On November 16, 2016, we had the privilege of witnessing a Missouri state board of nursing hearings session. It was an eye opening experience. There were several different violations that we were able to see. It gave great insight into just how easy it can be to lose a nursing license. Consequently, of the six cases that we saw, two cases in particular stood out to me.
The first case was a disciplinary hearing. The nurse in question was an RN. The nurse had been practicing as an RN in Arkansas on an expired Missouri license. The case wasn’t quite as simple as practicing with an expired license. The nurse tested positive for Morphine in early January of 2016. At that time, the nurse had been using an expired license for around nine months. …show more content…
The nurse was terminated from their job when they tested positive for Morphine without a prescription. The nurse submitted a request to renew their license. The nurse is currently unable to work as a nurse under their license. Their ability to continue working as a nurse depends on the outcome of this hearing. The nurse stated that they had a standing Hydrocodone prescription for back injuries. Every month the nurse was given thirty Hydrocodone tablets for the pain associated with their injuries. They had become addicted to the Hydrocodone, and it came to a point that the hydrocodone wasn’t helping any longer.
Incidentally the nurse decided to try Morphine to see if that would help alleviate her back pain. The nurse took overages from waste bottles of morphine. The nurse took it under the tongue. They admitted to taking it two to three times from approximately September of 2015 to January of 2016. The nurse has since done inpatient rehab for one month, trauma therapy, and remained sober since January 21, 2016. The nurse now uses exercise or a hot bath to help alleviate back …show more content…
The nurse stated this coworker was a nurses’ aid they had worked with at their former job at a nursing home. This aid had spoken with them before and made it seem like they would be able to get certain drugs if they needed or wanted to. The nurse initiated the conversation with this former coworker and was able to get heroin through them. The nurse was working as a charge nurse at the time. The nurse worked as a charge nurse for two weeks while taking IV heroin. Around the time this two week period was ending the nurse tested positive for heroin. The nurse was terminated from their job at this time. The nurse began treatment in mid-September of 2016. Their clean and sober date is September 13, 2016.
The nurse accepts responsibility for not calling in as they were supposed to, but the nurse stated after relapsing, they felt discouraged and like there was no point in calling in. The nurse states their life, family, and nursing are very important and driving forces to stay sober. After becoming sober again, the nurse felt like they had sabotaged their nursing license. The nurse feels ready to begin nursing
The first case was a disciplinary hearing. The nurse in question was an RN. The nurse had been practicing as an RN in Arkansas on an expired Missouri license. The case wasn’t quite as simple as practicing with an expired license. The nurse tested positive for Morphine in early January of 2016. At that time, the nurse had been using an expired license for around nine months. …show more content…
The nurse was terminated from their job when they tested positive for Morphine without a prescription. The nurse submitted a request to renew their license. The nurse is currently unable to work as a nurse under their license. Their ability to continue working as a nurse depends on the outcome of this hearing. The nurse stated that they had a standing Hydrocodone prescription for back injuries. Every month the nurse was given thirty Hydrocodone tablets for the pain associated with their injuries. They had become addicted to the Hydrocodone, and it came to a point that the hydrocodone wasn’t helping any longer.
Incidentally the nurse decided to try Morphine to see if that would help alleviate her back pain. The nurse took overages from waste bottles of morphine. The nurse took it under the tongue. They admitted to taking it two to three times from approximately September of 2015 to January of 2016. The nurse has since done inpatient rehab for one month, trauma therapy, and remained sober since January 21, 2016. The nurse now uses exercise or a hot bath to help alleviate back …show more content…
The nurse stated this coworker was a nurses’ aid they had worked with at their former job at a nursing home. This aid had spoken with them before and made it seem like they would be able to get certain drugs if they needed or wanted to. The nurse initiated the conversation with this former coworker and was able to get heroin through them. The nurse was working as a charge nurse at the time. The nurse worked as a charge nurse for two weeks while taking IV heroin. Around the time this two week period was ending the nurse tested positive for heroin. The nurse was terminated from their job at this time. The nurse began treatment in mid-September of 2016. Their clean and sober date is September 13, 2016.
The nurse accepts responsibility for not calling in as they were supposed to, but the nurse stated after relapsing, they felt discouraged and like there was no point in calling in. The nurse states their life, family, and nursing are very important and driving forces to stay sober. After becoming sober again, the nurse felt like they had sabotaged their nursing license. The nurse feels ready to begin nursing