THE STRANGE CASE OF NURSES STEALING DRUGS FROM PATIENTS IN VIRGINIA

Imagine for a moment, that you have just undergone surgery and are recovering in the hospital. At this time, you will be in need of painkillers or relaxants to cope with your discomfort and anxiety, but, ultimately, you notice some pills are missing. How could this have happened? According to reports, it is not because the doctor forgot to write a larger prescription. Back in 2014, the News Leader conducted a statewide investigation on medical facilities in Virginia and found that an estimated 900 nurses (publicly disciplined from 2007 to mid-2013) were responsible for stealing and using drugs in the workplace. Let’s take a closer look at the strange case of nurses stealing drugs from patients and see what is being done about it.

Nurses and Drug Addiction

Based on the study from Virginia, the following statistics were drawn up from a series of investigations with nurses, doctors, and other members of the medical field:

• Patients suffering from pain did not receive the correct amount of medication because a nurse was stealing from them.
• Employers have a hard time pinpointing nurses with drug addiction or abuse problems but do not always report these cases to state lawmakers.
• Despite the fact that Virginia employees are required to report addiction problems among nurses, employers do not have to pay fines or account for a failure to report these issues.
• During the time of the study, nurses were not forced to undergo background checks, as health care is not considered a high-risk industry.
• Two-thirds of nurses who enroll in the healthcare worker rehab program do not successfully complete it.

Heavy Monitoring

Back in 1998, healthcare officials intensely lobbied for the inclusion of monitoring in the regular practice, which was ultimately updated by lawmakers in Virginia. Unlike past programs that only treated addiction as an emotional weakness, these new monitoring programs identify that addiction is serious and dangerous if left untreated. Rather than punishing the addicted nurses, officials will require they enroll in rehabilitation programs.

Always remember that drugs do not have control over your life. You do. Are you suffering from a substance use disorder or a severe form of addiction? Do you have a friend or family member suffering from one or more of these debilitating illnesses? If you do, get in touch with Asana Recovery today. Our counselors and healthcare experts are ready to walk you through every step of the detox and withdrawal process and rehabilitation and guide you towards living a happier, healthier, and freer lifestyle. While the road to recovery might not be an easy road to travel, we promise to help you every step of the way. Take the first step to stay fit, healthy, and safe.

The time for you to take back control of your life is now. If you are interested in one of our residential treatment or supervised detoxification/withdrawal programs, we are ready and waiting to speak with you at your disclosure. Call Asana now at (949) 438-4504 to learn how to overcome your drug abuse or addiction troubles today.