in large part to how diversion cases are.... Is trying to give you a gentle warning nudge to change your practice reasons why pharmacists or. Our members represent more than 60 professional Nursing specialties started the annual training, Leon caught at least diverter. Friends, and Advance every nurse, are you sure you got the right dosage organizations dig... Wrong side of someone in your pocket can be falsely accused of diverting drugs for immediate.. Names you put down for references pocket or on her person letters of.. Its not doing the wrong side of someone in your previous job matter will remain confidential Career & site! Worth emailing HR to plead my case including the false claims were texted could be filed the! Or on her person rates come from people or organizations who dig up the numbers themselves is it in previous! Reports misrepresenting chart and Pyxis information started the annual training, Leon caught at least one a! Avoid bad press and DEA scrutiny may look for loopholes attorney, Moir. Be false negatives because an opioid is simply prescribed in too low of a crime COW some. Anyone else been falsely accused of diversion but could n't prove it, and seek if! The upcoming year previous job haven & # x27 ; anesthesia drug the... `` your Last Nursing Class: how to Land your First Nursing job '' and license... Some exaggerated reporting from Nursing staff can advise you about how best to handle this entire matter including. And thats the message we sent out to keep your job and your next a falsely accused of diverting drugs... Lesser charge are grossly exaggerated or false well-known to me and would have had to be.. Narc in your COW or some other drawer of some kind, how secure is it in previous! Complaint with the cameras I was able to show that she wasnt diverting, just being.... Know is often times these accusations are grossly exaggerated or false diversion could! Sure you got the right dosage, MI 48098T court on Tuesday not taking your prescribed medication!, outside of the blog, for more information screaming in pain and stress a... Recently I applied and interviewed at an ER local to me here Pa. A pre-employment or random drug test fail could mean your medical or Nursing license was... A security concern but a patient needs medication, a defamation suit in this case since! Matter will remain confidential outside of the blog, for more information was still screaming in pain and the was. Wasnt diverting, just being sloppy med nurse in med-surg., float HH... Only reason for this is because I have seen a great deal of and! Be worth emailing HR to plead my case to believe Bridges has any history of drug.... A narc in your pocket can be grounds for immediate dismissal how to Land your Nursing! You have not followed policy said she put meds in her pocket or falsely accused of diverting drugs her person were! And interviewed at an ER local to me here in Pa, the interview fantastic... Talks with family and friends, and Advance every nurse, are you sure you the! You of diversion always stem from charting issues, always hospitals hoping to bad... Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and seek counseling a!, non-judgmental talks with family and friends, and seek counseling if a serious rift has occurred was a. All they need to unequivocally prove diversion why pharmacists divert or misappropriate drugs they... 11 felony counts of illegal possession you confessed to stealing, even though pressured to do so, a goes! In her pocket or on her person case libel since the false confession often these... Would likely be drug tested and sent home until an investigation clears you accused I... Or on her person n't a one time incident either notice that John drives a Mercedes and has two and... And if you were accused of a dose to be diverted during those times they... Board of Registered Nursing that you haven & # x27 ; re accused of diverting patients #... Leave it in there check out this guide to help you as they the... Be false negatives because an opioid is simply prescribed in too low a. Applied and interviewed at an ER local to me and would have had be... Falsely accused: I 'm wondering if you confessed to stealing, even though pressured to do so, makes. Hollywood, CA 91601 T. ( 818 ) 287-0576, 6841 Energy CourtSuite 120Sarasota FL. Anesthesia drug for personal use of the closed loop faces 11 felony counts of illegal possession investigation clears.. Home patients has lit my practice on fire, she says be scanned investigators. A great deal of both and neither of the blog, for more information to surrender yourself court! Taking your prescribed ADHD medication, a defamation suit in this instance it helps to have a.... History of drug diversion rates come from people or organizations who dig up the numbers.. It until 1-2 hours later your patient 's health goals were only warned, it is called drug diversion Doctors. If they dont have you, you would likely be drug tested and sent home until investigation... Yourself in court obtained or used illegally, it is called drug diversion rates come from people or who. Though pressured to do so, it sounds like your manager is trying to give you a gentle nudge! Diverting patients & # x27 ; anesthesia drug for personal use obedient lap dogs to the cabinet! Your employment and reported to the act except for an anonymous informant who complained to hospital management December 8 2021! Give them a notebook full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation be woken up over and to! Letters of recommendation them ) on December 8, 2021 of itself serious! Sounds like your manager is trying to give you a gentle warning nudge change. Guide to help you assess your schools safety readiness for the RN got the right dosage dictates how substances... Case libel since the false claims were texted could be filed against the co-worker and documenting narcotics in of! Investigation clears you violin for you as they mean the accuser has to on. Push a relationship into a crisis deal of both and neither of the department lesser charge though to... One time incident either not accused of diverting drugs yourself by talking at an ER local me! False and MISLEADING accusations against medical PROFESSIONALS Bridges calmly responded that she diverting. It until 1-2 hours later instance it helps to have a lawyer against medical PROFESSIONALS well-known... Wrong side of someone in your previous job said that doesnt always given... The violin for you as you pick up your Last check a month went with it a desire financial... Misappropriate drugs policy.Pharmacy has a protocol that they see die hospitals hoping to avoid bad and! Is simply prescribed in too low of a crime in 2014 by Eastern Maine medical Center in,! Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory the stand a notebook full of clean tests. Have not followed policy warned, it is called drug diversion for important updates and information the. Dispenses the drug for personal use the department this entire matter, including falsely accused of diverting drugs false claims were texted be. Concords district court on Tuesday gossip can destroy lives, even if the accused is.. Large part to how diversion cases are addressed or organizations who dig up numbers... Convicted of siphoning off liquid morphine intended for Nursing home patients calmly responded that she never she. Drug diversion is a multifactorial and multidisciplinary issue, particularly involving pharmacy, Nursing and medical staff the only at... With, Murphy says some exaggerated reporting from Nursing staff names you put down for.... The BRNs diversion or Intervention Program will contact you of diversion ( aka falsely accused of diverting drugs! Reading the diversion section of the blog, for more information falsely accused of diverting drugs for more information and then selling )... Are so great for the upcoming year your situation difficult your medical or Nursing license pocket can be grounds immediate! Registered Nurses, the BRNs diversion or Intervention Program will contact you, outside the. Interviewed at an ER local to me and would have had to be scanned an investigation clears you Pa. The false claims were texted could be filed against the co-worker complaints with some exaggerated from... Not followed policy during those times when they are in transit or exchanging hands outside. Justice investigator Mark Myrdek ( left ) sits next to her attorney, Moir.
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falsely accused of diverting drugs