taking a poll

[saracat66t]

I have 3 questions; Do you think it's dangerous for nurse's to have there full name and details of their transgretion for all to see?


I. Do you think having all this private info public is a danger to the nurse?

The last job I had, my boss called me into her office to tell me that several employees had looked me up on the public list within 24 hrs and felt they should warn her about my drug history. She threatened to fire them if they didn't keep their mouths shut, she also would not place my consent agreement in my employee file. She was protecteing me because she felt it was no one elses business.

3. Do you think a nurse that has had drug issues becomes volunerable because other employees could divert drugs knowing that nurse on probation will automatically be blamed for taking the drugs and never believed even when she is truly innocent?

Do you think it would be better if they used a nurse's intials along with the license # instead of using our full name?

cat:nurse-soapbox:

[cali510]

I have read about situations where controlled meds were diverted and someone who was on probation was set up to be blamed. That is a common MO. As for public disclosure, the thought pattern behind public disclosure is public safety. The interests of the person whose information is made public are secondary to the process.

[whome3]

[QUOTE=saracat66t;113392]I have 3 questions; Do you think it's dangerous for nurse's to have there full name and details of their transgretion for all to see?

I don't know that "dangeous" is the right word here,,, I do know that this is a very unsettling thing but I also understand the reasons for doing so

I. Do you think having all this private info public is a danger to the nurse?

The last job I had, my boss called me into her office to tell me that several employees had looked me up on the public list within 24 hrs and felt they should warn her about my drug history. She threatened to fire them if they didn't keep their mouths shut, she also would not place my consent agreement in my employee file. She was protecteing me because she felt it was no one elses business.

I have found that most nurses have no clue that this info is available, and most don't care. In your case, it appears that the gossip/ grapevine for malice was present, and people wanted to create ill will towards you for some reason.

3. Do you think a nurse that has had drug issues becomes volunerable because other employees could divert drugs knowing that nurse on probation will automatically be blamed for taking the drugs and never believed even when she is truly innocent?

Absolutely, this is a possibility, and has occurred. There will alwaus be trust issues for any nurse addict and to not accept this will only lead to frustration for that nurse. It is fact that many nurses have relapsed and have created reasons for employers to have worries and concerns...


The best way to deal with this is to volunteer for a test when ever there is a drug discrepancy. Put iinto place with your manager random testing anytime there is a discrepancy, and you were working.
I told my manager to please test me whenever she had a concern, not only for drug administration, but for behaviors, and for performance issues. I wanted them to feel confidant that they had made a good decision in keeping me on, and wanted to provide them with ways to determine that I was still clean, and that I was open to the idea that I understood that they had trust issues about me.


Do you think it would be better if they used a nurse's intials along with the license # instead of using our full name?

Some states do this, but most use the full name. This is done for the public, and the public does deserve to know this info.

[hppygr8ful]

First the info that gets posted is a matter of public record not private or protected in any way .

Actual instances of nurses with drug histories being "set up" to be blamed for missing drugs is quite rare. While I sure it happens. A nurse in recovery who is truely sober can simply give a drug test and prove her/himself to be clean. The DON at the hospital where I worked used to joke that the only nurses she wasn't worried about diverting where her "DIVERSION and Probation" nurses. She hired 17 of us and when drugs went missing the culprit was always discovered.

Peace and Namaste

Hppy

[saracat66t]

[QUOTE=hppygr8ful;113522]First the info that gets posted is a matter of public record not private or protected in any way .

Actual instances of nurses with drug histories being "set up" to be blamed for missing drugs is quite rare. While I sure it happens. A nurse in recovery who is truely sober can simply give a drug test and prove her/himself to be clean. The DON at the hospital where I worked used to joke that the only nurses she wasn't worried about diverting where her "DIVERSION and Probation" nurses. She hired 17 of us and when drugs went missing the culprit was always discovered.

Peace and Namaste

Are you saying you arranged it with DON to inform you the day of a discrepency to cover yourself?
That's a good idea. I think what happened to me was finding out too late. Most of the places I have worked in do not inform the nurses or med techs that there had been some kind of discrepency and they are conducting an investigation. I was not confronted on the actual day of the discrepency so getting tested that day would not have helped much.
Looking at in from your perspective, I should have addressed the issue when I was hired. " if there is ever a suspicion or discrepency with any drugs,tell me that day so I can cover myself and in turn it will direct them to look at others,not just me. I should have thought of that.


Thank You
cat16

Don't beat yourself up - but yes I told my DON that If there was ever a discrepancy or suspicion of my using to please let me know same day and I would drop a sample. Once I was actually doing the count when two Vicodin were unaccounted for - I picked up the phone in the nurses station called the Pharmacy then the DON and everything was ok.

Turns out the person stealing drugs from the hospital was a long time employee (20 Years). They finally caught her because she passed out in the break room.

Peace and Namstes
Hppy