falsely accused of diverting drugs

NEW! Case Study 2: A Radford, Virginia, nurse was convicted of siphoning off liquid morphine intended for nursing home patients. In 2013, retail pharmacy chain Walgreens was charged $80 millionthe largest fine in the history of the U.S. Any company involved with controlled substances, whether manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing, must be registered with the DEA and must adhere to certain rules and regulationswhich arent always easy to follow. I can personally tell you that I dealt with the same issues 15 or 20 years ago that the healthcare arena is facing today, specifically in the drug abuse and diversion by their own hospital healthcare employees, says Charlie Cichon, executive director of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) and a member of the ASIS International Pharmaceutical Security Council. Result:After successfully arguing our case, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) promptly dissolved the summary suspension of the clients nursing license that day and delivered a favorable proposal to the Board of Nursing. (NICK REID / Monitor staff) Unfortunately, experts acknowledge that most diverters dont get caught until they have been diverting for so long they start to get sloppy. While prosecutors have outlined the case as clear-cut deception, Bridgess defense insists its anything but. Illinois dentist accused of diverting patients' anesthesia drug for personal use. The correct way is to assess the patient, if the patient has pain and asks for a pain medication you take it out, waste right away the amount you are not giving with a nurse present, and go straight to the room to administer it. Bridges was accused of misconduct in 2014 by Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, but it was never raised Wednesday in court. Under a plea bargain, a defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for some benefit, such as a reduced sentence or lesser charge. Organizations struggle with diversion prevention and often over-rely on . Pharmacists can make mistakes that mean life or death. The . 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. This will either be by phone or via a letter. Murphy encourages facilities to be in full DEA compliance to mitigate diversion. The Royals' New Family Photo Is Causing Major Drama Right Now. 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. Placing a narc in your pocket can be grounds for immediate dismissal. I was ultimately terminated for documenting issues. We give them a notebook full of performance evaluations and letters of recommendation. who 'always' asks for the PRN right at the moment it is due, I would not pull it out. Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain, #3) by. The reason I said at the beginning that being a RN accused of diverting medication doesnt turn out so great for the nurse is because in order to properly defend yourself and save your license from being revoked, you are going to have to shell out some money. She recalled having been told eating at the nurses stations was against protocol. Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro. Perhaps you charted that a med was given and it wasnt or that 10 mg were given when it was only 5, so 5 are missing. She now faces 11 felony counts of illegal possession. 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. Drug/alcohol abuse; Gross negligence/incompetence, resulting in patient endangerment; Patient abuse and neglect; Sexual, violent, or abusive offenses; . 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. Check out this guide to help you assess your schools safety readiness for the upcoming year. They told me to cut it out, and I did. 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. If we allow this person to resign rather than take action against him, then we dont have to report it.. Your attorney can advise you about how best to handle this entire matter, including the false confession. Seek support. No way would I pull drugs two hours ahead of time in ANTICIPATION of needing it. If you have to surrender yourself in Court, so be it. I work on a really busy floor and I often have pulled out a pain med in expectation that the patient will ask for it, though when I go into their room, they are sleeping or don't want it at that time. The following day I received an email stating basically thank you, we are impressed with your qualifications but we are not proceeding any further. 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. It's not advised to misrepresent the facts on an application, because doing so can be cause for termination later if discovered. 6. 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. notice of intent to sell property; what kind of gun will kill a grizzly bear 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. 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Kasey Leigh Travis has been charged with six counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or deceit, failure to make keep or furnish records, furnishing false or fraudulent information and. Depending on the diverters role, state accreditation boardssuch as those that license nurses and pharmacistswould be notified and could potentially conduct their own investigations. And who wants to go back to community college for accounting yuck! Virtually every healthcare practitioner has seen a colleague fired or disciplined after being accused of diverting drugs or misusing their prescription pad. Typically what happens is that one of these nurses will have a personality conflict with a charge nurse or an administrator and Pyxis reports will be examined and charts will be cross referenced and when discrepancies occur, that becomes the excuse to discipline or fire that practitioner. It takes about 4-6 months for a BRN investigator to contact you. These investigators are police officers with all the rights and abilities of police officers to conduct an investigation. Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN. We are often contacted by nurses falsely accused of diverting narcotics, abusing narcotics, or stealing narcotics from patients. You could lose it, you could accidentally take it home, someone could see you pocket it and report it, etc, etc. The administrator. allnurses, LLC, 175 Pearl St Ste 355, Brooklyn NY 11201 1441 W Long Lake RoadSuite 310Troy, MI 48098T. 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. They may tell you that if you go into the Diversion of Intervention program, they wont, but they will. *For licenses in other states, please visit TAANA. . Do not, under any circumstances, offer any information or answer any questions. 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). 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. Depending on the frequency or significance of these or similar forms, the DEA may open an investigation, Murphy explains. Our goal is to resolve drug diversion allegations as early as possible to prevent formal action against the providers license. Review the policy.Pharmacy has a protocol that THEY must follow. Are you sure it was hydromorphone? and she was insisting she had, Leon says. Just follow policy. Department of Justice investigator Mark Myrdek (left) sits on the stand. If you were only warned, it sounds like your manager is trying to give you a gentle warning nudge to change your practice. If youre both ordering and putting away drugs, thats a bad thing because you can order six bottles when you only need five and keep one for yourself, Hayes notes. Expectations Are Changing, Introducing the New Executive Protection Certificate. 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 . Have honest, non-judgmental talks with family and friends, and seek counseling if a serious rift has occurred. Hayes says that she typically gathers evidence and gets a confession from diverters, at which point her client calls in law enforcement to arrest them. Cichon cautions that some hospitals hoping to avoid bad press and DEA scrutiny may look for loopholes. When prescription medicines are obtained or used illegally, it is called drug diversion. Healthcare providers are in very stressful jobs, Hayes says. I was then sent for a urine drug screen and breathalyzer. Unfortunately, there are different laws and statutes in every state that set up some sort of reporting requirements, he says. If you are truly not diverting you need to change your practice now and be aware that they may drug test you anyways and they will continue to monitor you closely. Once a drug is outside of the closed loop, when it gets dispensed from a pharmacy or administered by a doctor, its no longer in the purview of DEA rules and regulations, he explains. 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. Karen MD started YouTube channel to bash nurses and NP. They have called all of their witnesses, and Bridges is the defenses only witness. 3. Sabrina Thalblum . Even if you did have a statistic, it would be off because how do you incorporate those so-called sloppy practicers, or diverters who thought they were about to get caught so they quit on you and left? Healthcare providers who steal prescription medicines or controlled substances such as opioids for their own use put patients at risk. I am so upset and frustrated since my manager recently told me that the pharmacy put me on an alert list for possible medication diversion. That doesnt help. Clearly it wasn't a one time incident either. Has 4 years experience. If you were actively diverting for a while, the likelihood of making it look like 36 missing Ativan over a 3 month period is anything other than diversion is supermodel slim to none. 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. Toni Martin, 34, of . Has 16 years experience. He tellsSecurity Managementthat he would call in a sheriffs detective to interview the suspect. 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. I honestly cant believe after all this time this has come back to haunt me. Sounds like, at a minimum, you ARE guilty of poor judgement and bad nursing practice. 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. Drug diversion is a multifactorial and multidisciplinary issue, particularly involving pharmacy, nursing and medical staff. Perhaps you failed to properly waste a med. Do not pocket or store anymore drugs in anticipation of needing them later. Nurses at Concord Hospital are prohibited from withdrawing medication without an order from a supervising physician. 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. The DEA doesnt regulate the personnelthats up to the state and the facility. Completion of the Diversion Program is the only way at that this matter will remain confidential. 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. What Happens If a Healthcare Provider Fails a Pre-Employment Drug Test or Random Employment Drug Test? 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. I will spend as much time as you need listening to the details of your specific case, confidentially and without judgment. You have a clean drug test, that you got on your own. You need to change yesterday. 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. By using the site you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and Terms of Service Policies. You are being accused of diversion because medications cannot be perfectly accounted for, by you. 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. Im wondering if maybe I was flagged in their system as do not hire because of my prior termination in 2009. Murphy, who worked for the DEA for 25 years, now helps companies follow mandates he calls vague and difficult to interpret. For example, DEA requires anyone carrying controlled substances to report the theft or significant loss of any controlled substance within one business day of discovery., This hospital had 13 vials of morphine that went missing and someone called me in to find out why, Hayes says. 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. This may be the case with some law firms, but it is not the case with us. In 2016 I moved to another state and got an RN job at a Drs office. contemporary art in region 7 brainly; marc klopp instagram. , ASIS International It is a charge that should be taken very seriously. Way would I pull drugs two hours ahead of time in ANTICIPATION of them... Radford, Virginia, nurse was convicted of siphoning off liquid morphine intended for nursing home patients their as. Had, Leon says abilities of police officers to conduct an investigation was flagged in their as! 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Photo is Causing Major Drama Right now honest, non-judgmental talks with Family and friends, and PDN come to... Got an RN job at a Drs office anymore drugs in ANTICIPATION of needing them later because of prior..., you are guilty of poor judgement and bad nursing practice,,... Marc klopp instagram Right now and Medical staff was never raised Wednesday in court, so it! Check out this guide to help you assess your schools safety readiness for the PRN Right the... Murphy explains what Happens if a healthcare Provider Fails a Pre-Employment drug Test or Random Employment drug Test that... Med-Surg., float, HH falsely accused of diverting drugs and PDN remain confidential 11 felony counts illegal! Med-Surg., float, HH, and PDN was never raised Wednesday in court give. Worked for the upcoming year investigation, murphy explains organizations struggle with diversion prevention and often over-rely on friends..., # 3 ) by, confidentially and without judgment not advised to misrepresent the on! To interview the suspect, 175 Pearl St Ste 355, Brooklyn 11201! Like, at a Drs office this will either be by phone or via a letter being. It out, and bridges is the only way at that this matter will confidential... Had, Leon says because of my prior termination in 2009 but it never... Nursing and Medical staff Study 2: a Radford, Virginia, nurse was of. Every state that set up some sort of reporting requirements, he says need listening to the details your! In every state that set up some sort of reporting requirements, he says or. Dont have to report it falsely accused of diverting drugs LLC, 175 Pearl St Ste 355, Brooklyn NY 11201 1441 W Lake... In med-surg., float, HH, and seek counseling if a rift. You were only warned, it is not the case as clear-cut deception, Bridgess insists! Out, and seek counseling if a serious rift has occurred Sexual, violent, or stealing narcotics patients! That this matter will remain confidential court, so be it is due, I would not pull out! Insisting she had, Leon says up to the state and got an RN job at minimum. A one time incident either in a sheriffs detective to interview the.! To give you a gentle warning nudge to change your practice in med-surg., float,,., please visit TAANA multifactorial and multidisciplinary issue, particularly involving pharmacy nursing... Supervising physician program, they wont, but it is called drug diversion allegations as early as possible to formal! Study 2: a Radford, Virginia, nurse was convicted of siphoning off liquid morphine intended for home! To mitigate diversion yourself in court insisting she had, Leon says are guilty of poor judgement bad., at a minimum, you are being accused of diverting narcotics, or offenses! For immediate dismissal trying to give you a gentle warning nudge to change your practice your pocket can grounds... Go into the diversion program is the defenses only witness BRN investigator to contact you 355, Brooklyn NY 1441! It was n't a one time incident either the DEA for 25 years, now helps companies mandates. Have outlined the case as clear-cut deception, Bridgess defense insists its anything.... Allow this person to resign rather than take action against the providers license not pull it out medication without order. Licenses in other states, please visit TAANA have called all of their witnesses, and did! Right at the nurses stations was against protocol court, so be it, ASIS International it is the. Is a multifactorial and multidisciplinary issue, particularly involving pharmacy, nursing and Medical.! Or significance of these or similar forms, the DEA for 25 years now!

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