My union defends narcotic stealing nurses(vanity).

[Catmom]

I work at a busy hospital in the Seattle area. Like most hospitals on the West Coast, its nurses (like me) belong to unions. Usually that union is the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). I have been with my present employer for six years and opted to join the union when I was hired; we are not a closed shop. The end of last year three nurses left their jobs (2 fired and 1 resigned) all for stealing narcotics from the medication room. I've been a nurse for twenty-five years and have intermittently heard stories about nurses who got canned for dipping into the cookie jar. This recent situation was shocking not just because of the number involved in such close proximity, but more so for the fact that a)they weren't fired, b)they weren't prosecuted, and, most shocking of all, c)the union intervened on their behalf, arguing that what happened was evidence of a treatable illness which the employee could not be fired or prosecuted for and was entitled to receive treatment for, naturally at the employer's expense. I remember working at another hospital twenty years ago, this time in New Jersey, where the nurses were also represented by SEIU. However, when I started there I remember us getting a lecture in orientation from the director of security to the effect that if any hospital employee was caught stealing narcotics, not only would the hospital fire them, it would also help with their criminal prosecution. The response I remember from the people in that room was shock and disgust that any of our nursing peers would even think of doing such a thing. Now I read in our latest contract that employer paid drug treatment and supervised reintroduction into the workplace is the expected response. The union is now going to hold a series of meetings for union members to discuss "disciplinary issues." The feeling seems to be that management is too punitive. I don't know where this attitude comes from. I already feel like I work with an expanding group of marginal employees who are immune to termination despite poor attendance, job nonperformance, etc. It seems futile to go to management because the union really seems to have them by the gonads. The only question I have is would any of these union representatives want to be cared for by stoned, drug stealing nurses?

[bd476]

Catmom, I took the liberty of inserting some paragraphs into your very interesting and important post to make it easier to read. Hope you don't mind.

FYI paragraph code = < p > without the spaces on either side of the p.

********** I work at a busy hospital in the Seattle area. Like most hospitals on the West Coast, its nurses (like me) belong to unions. Usually that union is the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). I have been with my present employer for six years and opted to join the union when I was hired; we are not a closed shop.

The end of last year three nurses left their jobs (2 fired and 1 resigned) all for stealing narcotics from the medication room.

I've been a nurse for twenty-five years and have intermittently heard stories about nurses who got canned for dipping into the cookie jar.

This recent situation was shocking not just because of the number involved in such close proximity, but more so for the fact that a)they weren't fired, b)they weren't prosecuted, and, most shocking of all, c)the union intervened on their behalf, arguing that what happened was evidence of a treatable illness which the employee could not be fired or prosecuted for and was entitled to receive treatment for, naturally at the employer's expense.

I remember working at another hospital twenty years ago, this time in New Jersey, where the nurses were also represented by SEIU.

However, when I started there I remember us getting a lecture in orientation from the director of security to the effect that if any hospital employee was caught stealing narcotics, not only would the hospital fire them, it would also help with their criminal prosecution. The response I remember from the people in that room was shock and disgust that any of our nursing peers would even think of doing such a thing.

Now I read in our latest contract that employer paid drug treatment and supervised reintroduction into the workplace is the expected response.

The union is now going to hold a series of meetings for union members to discuss "disciplinary issues." The feeling seems to be that management is too punitive. I don't know where this attitude comes from.

I already feel like I work with an expanding group of marginal employees who are immune to termination despite poor attendance, job nonperformance, etc. It seems futile to go to management because the union really seems to have them by the gonads.

The only question I have is would any of these union representatives want to be cared for by stoned, drug stealing nurses?

[Catmom]

Thanks for the help!

[johniegrad]

There may another route for redress. In Minnesota, this goes beyond an employer-employee issue. This is an issue for licensure. There would be two routes to address this in Minnesota.

The first would be through the Minnesota Board of Nursing, the agency that issues the licenses. This would be a mandatory reporting incident to that Board who would then review the case and decide whether it met the threshold for revocation of the nurses' licenses.

The second avenue in Minnesota would be an agency called the Health Professionals Service Program. This is a way to report professionals to a state agency without going to the licensing boards. A typical case would be a nurse who was thought to have a substance abuse problem that may impact patient care. In this example, it is mandatory that anyone with knowledge of this situation report it to the HPSP. The report is handled anonymously and the case is reviewed. If the case has merit, the HPSP outlines a treatment plan for the individual and only reports it to the state licensing board for licensure revocation if the individual fails to follow through on the treatment plan.

Narcotic theft should be a serious issues between employer and employee. However, these people should probably either be in treatment and monitored by a licensing agency or have their licenses revoked.

I would be very suprised if Washington does not have such an arrangement. In fact, you may be violating a mandatory reporting requirement if you don't look into this.

[Catmom]

Thanks for the input. I will be calling the Washington State Department of Health about this. They're responsible for all licensure issues in my state.
As far as I know, the hospital SHOULD report all nurses fired for narcotics related issues. I've been checking the names of the nurses involved on their web site and don't see that any action has been taken yet.

[bd476]

Catmom, it's my pleasure to help someone who is employed in a health care profession.

There are two parts of your written experience which seem to contradict each other:

Cat mom said: "The end of last year three nurses left their jobs (2 fired and 1 resigned) all for stealing narcotics from the medication room."

and

"This recent situation was shocking not just because of the number involved in such close proximity, but more so for the fact that a)they weren't fired..."

If the thieves were fired, that is appropriate, but if they weren't fired, is your employer and union sanctioning theft?

If so, then it would follow that other employees would feel entitled to restock their personal home blanket, towels, pens, clipboards, first aid kits and bathroom tissue inventories, all commodities which are currently over-charged on patients' bills.

Your post is very important and timely. There are reports of a severe nursing shortage nationwide. Nurses shifts in many cases have been extended to 12 hour shifts.

Patient care is limited to what hospital corporations say is affordable and in some States, what is considered legal with regards to vocational nurses, nurse aids and volunteers assisting in patient care.

Addicted nurses and doctors often pose a far worse hazard to patients than the illnesses and conditions they are treating.

Otherwise healthy folks often seem oblivious to the current state of work negotiations within medical institutions, but it's a fast splash of cold water when either they or their loved ones are finally introduced to the state of modern health care.

Best wishes, and I'll say a prayer that you keep the faith and hang in there.

[CDHart]

I think we have the ADA to thank for this. The fine print in the ADA regs basically says that you can't fire someone for consistently being late, or for cussing out the boss or for lying down on the job, because these actions are signs of a "personality disorder" that the employee can't control. So you're supposed to keep the employee and try to rehab him. The world has become a lunatic asylum and the lunatics are in charge.

Carolyn

[Catmom]

Here's some clarification on the three nurses. One was fired after going into drug rehab, coming back to work, and then attempting (again) to steal drugs. He even told one of the charge nurses it was all he could do to resist the urge to suck narcotics out of a patient's pain medication pump. A second resigned after going through drug rehab but didn't return to work. A third was fired for multiple, ongoing problems that all seemed to revolve around narcotics in one form or another. I discussed this situation with one of the hospital pharmacists who told me that drug diversion (stealing) had been widespread on the floor where all three worked. This has been the worst situation relating to narcotics I have seen in a quarter century of nursing practice.

[FarmerW]

As a worker in the healthcare field also, I have a few possibles to toss out on this. Perhaps, they weren't fired straight off because they weren't caught red-handed, so to speak. High suspicions and probability might have led the employer to confront and deal with the employees, Go to rehab now and we will take you back. To fire someone for narcotic theft and report against their state license is going to take a much higher degree of proof.

I would think the hospital opted to act sooner without a smoking gun, so to speak, for safety reasons. This did result in what appeared to be a more lax approach, but perhaps if all facts were known, they made what could be a rational choice. Also when an employee returns from drug rehab they can be put on a stricter monitoring and firing because much easier, if it is needed.

[Solamente]

I'm one of those rare individuals who get copies of my medical records.

After an operation a few years back at Mt. Sinai(NYC,) they had me down for more doses of fentanyl than I actually recieved. If anyone did the math, it was more than enough to kill me! What I did get I was OD'ing on! They kept reminding me to breathe, and I was so ripped that I didn't feel like it!

[chainsaw]

The only question I have is would any of these union representatives want to be cared for by stoned, drug stealing nurses?

Yep. Just think of the law suit against the hospital for allowing that to happen.

[Cagey]

The response I remember from the people in that room was shock and disgust that any of our nursing peers would even think of doing such a thing.

I read your vanity with much interest as my wife is an RN here in New Jersey and she came upon a very serious narcotic theft situation a little over a year ago. The disgust you mention was the exact emotion she felt when she discovered some of the meds missing from a locked cabinet at a Children's CP center. It was beyond her imagination that a fellow nurse could commit such an act. Not that she believes all nurses are honest, but she trusted the people she worked with and she felt betrayed.

She knew she had to turn this nurse in and she did. After a thorough investigation the nurse was dismissed and I hope this woman did get the treatment she needed.

I can understand your total disgust with the union's position. Believe me, I can.

[cbkaty]

fentanyl

Brand name Sublimaze...as I recall... The bane of the weak healthcare worker.. Sadly this problem is more pronounced than the industry wishes to admit....

[Arpege92]

My mother-in-law used to be a nurse and she told me stories about other nurses helping themselves to pain medication....that was over thirty years ago. I imagine it's very difficult to know and keep up with every pill and shot.

[Cagey]

I imagine it's very difficult to know and keep up with every pill and shot.

Not always, if procedures are followed, but in the case I described it was a liquid narcotic and water was added to disguise the missing fluid. So yes, I imagine there are ways to beat the system temporarily but time has a way of catching up. And of course, most can not completely hide the fact that they are "high" for too long or the patients are showing symptoms being under-medicated.

[Arpege92]

Perhaps you are right. I didn't think of that....good thing I'm not in charge of the med's!

[standing united]

You will not have to worry about it long. Wait until a Nurse does something to a patient while high on stolen narcotics and the patient dies.

If no one wants to be treated at your hospital, then that hospital will simply go out of business, end of union.

I live by a hospital that right now has the longest running stike in the US, and the nurses just voted to stop their representation by the union.

[Cagey]

....good thing I'm not in charge of the med's!

I'm glad I'm not in charge of meds also. I have trouble remembering where I left my glasses.

[BipolarBob]

1.Problem #1 The unions are legally obligated to represent someone who is discharged/discipline for whatever reason to protect themselves from litigation. How hard they try is up to them.

2. Problem#2 Is shortage of trained nurses. It's cheaper to attempt to rehabilitate personnel than going through the hiring process and possibility of re-hiring the same nurse back if they are successful in court/arbitration.