I hired a lawyer, and went through all the steps to have this . Karen MD started YouTube channel to bash nurses and NP. You are not accused of med diversion, you have not followed policy. She recalled having been told eating at the nurses stations was against protocol. Mitchell points to algorithmic software that can identify a potential diverter long before their peers could. It is literally worth millions of dollars. 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. Please spend some time reading the Diversion section of the blog, for more information. Whether in manufacturing plants, retail pharmacies, hospitals, or long-term care facilities, healthcare workers are stealing drugstypically for their own personal useand putting themselves, patients, and coworkers at risk. [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. He tellsSecurity Managementthat he would call in a sheriffs detective to interview the suspect. If we allow this person to resign rather than take action against him, then we dont have to report it.. They MUST! In 2010, hydrocodone prescriptions were filled 131.2 million times at retail pharmacies alone, making it the most commonly prescribed medication, according to the Mayo Clinic. Want to Read. I was wondering if anyone has any experience of being falsely accused of med diversion due to giving meds 1-2 hours after pulling them out of the pyxis. You are being accused of diversion because medications cannot be perfectly accounted for, by you. We frequently defend nurses and doctors accused of diverting drugs. No matter what number you come to, its probably bigger in reality.. Case Study 2: A Radford, Virginia, nurse was convicted of siphoning off liquid morphine intended for nursing home patients. There is no overarching agency or organization that records every instance of drug diversion in the United States. There is too much at stake to try to represent yourself. 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. Cichon cautions that some hospitals hoping to avoid bad press and DEA scrutiny may look for loopholes. Choosing a specialty can be a daunting task and we made it easier. HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATORS SOMETIMES DONT TELL THE TRUTH. So I chalked it up to a learning experience and got another job, in fact, I have had NO issues in finding employment and about 7 years after being terminated I was RE-HIRED into the same hospital system that had terminated me in 2009! They want me to come in instead of DEA or law enforcement, she explains. Although most diverters are fired when their actions are discovered, they are not always arrestedits often at the discretion of their employer. Author, "Your Last Nursing Class: How to Land Your First Nursing Job"and your next! 248.644.6326F. 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. If you are diverting medication you need to get help. She offered to take a drug test but the hospital declined, according to an order last year by the New Hampshire nursing board. I would definitely think about changing your practice. Some medications can also trigger false positives for an illicit drug. Specializes in Complex pediatrics turned LTC/subacute geriatrics. HPRP attempted to force the nurse into treatment despite the fact that she did not need it. To restock the shelves, pharmacy technicians compile lists of what medications they are low on to send to the wholesalers at the end of each day. Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development, Freelance Writer. Taking data such as medicine cabinet access, shift hours, time to waste, and departmental access allows software to identify anomalies, such as a nurse whose time to waste is often high, or a doctor who accesses patients files after they have been discharged. Akeya Lee . Should the false accusation take a turn and your employer believes the false statement, you could have a case for a defamation lawsuit. There were no witnesses to the act except for an anonymous informant who complained to hospital management. Listen to what they have to say and then please hang up. This study guide will help you focus your time on what's most important. Agreedand the DEA won't care how busy your floor is. If you were only warned, it sounds like your manager is trying to give you a gentle warning nudge to change your practice. I know thats the standard practice, and thats what we strive to do, she told prosecutor Brooke Belanger, but as youve heard others testify, that doesnt always happen., Bridgess attorney, Jim Moir, criticized the hospital and state investigators for never reaching out to Bridges for explanations before arresting her in Maine and labeling her a fugitive from justice.. These investigators are police officers with all the rights and abilities of police officers to conduct an investigation. 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. tampering and narcotics diversion. Well gee, did you ever notice that John drives a Mercedes and has two boats and a house on Long Island? Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN. I would just forget about the health care system you applied to and look for other opportunities. Depending on the diverters role, state accreditation boardssuch as those that license nurses and pharmacistswould be notified and could potentially conduct their own investigations. Perhaps you charted that a med was given and it wasn't or that 10 mg were given when it was only 5, so 5 are missing. Recently I applied and interviewed at an ER local to me here in Pa, the interview went fantastic and I was very excited. With the cameras I was able to show that she wasnt diverting, just being sloppy. We have defended thousands of RNs facing the BRN. Maybe in can be shown by other witness testimony that he had the drugs.The only way a warrantcan be out for your arrest is ifa Complaint was filed. This will either be by phone or via a letter. There can also be false negatives because an opioid is simply prescribed in too low of a dose to be detected. Having support is essential when you're accused of something that you haven't done. DEA will look at these recordkeeping forms and determine if in fact everything has been filled out correctly, that they have been keeping good records, he says. She has no criminal record. It would be right before the procedure that I pull it, and I would waste the unused portion right after the procedure is done. Under a plea bargain, a defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for some benefit, such as a reduced sentence or lesser charge. In Pennsylvania, the law provides protections to people who think they are being domestically abused. 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 the diverter has a license from one of those state agencies, usually its required that they be reported, and then its up to the board how they proceed with the personal license of the individual, he says. This process takes about a year from the conclusion of the interview, during which time youve been great at your new job without so much as an undotted i or uncrossed t. When they call that means that you are in trouble. 1 Article; I was accused at my former job of drug diversion and let go. 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. The patient was still screaming in pain and the doctor was frantically asking the nurse, Are you sure you got the right dosage? You could lose it, you could accidentally take it home, someone could see you pocket it and report it, etc, etc. Review the policy.Pharmacy has a protocol that THEY must follow. Wholesalers. 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. 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. 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. 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 . Kristen Ashley (Goodreads Author) (shelved 3 times as falsely-accused) avg rating 4.41 38,248 ratings published 2011. And one should not rely on a union rep to come to the rescue. THE PROBLEM OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST NURSES on Tuesday, 04 August 2015. If you know that the medication you are accused of diverting is NOT going to show up in a drug test, please go get one on your own. Create well-written care plans that meets your patient's health goals. It takes about 4-6 months for a BRN investigator to contact you. Designed to give you the foundational knowledge and skills you need to become a more dynamic security professional, including EP specific threat and risk assessment, protective intelligence, advance planning and more. Consider taking legal action. They all have problems. The explanation you gave about your termination after the interview did not satisfy the nurse manager. Controlled substances were going missing at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), and the hospitals security investigator, William Leon, was determined to get to the bottom of it. The process, called wasting, requires the healthcare worker to take a fresh vial or syringe full of medication and then dispose of the excess, leaving only the correct dosageall with a witness present. 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. Fudin says fentanyl may not show up on an opiate screen because it has a different chemical structure compared to most commonly prescribed opioids. Do not pocket or store anymore drugs in anticipation of needing them later. Your license is the single most valuable thing you have in your life. Expectations Are Changing]. In fact, Moir tried to show jurors Wednesday that there is no reason to believe Bridges has any history of drug use. You will be reported. , ASIS International So what should you do if faced with an accusations concerning your charting errors and or alleged diversion of narcotics or other drugs? I see a lot of doctors standing around and Im thinking uh oh, this patient is going to get saline.. However, DEA does not get involved in every suspected case of diversion. 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. 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. If you are a registered nurse and have been recently accused of diverting medication, there are only 2 scenarios: 1.) 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. Drugs are most likely to be diverted during those times when they are in transit or exchanging hands, outside of the closed loop. Fast forward to your recent interview in a different health care system. Hayes details the path of drugs through a hospital: a pharmacy technician orders the medication from a wholesaler, who will deliver them to the hospital pharmacy. 7. Posted in Registered Nurses, THE PROBLEM OF FALSE AND MISLEADING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. The information provided has not been reviewed or approved by the StateBar. 1700 Glendale, CA 91203 | 1-818-501-8600Copyright 2010-2012 Spiga & Associates. Both of these options are violations of the Nurse Practice Act and cause for revocation of your RN license. avg rating 4.27 5,457,050 ratings published 1960. 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. Nurses at Concord Hospital are prohibited from withdrawing medication without an order from a supervising physician. Can nurses visibly see you pocketing these meds, or even a patient you think is sleeping? He references several high-profile diversion cases in which the diverters used the same syringe full of medicine on both themselves and their patients, spreading bacterial infections and hepatitis. Not always! who 'always' asks for the PRN right at the moment it is due, I would not pull it out. Design: Artsteez, THE PROBLEM OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST NURSES. It also dictates how the substances are dispensed, and a facility may be fined if it does not comply. 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. 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. allnurses is a Nursing Career & Support site for Nurses and Students. 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. Illinois dentist accused of diverting patients' anesthesia drug for personal use. This is where things can turn ugly for the RN accused of diverting medication, but who didnt. contemporary art in region 7 brainly; marc klopp instagram. If you did divert, only you can decide if the BRNs Diversion or Intervention is right for you. Prospective clients may not obtain the same or similar results. 13,952 Posts. If a 300-bed hospital is finding one person a month, and Hospital B has the same amount of staff and beds and is finding nothing, NADDI has been providing training for hospitals to develop antidiversion policies. False accusations can cause a lingering sense of damage, or can push a relationship into a crisis. 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. There isn't any medication missing. Hi. Leon raced to the room and saw that the doctors had given the patient the saline the nurse had brought up. If they cant prove diversion, but can only prove a few charting errors, you are in much better shape. 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. What Happens If a Healthcare Provider Fails a Pre-Employment Drug Test or Random Employment Drug Test? Our mission is to Empower, Unite, and Advance every nurse, student, and educator. 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. 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. 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! All Rights Reserved. I have been falsely accused of drug diversion. (NICK REID / Monitor staff), Support the If you were accused of diversion, you would likely be drug tested and sent home until an investigation clears you. Falsely Accused: I'm wondering if you didn't get on the wrong side of someone in your previous job. If you are wrongly accused, cooperate with the investigation. Find out your top seven security news stories, delivered to your inbox weekly, and powered by ASIS International. What got me on this path of prevention was observing the nurses as they would admit to what they did, he explains. Murphy encourages facilities to be in full DEA compliance to mitigate diversion. Toni Martin, 34, of . Someone is black-balling you; it might be someone you least suspect. Yes, you may well be "flagged" in their system as a "Do not hire". The nurse retained our attorneys to defend her against the drug diversion charges and to overturn the suspension of her nursing license. You need to change yesterday. In one alleged incident, Bridges said she withdrew 100 micrograms of fentanyl, went to the bathroom, then administered half of the drug and disposed of the rest, sending a paper copy of the disposal to a separate department. Just follow policy. Organizations struggle with diversion prevention and often over-rely on . This seems crazy because if you are being accused of diverting meds, wouldnt the employer want to prove that those medications were in your system? 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. Before the facility started the annual training, Leon caught at least one diverter a month. The statistics Ive seen at hospitals that are being proactive and looking at this are finding at least one person a month who is diverting drugs in their facility. In 2013, retail pharmacy chain Walgreens was charged $80 millionthe largest fine in the history of the U.S. 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. Three nurses indicted this week in Warren County are accused of stealing opioids from their patients for their own use, according to authorities. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Student Nurse Applicants with Past Convictions, Petition for Nursing License Reinstatement, Please spend some time reading the Diversion section of the blog, for more information. var currentheadline = document.getElementById("headline").innerText; 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. After receiving the complaint, the Board of Nursing issued an Order of Summary Suspension pursuant to MCL 333.16231 for drug diversion. Bridges testified that she was never once questioned by hospital officials about the discrepancies or given the chance to submit to a drug test. 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. Perhaps you were falsely accused as a result of the appearance of wrongdoing that was misconstrued by an observer. 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 . Often they are bamboozled by reports misrepresenting chart and Pyxis 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. I was falsely accused of drug diversion. Its no secret that opioid addiction has reached epidemic levels in the United States. Very understaffed working place. Healthcare providers who steal prescription medicines or controlled substances such as opioids for their own use put patients at risk. Even then, I would only pull out what the doctor states to have at BS, and I know I have witnesses if he give a verbal order during the procedure for the med. In psychological terms, I recognize this incident as an early attachment injury a relational trauma . 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. 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. Our members represent more than 60 professional nursing specialties. But dont turn to the impairment program first do this instead. Accused of Diverting Drugs. 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. 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.) Even orderlies have very stressful physical jobs, theyre lifting patients. The Board accepted the ALJs proposed decision and dismissed the entire drug diversion complaint. There are many reasons why a person may get falsely accused of a crime. This may be the case with some law firms, but it is not the case with us. I am trying not to get upset but it's truly difficult. Recommended Stories Reuters Anger in. 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). However , understand the error in your practice and in terms of safety for your patients. Mitchell points out that any statistic derived from officially collected data still wouldnt accurately reflect the extent of drug diversion in the United States. Our fees are flat, so there are never any surprises and never any additional fees to us. Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical. 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. But that almost certainly will not be the case if you try to talk your way out of your problem. Areas of Law:Nursing License DefenseDrug DiversionSummary Suspension of Nursing LicenseAdministrative Hearings and ComplaintsHealth Professionals Recovery Program (HPRP). Weve made it our career to save yours. . 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. Your attorney can advise you about how best to handle this entire matter, including the false confession. Create well-written care plans that meets your patient's health goals. She said she routinely visited the break room to grab a snack, check her cell phone or use the staff restroom inside, which she assumed was cleaner than the public ones. You want to try to find them before that.. USA, Whos Liable for an Active Shooter Incident? Puts patients at risk for healthcare-associated infections. You may be fired for failure to comply, but heres a news flash: if youre suspected of diverting, youre going to be fired anyway. Good luck to you. Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant. 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. Placing a narc in your pocket can be grounds for immediate dismissal. Agreed with the above. Human resources, pharmacy personnel, security, everyone is being brought into this investigation, because the bigger picture is patient safety. Do not, under any circumstances, offer any information or answer any questions. If you have been falsely accused of a crime, you need a lawyer to help plan and present your defense.