Nurse sacked & taken to court for stealing pain relief for a headache

[Poppedmytyreffs]

As above. What are your thoughts? Will try to post a link now

What was the pain relief? Something over the counter, something behind the counter or POM?

It depends what the medication was. We used to be able to get a couple of paracetamol, but that was decades ago.

Co-codamol apparently

www.thesun.co.uk/news/20827075/nurse-sacked-stealing-medication-francesca-morgan/

Its not ideal.

If you let someone take some paracetamol, where is the line?

She would have known you cant take medication from stock.

It's a big no no.

Seems overly harsh to me and even more so to have it in the news!! Poor girl

From the hospital pharmacy.

Hospitals are incredibly strict, or at least are supposed to be, on what drugs pass through the pharmacy. It’s a very minor offence but if they let it go, what’s next, some fentanyl disappears, or no one is sure if two doses of a drug were sent for a patient and possibly administered.

Anyone working in a hospital knows you can’t just dip into the pharmacy on a whim.

Sad that she’s lost her job over something that was probably on sale in the shop or a colleague would have had in their bag or locker.

I wouldn't take co-codamol for a headache.

It really depends what the medication was.

Hmm. You wouldn't take co-codamol for a headache. I suspect there is more to this.

It wasn't just the two tablets that had gone missing, though - she was caught on camera when they were already conducting a criminal investigation into missing medication.

I can see why they followed through with the rules on this. I feel sorry for her but they can't have staff helping themselves.

I think hospitals really have to maintain zero tolerance on this. And probably need to make an example of her, to deter others

Disclaimer - no experience of this working environment.

I would say it has to be all or nothing, otherwise where do you draw the line? You can't have a situation where people can help themselves to potentially addictive drugs, drugs with a high street value and so on.

Sounds like a warning would have sufficed. There is more to this.

Why wouldn't you take co-codamol for a headache? I do.

I think its OK for anyone stealing prescription medication to lose their job and be prosecuted.

Cocodamol seems quite extreme for a headache too.

I've been prescribed it for headache

There has to be a zero tolerance on this, I find it hard to believe she wasn't aware. I wonder if that's the whole story

’suffering from headaches at work’ makes it sound like this wasn’t a one off. I could just about understand if she suddenly developed a headache mid shift and it was either take them or go home sick leaving the ward short staffed but if it was as ongoing thing she should have had medication with her. Sounds like there’s more to it to me.

I can see why nurses need to be beyond reproach when it comes to medication, so I don’t think it’s outrageous to fire her. I do feel sympathy for her, though.

She really wouldn't have been sacked for an isolated incident of taking two painkillers. I once worked with a nurse who was struck off, it's a massive ordeal for all the staff involved and isn't done lightly.

It is a sackable offence, even if it's just paracetamol, so if they are looking for ways to get rid of somebody, this makes it easy.

It's either pharmacy only or POM.

So no not harsh.

If it was a couple of paracetamol or at painkiller you can pick up on anywhere from Poundland to a supermarket to a corner shop it would be.

Or any

There was medication going missing in worrying quantities over a period of time.

The trust implemented secret tablet counts twice a day and installed covert filming. She was caught taking medication on more than one occasion.

Trusts don't do that for two paracetamol.

It's well known as a disciplinary matter taking medication from patient supplies (things were more lax 20+ years ago re a couple of ibuprofen or paracetamol for staff but not for a long time). No HCP would think it's ok to take anything from the drugs cupboard so not only theft but in breach of the NMC code of conduct and also her response to the allegations when caught could influence the route taken.