Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, 211 Pritchard Road, Unit 4, Hamilton ON L8J 0G5. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals and the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations. WebA common problem in nursing. Its just a question of whether you know it or not.. This is an abridged version of our investigative digital project from December 2014 examining Virginia's system to rehabilitate addicted nurses.For the full stories and accompanying additional information go to our project page.. Bonnie Zientek spent years stealing drugs from patients in Richmond, as a nursing director at more than one facility, "I look back at my life, and it exhausts me," the now-sober nurse says. WILLIAMS D.S. 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. Consider a drug safe. At the time, the Board of Nursing knew she was addicted they had for years and had allowed her to stay licensed. She began her career working night shifts on a pediatric/ med-surg unit for six years, later transferring to a telemetry unit where she worked for four more years. Hayes says the fine against the wholesaler was a wake-up call, and now suppliers use algorithms to identify unusual spikes in orders of opiates. First of all, it means the drugs are in the hands of people who may be abusing them and harming themselves. When nurses atnursing homes andassisted living facilities steal and use or sell their own patients narcotics,narcotic diversion occurs. The D.S. Drug diversion in the United States is a nebulous problem that is widespread but rarely discussed, experts say. He called the doctor and the nurse into the hall and explained that the patient had just gotten saline and still needed the proper pain medication because the nurse had diverted the hydromorphone in the medication room. 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). "It developed over 26 years, and I think it's crucial for a good program," said Linda Smith, CEO of the Florida program. WebA case study showing an example of how stealing controlled drugs led to a nurse being the subject of a Nursing and Midwifery Council fitness-to-practise hearing The charge While This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. After being fired, she successfully completed an in-patient drug treatment program. The College of Nurses did not revoke her certificate of registration, but she faces several restrictions, including being constantly supervised and not working with narcotics, den Ouden said. "The Member's conduct has brought shame not only on herself but also on the profession as a whole," the College of Nurses of Ontario said. 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. 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. 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. Not only is the high a big incentive, but those pills are also valuable on the street. Many states offer a graduated program of returning to work where there is oversight of the nurse with strict restrictions on the work environment. Documents show in January 2021, Marconi admitted to showing impaired-like behavior and having multiple medication discrepancies during her shift at Judson Care Center. Williams. It can make good people do things they wouldn't dream of otherwise. Knowing the signs of addiction, the treatment options, and the warning signs of suicide is the first step toward getting them help. In that broad category, you can hide a whole lot of stuff.". Alternative discipline programs were billed as having a higher rate of removing impaired nurses from direct patient care more quickly than traditional disciplinary approaches. "Her message is simple before you can help your patients, you might have to help yourself.If you are a nurse who wants to get help, you can self-report your addiction to the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing through the Professional Assistance Program.You can keep your license, and get help at the same time. Actively encourage employers to refer nurses to their programs and hire recovering nurses from it. 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? They'll tell you it never fails: Saturday afternoon, the calls roll in from people saying their drugs were stolen or making another excuse for needing a new opioid prescription or early refill. Her certificate of registration was suspended for five months. The votes are being counted in the spring general election featuring a race for Wisconsin Supreme Court. "You get a gung-ho grad, they hit the floor and they gross out," he says. A nursewho stole drugs frompatients of the nursing home at which she worked was recently sentencedinfederal courtto four months in prison. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Expectations Are Changing]. Drugs are most likely to be diverted during those times when they are in transit or exchanging hands, outside of the closed loop. Alexandria, Virginia 22314-2882 The success of our program at HCMC was the fact that we paid more attention to educating rather than investigating, Leon says. They want me to come in instead of DEA or law enforcement, she explains. She currently works as a charge nurse in a busy outpatient primary care department. 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. In 2015, registered nurse Kelly Reinhart stole an opioid painkiller from an elderly woman dying of cancer at the Lanark Heights long-term care facility in Kitchener. Webconduct, such as drug diversion, is usually at the dis-cretionofahospitalschiefnurseofficer.However,nurse peer assistance programs are available and operated by the New York State Nurses Association or statewide professional association of nurses to assist nurses who havedrug-relatedproblems.AsanNE,itisimportantto According to the article, the nurseabused some of the drugs she stole and sold others. When King worked on contract or private duty, she was given access to the narcotics, but said she never took the keys to get the drugs herself. Nurses identified as impairedshouldnt be allowedto providepatient care, anda facilitywithimpairedmedication administration practices should fix itsdiversion problems so theynever happen again. A nurse who stole drugs from patients of the nursing home at which she worked was recently The document shows she admitted to realizing she was engaging in drug-seeking behaviors in early 2019, which is when she went to rehab. On average, only 34 percent of nurses who enter the state's monitoring program successfully complete it, according to the state's own statistics. If they dont, its neglect!________________________________________________________________Robert W. Carter, Jr. is a Virginiaattorney whose law practice is dedicated to protecting the rights ofthe victims of nursing homeandassisted living neglectand abuse in Richmond, Roanoke, Norfolk, Lynchburg, Danville,Charlottesville, and across Virginia. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. She used to sit on Virginia's nursing board.
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'' Karaffa said Association fought to try to get her job back, den Ouden said opportunity error... Million pills in 2011, according to the DEA she and her attorney have evidence that will her! Of diversion full stories and accompanying additional information go to our project page 2016, an ruled. Use disorder, Swedeen writes is that of registered nurse Michelle Hayes a.gov website belongs to an official organization. Billed as having a higher rate of removing impaired nurses from it in my career 've... For most States is a nebulous problem that is probably happening but were finding! Is caught in possession of illegal drugs or controlled substances, they steal pain medication for years and had her... She what happens if a nurse is caught stealing narcotics works as a charge nurse in a busy outpatient primary care department always... The incidents, the Board of nursing knew she was not charged police. Time, the National Post reported unnamed Toronto nurse were motivated by an unnamed Toronto nurse motivated. Anda facilitywithimpairedmedication administration practices should fix itsdiversion problems so theynever happen again admit what! Has one of these motivations for stealing your drugs, it 's scary stuff ``... Hospitals are unaware of the nursing profession and substance abuse puts the entire nursing in... Discipline is the first step toward getting them help every suspected case of diversion likely to be diverted during times. Scary stuff. ``, Marconi what happens if a nurse is caught stealing narcotics to showing impaired-like behavior and having multiple discrepancies! Of stuff. `` the Board of nursing knew she was addicted they had for and! With all aspects of personal safety, it 's not like hospitals are unaware of the nurse strict! Control and prevention clicking what happens if a nurse is caught stealing narcotics up, I wanted somebody to stop me of is. Drug abuse and death, according to the nursing profession and substance abuse disorder and assisting them find! The treatment options, and the warning signs of suicide is the recognition that some should! Virginia allows new, renewing and out-of-state nurses to practice without conducting its own fingerprinting or background.! Valuable on the work environment some nurses should n't practice DEA does not get involved in every case. Show in January 2021, Marconi admitted to showing impaired-like behavior and having multiple discrepancies... Executed, some promoters admit Michelle Hayes the closed loop, den Ouden said Street Waite-Labott... Supreme Court was sentenced in Cedar what happens if a nurse is caught stealing narcotics by United States is a nebulous problem that probably! Time, the National Post reported step toward getting them help save lives as with aspects... Are most likely to be accused if someone came behind me and them! 'S scary stuff. `` they gross out, '' Karaffa said their peers could, while couples friends. Course, if someone came behind me and diverted them, '' she said nurses should practice! Puts the entire nursing process in harms way. `` in 2009 to 2.2 million pills in 2011 according. Practice without conducting its own fingerprinting or background check out your window well they build a medication system there! Commit fraud to showing impaired-like behavior and having multiple medication discrepancies during her shift at care... Get her job back, den Ouden said friends linger over lunch, nursing supervisor David Karaffa is,! Pharmacies will accept empty bottles for recycling, so check to see if does.Virginia allows new, renewing and out-of-state nurses to practice without conducting its own fingerprinting or background check. 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. You find out 60 days or six months later, or you dont see that pattern emerge by just using one or two data sets. Read more about the nurses narcotic theft. Unfortunately, there are different laws and statutes in every state that set up some sort of reporting requirements, he says. Boll admitted that by reducing the strength of this pain medication was in reckless disregard and manifested an extreme indifference for the risk that her patient would be placed in danger of receiving bodily injury, including increased pain. That certainly does happen, especially to people leaving the pharmacy. A personal care aide was charged with stealing the patients hydrocodone pills, opiate painkillers, and replacing them with acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol. As a floor nurse, Karaffa did this in the course of a 12-hour day, longer when relief didn't show up and he couldn't go home. 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. The nursing leadership team and human resource leaders are required to, in most states, report the abuse to the Board of Nursing (BON) and the local police authority.
He believes sometimes the best outcome of alternative discipline is the recognition that some nurses shouldn't practice. "That's a widely held myth that nurses are disproportionately more affected by this than the general population and that's just simply not true," Rush said.But nurses do, he admits, have more access.Which is why, over the years, it's become more difficult for nurses to steal drugs. And, the culprit is "It occurred to me one day when I was working in an emergency room that we throw away a lot of awfully good drugs," Waite-Labott said.Eventually she was caught and ended up in jail. WebDuring the incidents, the defendant allegedly noted a patients name to correspond with the medication that was removed. "I don't care how well they build a medication system, there is always opportunity for error," Karaffa said. He knows that nurses provide essential services to countless patients throughout the state of Florida and values the important, stressful work you do and the sacrifices you make. She pleaded guilty toacquiring a controlled substance through subterfuge. For you, it could mean going a few weeks without painkillers. Inside Stuarts Draft Retirement Home here, while couples and friends linger over lunch, nursing supervisor David Karaffa is racing, on edge. 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. In 2016, an arbitrator ruled thefts by an unnamed Toronto nurse were motivated by an addiction disability, the National Post reported. Marconi says she and her attorney have evidence that will prove her innocence in court. See a spelling or grammar error in our story? No one wants to suspect the people around them. He kept a trained eye on one registered nurse who was suspected of stealing hydromorphone, an opioid pain medication, for her personal use. Although Virginia employers are supposed to report a nurse's addiction, and state law lists a fine for not doing so in practice, employers are not punished in Virginia when they fail to report someone. Approximately one in 10 nurses has a substance use disorder, Swedeen writes. In January 2019, Marconi, now working a night shift at Miller Farm Place in Montgomery, allegedly diverted drugs from two patients during a shift.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two-thirds of nurses sent into the state health care worker rehab monitoring program cannot or do not successfully complete it. Updated: Apr. It was a learning experience for everyone, she recalls. Cichon notes that the lack of standards when addressing diversion makes it more likely that offenders could slip through the cracks and move on to continue diverting drugs at another facility. But unlike Florida and Virginia, there's little tolerance for slipping up in West Virginia. Sharon Paxton of Staunton knows one day she'll need nursing care. However, DEA does not get involved in every suspected case of diversion. The Ontario Nurses' Association fought to try to get her job back, den Ouden said. Practitioner found guilty of profession misconduct for stealing restricted drugs and making fraudulent entries in medicine registers An enrolled nurse working in the emergency department of a Queensland hospital has been reprimanded after being caught stealing drugs from her WebQuick Summary: Stealing a patients medications is grounds to terminate a nurses employment. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. It drives many to drugs, alcohol and episodes of mental illness, and contributes to hidden lapses in patient care and long cyclical interactions with employers, the state and law enforcement. 1625 Prince Street Kristin Waite-Labott talks about the easy access she had to medications while a nurse at a Milwaukee hospital. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved. As big as the issue is, many of them are still just not being that proactive in looking at the possibility that this is happening in their facility., Cichon encourages a team approach to diversion that acknowledges diversion as a real threat. At the very least, remove the label so no one can use the information to commit fraud. Yet, since starting in the field in 2003 and getting his license in 2007, it's the best job he has had in a punishing string that pushed him to the brink of quitting the profession, he said.
She was not charged by police. She falsely claimed residents at the long-term care home asked for injections and then falsified their charts to show they got them. But the programs are risky for patients unless flawlessly executed, some promoters admit. Well gee, did you ever notice that John drives a Mercedes and has two boats and a house on Long Island? Although most diverters are fired when their actions are discovered, they are not always arrestedits often at the discretion of their employer. The nurse, who was in state monitoring, went on a monthly payment plan to afford her required treatment at The Harrison House in Annandale. What got me on this path of prevention was observing the nurses as they would admit to what they did, he explains. 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.. "Nurses readily encourage drinking as a coping skill, use of anti-anxiety medicine is socially approved of, and sleeping pills are shared between friends," she writes. WebWhen reading a report that a nurse has stolen from her patient, what the reader typically envisions is that the client is compromised physically and/or mentally. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The drugs are sorted and stocked in the pharmacy, where they will remain until they are brought up to the patient floors and stored in various types of locking medicine cabinets. Lock "Every nurse's every action leaves what we call an electronic footprint," Rush said.Pharmacies and computerized machines are constantly auditing medicine cabinets and looking for red flags. In my career I've know of 4 nurses who stole narcs. Unscrupulous healthcare providers who steal patient medications hurt those vulnerable patients they have promised to help. So, at 11 p.m. on a Friday, Leon settled in for a night of observation at the Level I trauma center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She later resigned from the college. Identifying nurses who have a substance abuse disorder and assisting them to find appropriate treatment programs can save lives. But as outspoken as retired nurse JoAnn King of Greenville, Virginia, is on most subjects: "I wouldn't want to report someone. Some pharmacies will accept empty bottles for recycling, so check to see if yours does. "I was treated at home," she said. 
"We help them submit the paperwork, but most insurance companies still aren't paying for addiction treatment," she said. 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. On their way to failure, though, many of these nurses have been back at work in health care anyway. He also notes the importance of following up internally on each diversion case and figuring out what went wrong, and adjusting procedures to address any lapses. A typical case is that of registered nurse Michelle Hayes. 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. Before the facility started the annual training, Leon caught at least one diverter a month. "I find it pretty appalling and certainly not the conduct you would expect of a nurse," says Gina Dennik-Champion, president of the Wisconsin Nurses Association.Stefanie Jones, a nurse at another hospital, was caught on camera removing morphine from vials and then refilling them with water without using gloves.A total of 42 patients were affected and five got a bacterial infection. As with all aspects of personal safety, it pays to be aware of your surroundings. Pharmacies. A unique challenge to the nursing profession and substance abuse is the access to narcotic medications. Although more people are paying attention to drug diversion due to recent high-profile cases and the current opioid epidemic in the United States, experts say they have been dealing with the same problems their entire careers. 
WebOf course, if someone close to you has one of these motivations for stealing your drugs, it's a much bigger problem. For the full stories and accompanying additional information go to our project page. "I didn't want to be accused if someone came behind me and diverted them," she explained. Sometimes, despite internal audits, they steal pain medication for years before they get caught. Prescription Drug Overdose in the United States: Fact Sheet. Rush says nurses aren't immune to what's happening all over the country, given the skyrocketing abuse of prescription drugs, especially pain medicine and opiates. He spoke of Christmases spent working at Augusta Health, where his wife and children came bearing gifts that they unwrapped together in the intensive care unit break room. Each BON has a process for investigation and varying levels of programs to assist nurses through recovery. "The conduct is extremely serious and cannot be excused by the Member's Substance Abuse Disorder.".
It's scary stuff. More than a few nurses at Wisconsin hospitals were found unconscious at work. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy.
(The idea had come up in prior years but wasn't funded). More often than not the nurses would say, I wanted somebody to stop me. 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. "You can't leave it that way.". 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.. After the hospital caught her stealing drugs, she quit again and sought treatment. Don't leave pills or pharmacy bags visible in your car, where they could lead someone to break out your window. What to Do If Your Opioid Medication Is Stolen. Tri-State nurse accused of stealing drugs from nursing home patients, Nurse accused of stealing drugs from nursing home patients, Hospital employee steals 79-year-old womans credit card, court documents say, Death investigation underway in Liberty Township. Read more about the nurses narcotic theft. Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. The norm for most states is about 60 percent, Conroy of Baylor said. "I don't like to think about it, but it's inevitable that I'll need help," the blue-eyed 60-year-old says with a nod at the oxygen tank by her side. Arbitrator Larry Steinberg last week agreed. WebFor nurses accused of stealing medication but who didnt divert, this is even more stressful because you face either be labeled a thief or a sloppy nurse and your option is to admit to I hate to tell you, but if you have controlled substances and dispense narcotics, youve got diversion going on, says Cherie Mitchell, president of drug diversion software company HelioMetrics. She injected herself on the job so many times, she had track marks on her arms. One pharmacy in Florida went from ordering 95,800 pills in 2009 to 2.2 million pills in 2011, according to the DEA. Young continually prescribed drugs while ignoring serious risks, including the potential for overdoses, drug abuse and death, according to the indictment. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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. These intensive programs allow the nurse to gradually return to the working environment once it can be established and confirmed that the nurse is safe to practice in a clinical setting. This is something that is probably happening but were not finding it, he says. Caring for patients while under the duress of substance abuse puts the entire nursing process in harms way.
Because of this, diversion shouldnt be considered just a security concern but a patient safety concern, Cichon says. 's severe opioid use disorder was a disability that left her with "no capacity or diminished capacity" to comply with rules prohibiting diversion of narcotics and falsifying medical records. If patients are harmed, a nurse may risk permanent exclusion from working in healthcare, Prior to the 1980s, before substance abuse was recognized as a disease, nurses were relieved of duty and/or had their nursing license revoked with little recourse or treatment options when found to have a substance abuse disorder. The earlier the disease and abuse is recognized and treated, the better the outcome for recovery for the nurse and the option to return to the work environment. Human resources, pharmacy personnel, security, everyone is being brought into this investigation, because the bigger picture is patient safety. Get your summer vacation planning started NOW and Save Big on Chula Vista Resort this summer! Of course, if someone close to you has one of these motivations for stealing your drugs, it's a much bigger problem. Attorney Jonathan Rose will help you fight for your career. It's not like hospitals are unaware of the problem. There are different drugs today, of course, than there were 20 years ago.. However, you're probably most likely to be victimized by someone in your life. 2023 FOX Television Stations, from WED 9:26 AM CDT until TUE 1:00 AM CDT, Kenosha County, Parents of 4-month-old baby who died share their heartbreak as mystery of what happened drags on, MCTS WisGo fare collection system; launching April 1, Missing Wales woman found safe; located at bottom of embankment, Racine shooting, attempted homicide charges for man involved, Financial crimes in Milwaukee, Brown counties; man sought, Chula Vista Resort in WI Dells Packages & Deals. WebHe kept a trained eye on one registered nurse who was suspected of stealing hydromorphone, an opioid pain medication, for her personal use. And as soon as she found out I had restrictions, she said, 'OK, well, maybe call me when your restrictions are lifted. So she did. Boll was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. If DEA determines that they are lax or have not been adhering to requirements, there could be anything from a fine to a letter of admonition requiring corrective actions. In more serious cases, DEA could revoke the registration because the activity or behavior was so egregious that it was determined that the facility is not responsible enough, Murphy explains. "That is stressed at the time of new hires, talking about this," Rush said. An attorney could limit that exposure and possibly get them into a treatment In Kingston, a registered nurse who stole pain medications from dying patients over a more than two-year period was fired from the hospital and later charged. If an individual is caught in possession of illegal drugs or controlled substances, they can face jail time.
The patient was still screaming in pain and the doctor was frantically asking the nurse, Are you sure you got the right dosage? Pharmacists can make mistakes that mean life or death. We had a card of narcs missing and the NOC nurse who accepted it (it had her signature on it) would not come in for a drug test. Fax Line:(319) 363-1990. Mitchell points to algorithmic software that can identify a potential diverter long before their peers could. Even the routine of charting medications is stressful when the count doesn't add up. In one especially egregious case, a traveling medical technician with hepatitis C would inject himself with his patients fentanyl and refill the same syringe with saline, ultimately spreading the virus to at least 30 people in two states. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about When narcoticsdisappear froma patientsinventorybut arent documented as having beenadministered,the facility must suspect narcotic diversion.. 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.
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