Can we report someone stealing medication?
Hi:
If you know that someone is stealing pain medication then it is important to do something to change the situation. Your Dad can ask for another nurse to visit his home if he does not want to directly address the issue. He may think of another approach if you speak with him. It is most important to be sure that your Stepmother is getting the right amount of medication and not missing her pain medication treatments.
All the best
Dan Tobin
I am a Hospice CNA and see this all the time. If not the nurse then a caregiver who swears it is the nurse or a family member.It never turns out good. Call the agency and ask that another nurse take the case.You don't have to say why and if they insist tell them you will call in another agency to care for your step-mother if they don't honor your wishes. There are many Hospice agencies out there and all will welcome your family member. Having someone who steals the drugs will also lie about taking them and much much more. Just to give you an example, I found one of our nurses asleep at a stop sign with her foot on the brake, car still running. She had called the office about 20 minutes earlier stating she was headed to another patients house and would arrive in 5 minutes.The office sent me to see if I could find her because I was in the area. She didn't answer her phone because she was high on Ativan stolen from her last patient. Would you want your family member cared for by someone so wacked out on stolen anxiety meds, they fall asleep at a stop sign? Please tell someone or request a new nurse.
I have been a CNA for 20 years now, and I have seen my share of misuse of patient's medications by nurses. I have worked in hospitals, and in home health & hospice. One thing family members need to be aware of is that just because a nurse has a license does not mean that they are immune to stealing patient's medications. I've seen nurses steal for themselves, and even steal for someone else like their spouse. If the family does not report the problem then the problem does not get fixed. And, not ordering any more pain medicines for your Stepmother is not the answer. You claim she does not take them. But like Dr. Tolbin said in a previous answer, "It is most important to be sure that your Stepmother is getting the right amount of medication and not missing her pain medication treatments" It has been my experience that alot of older patients especially those with dementia or Alzheimer issues do not always ask for pain medicines even if they need it. Doctor's prescribe these medicines knowing that they should be taken as prescribed. If your Stepmother has chronic pain issues, she should be given these medicines whether or not she ask for them. Maybe what you can do is tell the nurse you as a family member has decided to take over the counting, administering, etc. yourself. You as the family have every right to do so without question. It is your right. But it does sound like your Stepmother needs these medicines for whatever reason her doctor feels she needs them, and it sounds like she is not getting them at all. If she were to get them as prescribed you might notice a great improvement in her quality of life. Improvements in her movements, and improvements in her mood. We all tend to be in a better mood when we do not have some nagging pain issues. And, always remember just like the other letter says, you can always call the agency and tell them you are requesting a different nurse. You can always tell them the truth in what you are suspecting or you can just say its personal reasons. You are the family, you have many rights as the family. Your Stepmother relies on her family to make sure she is getting the best care.
I have a zero tolerance for a thieving nurse/cna. If someone is stealing, reagardless of supplies or meds, that person needs to be replaced. Trying to talk to them or any other staff does not work, because everyone denies it, or denies knowing about it. A few may share a concern about missing supplies or meds, but for the most part, that is far and few between, because the other nurses do not want to "snitch". (from my experience).
Any agency who does not replace a nurse via request and tries to impose unwanted staff on you is simply all about the money. Bottom line. And anyone who has that mindset, doesn't really care at all about the person you care about.
If you know who it is, replace that person ASAP. Been there. Done that.
If a caregiver (or nurse)is stealing pain meds you DON'T call her employer. You call the police!
