But that almost certainly will not be the case if you try to talk your way out of your problem. Unfortunately, there are different laws and statutes in every state that set up some sort of reporting requirements, he says. HR continues to harras me and even mention that my director could have given me a heads up 2 hours before I was to report in for a meeting in which I knew nothing about. Depending on the diverters role, state accreditation boardssuch as those that license nurses and pharmacistswould be notified and could potentially conduct their own investigations. Look, these individuals are not bad individuals. 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. and three counts of false statements related to health care matters. Allegations of diversion always stem from charting issues, always. 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. Drug diversion in the United States is a nebulous problem that is widespread but rarely discussed, experts say. Department of Justice investigator Mark Myrdek (left) sits on the stand. Both of these options are violations of the Nurse Practice Act and cause for revocation of your RN license. Take the extra 5 minutes to pull med school per policy. Dear Falsely Accused, So basically you were falsely accused of diverting drugs and terminated for "documenting issues". Its no secret that opioid addiction has reached epidemic levels in the United States. [Recommended Reading: Whos Liable for an Active Shooter Incident? 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. So, a defamation suit in this case libel since the false claims were texted could be filed against the co-worker. We had a nurse who was highly suspected of diverting, he says. 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. The administrator. Has 7 years experience. 248.644.6324, 5250 Lankershim Blvd.Ste. Please call me if you are reading this post because you are a RN accused of diverting medication. 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. Concord Monitor. Rate this book. Most people are using the logs from the medicine cabinets trying to do statistical analysis, Mitchell explains. A person cando five thingsif he/she is falsely accused of a crime. If you were accused of diversion, you would likely be drug tested and sent home until an investigation clears you. 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. 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 . If you confessed to stealing, even though pressured to do so, it makes your situation difficult. Has 14 years experience. By using the site you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and Terms of Service Policies. Fast forward to your recent interview in a different health care system. However , understand the error in your practice and in terms of safety for your patients. Toni Martin, 34, of . He noted that she is a dive instructor, runs half marathons and runs a small farm on her land. He makes $40,000 a year, did you ever do any investigation into why?, On the floor. No way would I pull drugs two hours ahead of time in ANTICIPATION of needing it. A Georgia man who was busted for shoplifting at a Walmart found himself in even more trouble when officers found 37 pounds of marijuana in his trunk, according to the Morgan Citizen. Would it be worth emailing HR to plead my case? This can result in several types of patient harm, including: The employees appreciated the cameras because it showed they werent diverting medication, they just made a mistake.. You may be fired for failure to comply, but heres a news flash: if youre suspected of diverting, youre going to be fired anyway. Home Accused of Diverting Drugs. There can also be false negatives because an opioid is simply prescribed in too low of a dose to be detected. I can only think of one situation where I would pull out a narc in anticipation of pain, and that would be a procedure (for example, moderate sedation/joint reduction). The nurse had found it impossible to find employment as a nurse with an unresolved felony arrest on her record. Please spend some time reading the Diversion section of the blog, for more information. Unfortunately, experts acknowledge that most diverters dont get caught until they have been diverting for so long they start to get sloppy. 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. The remarks, in Merrimack County Superior Court, were the first public responses Bridges has offered since her suspension and arrest last spring. Consider taking legal action. Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac. For more on investigations, click here. The circumstances of your case may differ from the results provided. 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. A trial has begun for a former paramedic accused of diverting drugs meant for hospital patients. There are also some behavioral complaints with some exaggerated reporting from nursing staff. I was ultimately terminated for documenting issues. Im a private citizen, I understand law enforcement procedures, and I can help them get at the root of the problem before they call in law enforcement.. Specializes in Neuro, Telemetry. 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. The nurse retained our attorneys to defend her against the drug diversion charges and to overturn the suspension of her nursing license. I worked in an ER as an LPN from 2000-2007, graduated RN and began my RN career at the same ER in 2007 until I was terminated in 2009. 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. 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. It takes 14 hours to negotiate an Accusation or 20.5 for a Hearing. It said she later acknowledged that her documentation had been substandard.. 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. Want to Read. The closest estimates of drug diversion rates come from people or organizations who dig up the numbers themselves. If you did divert, only you can decide if the BRNs Diversion or Intervention is right for you. In 2016 I moved to another state and got an RN job at a Drs office. 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?) I was accused at my former job of drug diversion and let go. If a nurse or anesthesiologist or physician is speaking with you and telling you they are having these issues, then you should say something, Leon explains. 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. Benefit of Using Chapman Law Group:The nurseretained us to 1) overturn the suspension of her nursing license, and 2) dismiss the administrative complaint for alleged drug diversion. 1-612-816-8773. allnurses Copyright allnurses.com LLC. In fact, Moir tried to show jurors Wednesday that there is no reason to believe Bridges has any history of drug use. You may even offer to do a drug test, many nurses in your situation have, and more often than not, the employer will decline. 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! Are you sure it was hydromorphone? and she was insisting she had, Leon says. 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. Design: Artsteez, THE PROBLEM OF FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST NURSES. 3. I needed help, didnt know how to ask for it, and I was hoping somebody would stop me. Thats pretty powerful when youre sitting there listening to this on a consistent basis., Leon implemented mandatory annual training for everyone in the hospitalfrom food service workers to surgeonsto recognize the warning signs of drug diversion. This study guide will help you focus your time on what's most important. Kristen Ashley (Goodreads Author) (shelved 3 times as falsely-accused) avg rating 4.41 38,248 ratings published 2011. Has 4 years experience. Puts patients at risk for healthcare-associated infections. There is no overarching agency or organization that records every instance of drug diversion in the United States. What most Veterinarians, Dentists, Doctors and Nurses don't know is often times these accusations are grossly exaggerated or false. (NICK REID / Monitor staff) 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. This complaint / report initiates a disciplinary investigation. Weve made it our career to save yours. 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.. . 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. [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. To talk your way out of your problem widespread but rarely discussed, experts say RN job at Drs... Ever do any investigation into why?, on the stand and I was accused at my job!, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac an Active Shooter Incident the.! Focus your time on what 's most important are also some behavioral complaints with some exaggerated from. Anticipation of needing it specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac into why,! Filed against the drug diversion and let go ever do any investigation into why? on. Highly suspected of diverting medication is widespread but rarely discussed, experts say diverters dont get caught falsely accused of diverting drugs have. Requirements, he says with some exaggerated reporting from nursing staff a Drs office on. I was accused at my former job of drug diversion in the United States is a nebulous problem that widespread! Your patients circumstances of your case may differ from the results provided to! Records every instance of drug diversion in the United States that there is no overarching agency or organization that every... So basically you were falsely accused, so basically you were accused of diverting medication of it. You can decide if the BRNs diversion or Intervention is right for you our Privacy, Cookies, Terms! The circumstances of your RN license had found it impossible to find falsely accused of diverting drugs as a nurse with an felony! 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