Anesthesia blamed for junkie's actions.

[gtb]

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http://www.denverpost.com/ci_15782528

Lesson learned. Secure your meds, even at private hospitals.

 

[IlDestriero]

Our controlled substances are always locked up, and we have an empty drawer in the cart to put all meds in when we leave the room. Our hospital takes this very seriously. No meds are unlocked when we are not in the room, including the cart with the needles and syringes, and the only one who can get into the controlled substance box is the anesthesiologist who checks it out.
We return all controlled meds to the pharmacy. Several years ago, at another hospital, we wasted them ourselves. A post op nurse would go into the sharps boxes to get the waste out to use it.
Now I just mix it with vec. Problem solved.

 

[midazme]

we had a patient steal syringes in the ED, and injected herself with them in the bathroom. the only problem was that she thought succinylcholine was a narcotic. 😱

our pharmacy is pretty on top of it in making sure that we return unused vials and leftovers in labelled syringes. they do QC and randomly mass spec the leftovers to ensure the drug is actually there. i'm blown away by the idea that some places don't have a strict narcotic policy...i know it's expensive, but it seems to be tempting a thief.

 

[notinkansas]

Am I correctly understanding the article in that the nurses who injected themselves with the drug (thus infecting the needle with Hep C) and refilled the syringes with saline were NOT named in malpractice lawsuits, but the anesthesiologists and hospitals were? If so...WTF????

 

[IlDestriero]

Am I correctly understanding the article in that the nurses who injected themselves with the drug (thus infecting the needle with Hep C) and refilled the syringes with saline were NOT named in malpractice lawsuits, but the anesthesiologists and hospitals were? If so...WTF????

What's the unemployable junkie going to give you? A 5 year old Honda Accord? Title to a condo in forclosure?
You can sue them, but what's the point?

 

[pgg]

our pharmacy is pretty on top of it in making sure that we return unused vials and leftovers in labelled syringes. they do QC and randomly mass spec the leftovers to ensure the drug is actually there. i'm blown away by the idea that some places don't have a strict narcotic policy...i know it's expensive, but it seems to be tempting a thief.

I don't see the point. Diversion is too easy within our field. We should just accept the absurdity and futility of pretending that "documenting waste" or mass spec'ing returns either deters diversion or catches abusers except by accident.

Every single one of us is smart enough to steal drugs and make the numbers on the record add up. Abusing anesthesiologists don't get caught by the pharmacy gestapo checking records. They get caught because they're dead, or obviously impaired, or because they seek help.

I curse every second I spend documenting narcotics.

Users gonna use. Nothing to be done except aggressive education, prevention, and non-punitive rehab for those that seek help before a patient is harmed.