I am a Licensed practical nurse charged with possesion of xanax

[saomets]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

basically i am a nurse in a nursing home im 22 with no criminal background and this is my first offense. Last friday was dress down day and i wore my jeans to work...I worked the hall where a patient recieves xanax at 10pm when i wen to give her the medication she was busy with being cleaned by the cna so like i was thought in school to keep the narcotic on you because you are responsible. I put the pill into a pill crusher bag and stapled it so it does not get loss and put it into my jean pocket. I moved on to the next patient and gave medication out. Unfortunally i forgot to go back to the patient and give her the medication. I went home threw jeans into the closet and went on with life. Last nite i went to universal for holloween horror night and i set off the metal detection. not knowing the pill was in my pocket i emptied it out and also emptied out my nursing scissors..i was immediately sent backstage and booked for possesion. This happen last night have no clue what to do and i really want to get this case to get dismiss or something with no charges of a felony.. what should i do?

[saomets]

beside gettin a lawyer is there any chance i can get this thrown away or dismiss by judge?

[wyett717]

You are not telling the truth. You are in trouble, and no one here is going to help you lie your way out of it.

[CJane]

You were actually taught, in nursing school, to keep narcotics in your pocket along with your scissors?

Does your supervisor know you're keeping medications in your pocket and then forgetting to give them to patients?

[ariastar]

Drugs go back into the locked med cart, NOT into your pocket. And how on earth did your nursing scissors stay in your pocket through being thrown around in the closet? How would you not have felt them when putting them back on? You put them in your pocket before going out last night.

I've never heard of a geriatrics facility that allows its nurses to wear regular street clothes. Part of the reason for scrubs is to help easily identify the staff. If an emergency happens, residents' families shouldn't be running around wondering who is a nurse and who is a visitor. This is a safety issue.

Also, after giving a patient a med, you chart it. You marked her drug as received, otherwise the next nurse would have wondered why the little box for this woman's PM med wasn't initialed.

Look, you're in trouble regardless. There are too many loopholes in your story, and you admit to forgetting to give a resident her medication because you stuck it in your pocket. I want to believe you. I'm the daughter of a woman who's been a geriatrics nurse longer than you've been alive, and I'm sympathetic, very much so, to nurses in this particular field who are so often under-appreciated. But your story sends up too many red flags.

You'll be entitled to a public defender if charges are brought, and that PD will probably suggest a plea. What you admit to is enough to result in you losing your license at least temporarily. Don't be surprised if you are ordered into drug rehab. You work with narcotics, stole one (whether on purpose or you are telling the truth and it was a stupid accident), and there will be understandable concern about it happening again.

[CJane]

Originally Posted by ariastar

I'm the daughter of a woman who's been a geriatrics nurse longer than you've been alive, and I'm sympathetic, very much so, to nurses in this particular field who are so often under-appreciated.

Yup. Two of my sisters are nurses in long term care homes - one is an LPN and one is an RN (and the director of nursing). I know that NEITHER of them would believe this story for even a second.

[cyjeff]

Many businesses are having "jeans" days for Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Having said that, I also do not believe the story for an instant.

One of two things happened... one, you knowingly stole the medication of one of your patients or two, you unwittingly denied your patient care.

Either way, you are screwed.

[dave33]

You should get a private attorney. You also want him/her to look into some sort of diversion program. In other words when you finish out-patient re-hab the charge gets dismissed. I suspect if the board of health finds out they will require you to do counseling to keep your license. Although, there maybe several things about your case that a good lawyer can work with. You should consult one a.s.a.p. they may also need to represent you with the board. If you were union that would help alot. goodluck.

[Nicoleasm]

Originally Posted by saomets

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Florida

basically i am a nurse in a nursing home im 22 with no criminal background and this is my first offense. Last friday was dress down day and i wore my jeans to work...I worked the hall where a patient recieves xanax at 10pm when i wen to give her the medication she was busy with being cleaned by the cna so like i was thought in school to keep the narcotic on you because you are responsible. I put the pill into a pill crusher bag and stapled it so it does not get loss and put it into my jean pocket. I moved on to the next patient and gave medication out. Unfortunally i forgot to go back to the patient and give her the medication. I went home threw jeans into the closet and went on with life. Last nite i went to universal for holloween horror night and i set off the metal detection. not knowing the pill was in my pocket i emptied it out and also emptied out my nursing scissors..i was immediately sent backstage and booked for possesion. This happen last night have no clue what to do and i really want to get this case to get dismiss or something with no charges of a felony.. what should i do?

I think you have a case, and the fact that it was still in the same spot for a week...who holds 1 pill for a whole week? Get a good lawyer to argue your case if they want to prosecute you...if this hasn't happened to you before, you can probably just be reprimanded. The most you did wrong was storing it in your pocket..thats like a bank teller storing a $100 bill in their back pocket until they are able to take it to the safe...sure, if they didn't spend it, they could make a case on extreme stupidity and being irresponsible, and not following bank procedure. As to which I think you are guilty of...but 1st time, I think you can make it work to your benefit..and Im giving you the benefit of the doubt.

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by Nicoleasm

I think you have a case, and the fact that it was still in the same spot for a week...who holds 1 pill for a whole week? Get a good lawyer to argue your case if they want to prosecute you...if this hasn't happened to you before, you can probably just be reprimanded. The most you did wrong was storing it in your pocket..thats like a bank teller storing a $100 bill in their back pocket until they are able to take it to the safe...sure, if they didn't spend it, they could make a case on extreme stupidity and being irresponsible, and not following bank procedure. As to which I think you are guilty of...but 1st time, I think you can make it work to your benefit..and Im giving you the benefit of the doubt.

If you believe the OP's story, I've got some swampland in Florida that I'd like to chat with you about

...oh, and tellers WILL get fired for even thinking of putting a bill in their pocket.

Your logic is ludicrious.

[IsabellaSoriano]

Originally Posted by Wirelessany1

If you believe the OP's story, I've got some swampland in Florida that I'd like to chat with you about

...oh, and tellers WILL get fired for even thinking of putting a bill in their pocket.

Your logic is ludicrious.

can NOT!! ..i'm going to go get some coffee..i have a feeling a response is about to happen....

[Nicoleasm]

Originally Posted by Wirelessany1

If you believe the OP's story, I've got some swampland in Florida that I'd like to chat with you about

...oh, and tellers WILL get fired for even thinking of putting a bill in their pocket.

Your logic is ludicrious.

It's not ludicrous...of course a teller will get fired...I think the OP would rather have THOSE implications than a felony charge...don't you agree?
It doesn't matter whether I believe her or not...things happen, and I think she could make a good case..as long as she has not been busted for narcotic use before and has had a good work record..I can think of plenty of pharmacists who have gone home with pills in their white coats(by accident)...could they possibly be fired for the mistake?...of course! but they would not have felony charges brought against them..b/c they are not average joes(w/o valid scripts), who have NO reason to have a scheduled med on them...stuff happens...she's in charge of narcotics, she's handled them...and I see the only thing she's guilty of is being stupid and not following procedure...GOOD LUCK OP!

[CJane]

Umm, generally, bank tellers aren't LICENSED by a STATE BOARD.

EVEN IF she's just too stupid to lock up the drugs, and is too stupid to notice that she has a pill and metal scissors in her pocket when she gets dressed, and is too stupid to remember to give patients their meds...

She's gonna lose her license.

[Country Living]

Originally Posted by Nicoleasm

It's not ludicrous...of course a teller will get fired...I think the OP would rather have THOSE implications than a felony charge...don't you agree?
It doesn't matter whether I believe her or not...things happen, and I think she could make a good case..as long as she has not been busted for narcotic use before and has had a good work record..I can think of plenty of pharmacists who have gone home with pills in their white coats(by accident)...could they possibly be fired for the mistake?...of course! but they would not have felony charges brought against them..b/c they are not average joes(w/o valid scripts), who have NO reason to have a scheduled med on them...stuff happens...she's in charge of narcotics, she's handled them...and I see the only thing she's guilty of is being stupid and not following procedure...GOOD LUCK OP!

Nicole - you are out of your league here. There is a high degree of probability OP is going to lose her license unless she is offered a diversion program.

If Nicole chooses to answer, I have to decide between a cold beer and White Zin.

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by Country Living

Nicole - you are out of your league here. There is a high degree of probability OP is going to lose her license unless she is offered a diversion program.

If Nicole chooses to answer, I have to decide between a cold beer and White Zin.

It is only Monday and it is not even 10am yet (Pacific Time). Country, honey, I am down with the White Zin...thank you very much.