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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Not to trust the police investigation regarding this nurse?

27 replies

dancingmustard · 02/12/2011 23:55

How can they sack her if the charges against her were dropped?

I'm hoping it was just for using the medication for the throat infection.

Am I just being an arse an a cynic?

link

OP posts:
Kladdkaka · 02/12/2011 23:57

Because she admitted stealing from her employer.

Kayano · 02/12/2011 23:59

Because she admitted stealing medicine and drugs for her own use

AgentZigzag · 03/12/2011 00:03

They don't say what drug she stole, but whatever it is you don't want someone prone to nicking opiate based drugs working in a hospital.

Shipman had a really serious drug habit, not something that should be let go.

squeakytoy · 03/12/2011 00:03

I would have thought it fairly obvious. Stealing from your employer is gross misconduct, and she admitted doing it. Even without the other stuff, that alone is a sackable offence.

Original poster
dancingmustard · 03/12/2011 00:06

I can see where this is going.
Note to self.
Stop knocking the booze down before reading BBC news.

OP posts:
Kayano · 03/12/2011 00:07

Jealous Sad

AgentZigzag · 03/12/2011 00:09

How did she get hold of them though? I thought drugs were strictly controlled in hospitals?

Kayano · 03/12/2011 00:11

Well if Dr House can get stupid amounts of Valium and have a full blown addiction I'm sure there are sneaky ways people cas steal meds

obv I have no idea

squeakytoy · 03/12/2011 00:12

She was a nurse so presumably had much easier access to the drugs than most. Or she could have just not distributed the ones she should have done to the patient..

AgentZigzag · 03/12/2011 00:13

What are you jealous about Kay?

That the OP's got booze, or the opiates?

Kayano · 03/12/2011 00:15

Op and booze

(pregnant and jealous)

Kayano · 03/12/2011 00:16

And sorry House took Vicodin didn't he fail

Original poster
dancingmustard · 03/12/2011 00:16

I haven't got opiates :)

But the xmas wine has gone and I have to buy it again Blush

OP posts:
randommoment · 03/12/2011 00:20

You're not alone re the Christmas wine bit...

Original poster
dancingmustard · 03/12/2011 00:22

If I open the tin of quality street do you think anyone will check them before crimbo eve :)

OP posts:
BackPackBackPack · 03/12/2011 00:22

When I was in hospital last week it took it two nurses to sign my pain relief (morphine) out. So how did the nurse get the opiates?

BadDayAtTheOrifice · 03/12/2011 00:48

Dihydrocodeine is an opiate based drug but is not controlled so anyone could help themselves if they wanted. They're a bit stronger than paracetamol and no big deal IMO. I wonder how many other nurses may have popped a paracetamol for a headache when they're at work?

LoveBeingFullOfChristmasCheet · 03/12/2011 00:52

To sack an employee they do not need to have been convicted or even arrested.

LordOfTheFlies · 03/12/2011 01:09

It is possible for someone to only inject half a syringe full, put it back in the kidney dish and keep the rest.

The risk of cross contamination would be minimal with a new needle (and is someone is desperate enough).
How many people watch their injection being given?

Kayano don't be jealous.So much nicer to have a baby bump than a bottle of vino. And no hangover either Xmas Grin

missingmumxox · 03/12/2011 03:14

It is extremely easy to steal opiates in hospital, and I spent 10 years bellyaching about it, but to be honest never actually...thought someone might actually do it, but by the same token it is this moment know I think? why the hell haven't i gone to a higher authority?? PS I don't know the facts of this case, I am guessing and double PS I haven't been a ward nurse for 11 years, so I may be totally out of date.
but whilst giveing opiates is strickly controlled as in 2 nurses check and give, so the idea of only giving a half dose doesn't wash as someone should be there and if they wheren't I feel a lot of other disaplinaries are on the books in this hospital...disposal isn't! so a pt dies, or the drug gos out of date whilst being given to a pt which is after 24hrs if memory serves me right?, you just unhook everything and throw it away, only 1 trust out of the 4 I have worked for in ICU/theatre/ward/student had a policy on opiates being written up at the back of the CD book on disposal, the rest you just throw it in the sharpes bin,no witnesses, nothing, and the nature of the beast is most patients started on morphine at a highish dose IV for a life limited condition don't last long, my Mum was 50 mins and Dad 3 hours...
I would be interested to know if these pt's who died where on opitates.
I have to say until today I was on her side as she was Jnr Sister so the only evidence was her finger prints on most of the bags was pretty normal IMO as she would have been the easiest person to get to check and you have to handle bags of fluid to check them.

missingmumxox · 03/12/2011 03:29

sorry about the spelling, and punctuation I am dyslexic, I have a note and everything.
I was so cross on the disposal, I used to make people double check my disposal in the pt notes, which used to annoy some staff, but not many and a few followed my lead
I also had a friend who was a dr involved in a case of another doctor who got off with stealing controlled drugs by the GMC, as doctors for some reason didn't have to have a witness (before Shipman) at that time, he claimed he was so over worked he resorted to stealing drugs to keep going, my friend who worked with him was livid as this doctor used to guilt other doctors into giving him their on call shifts, calming he had a massive debt so could he work their shift?

wideawakenurse · 03/12/2011 07:47

Agree she was stupid to steal drugs, whether its was opiods or paracetamol.

Yes, its easy to do but just not worth the risk. She could have been struck off by the NMC as well.

x2boys · 03/12/2011 09:30

well as a nurse you would nt be able to nick controlled drugs as they all have to be accounted for in the controlled drug book and two nurses have to sign for them but tramodol which i think she took is nt controlled [not in my trust anyway]so it would be easy to slip a couple into her pocket as nobody checks exactly how much there should be alot of benzodiazepines[ie diazepam] are nt controlled either i do think she has been scapegoated though.

AgentZigzag · 03/12/2011 11:09

IMO nurses and doctors have to be whiter than white x2boys, at least in the eyes of the public.

Nobody wants to be at the mercy of a dishonest nurse who thinks it's acceptable to steal drugs from the hospital or patients.

She wasn't scapegoated at all, it doesn't matter which drug it was, I wouldn't want her looking after a vulnerable relative of mine.

Does anyone know whether she wasn't charged because she didn't do it or because there wasn't enough evidence to charge her with?

Adversecamber · 03/12/2011 11:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.