Verified Document

Nurse Drug Theft In Hospitals Term Paper

They can reveal how many overworked and under-trained nurses kill and injure thousands of patients every year because hospitals sacrifice safety for not tracking their own medical errors. Statistics showed that only 14 States track these errors and hospitals in most States were not required to offer information on accidental deaths or injuries, not even to the families of the victims. Public custom databases, such as the Food and Drug Administration or FDA and the Health Care Financing Administration, tracked reports of a range of these medical errors and neglect from defibrillators to pacemakers, and from sutures to skin grafts. These incidents included thousands of patients accidentally overdosed because nurses typed the wrong dosage; did not hear the warning alarm on patients on life-saving machinery; patients' heads trapped in bed rails or strangled by post-surgical restraints (Berens). The Chicago-based National Council of State Boards of Nursing computerizes disciplinary actions against erring nurses in all States and U.S. territories (Berens 2001). But this private, non-profit group at first refused to share its information with the public. But with prodding by Tribune attorneys, an Illinois licensing agency showed its database, which contained the nurses' names and dates of violations. These violations ranged from drug trafficking and money laundering to welfare fraud, theft and burglary. The trends in approaching these violations have included the withholding of embarrassing details from public files if the offending nurses did not contest punishment; investigators never pulling a medical file or interviewing injured or affected patients; and erring nurses continuing to practice before any disciplinary action was taken against them. They were simply allowed to move to other...

The media sounded the alarm about hospital management and patient care. The governor of Illinois met with a big group of health care professionals to elicit their recommendations for legislative changes and new licensing and disciplinary strategies for greater protection of the public. And many big nursing organizations took serious notice of the findings and rallied for the recognition of this nursing crisis, which the public still has to make (Berens).
A hospital nurse who is caught stealing drugs, intended for cancer patients or patients of any kind of illness, for her own use should be immediately dismissed and then prosecuted. If she has become a drug abuser, she should also be committed to rehabilitation. But the proper authorities should take note of the length of time she has been stealing and the probable victims of her theft. This information should be carefully and immediately noted and work on and the victims appropriately treated, if injured, and the family informed and compensated, if the patient died as a consequence. But the information should not be withheld as private or confidential by the hospital.

Bibliography

Associated Press (2006). Former nurse convicted of drug theft. 1 page. Boston.com:the New

York Times Company

Berens, M.J. (2001). Medical errors. 3 pages. The IRE Journal: Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc.

Cuomo, a.M. (2001). Nurse admits to narcotic theft at Long Island Hospital. 2 pages. Office fo the New York State Attorney-General: New York State

Hart, S. (2006). Nurse admits stealing powerful drugs. 2 pages. Herald on Sunday:

NZHerald.co.nz

Miletic, D. (2005). Nurse admits drug theft. 3 pages. Fairfax Digital: theage.com.au

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

Associated Press (2006). Former nurse convicted of drug theft. 1 page. Boston.com:the New

York Times Company

Berens, M.J. (2001). Medical errors. 3 pages. The IRE Journal: Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc.

Cuomo, a.M. (2001). Nurse admits to narcotic theft at Long Island Hospital. 2 pages. Office fo the New York State Attorney-General: New York State
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Substance Abuse in Nursing Puts
Words: 3961 Length: 13 Document Type: Research Proposal

This site contains no information directly related to the problem of substance abuse within the profession. The industry related information on the workplace environment is geared towards serving the nursing professional, and especially protecting their rights in the various nursing workplace settings. It begs the question of why, when substance abuse is a problem in the profession, the site offers no resources to the nursing professional as to where they

Mckesson EHR and Its Implementation in Hospital Setting
Words: 4285 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

Advance Information Management and the Application of Technology In this modern age, the incorporation of information technology (IT) with the health care system is important. With the need of quality care within the industry, there is great significance in many institutions about the execution of electronic health record (EHRs) and information support systems. The use of registries and IT support systems will enable the community hospital to monitor and track patients

Reading Improvement of Third Grade Students
Words: 6946 Length: 25 Document Type: Term Paper

Reading Improvement in Third Grade Students Applied Dissertation Proposal for the Degree of Doctor of Education Making resources available to the third grade students and teachers lends itself to the appropriate data, types of instruments, and instructional strategies used to enhance education. Wilson School leaders are getting acquainted with reading resources that are beneficial in order to provide teachers with test data, reading instruments, and specific strategies to assist them in raising

Professional Regulation and Criminal Liability
Words: 1944 Length: 6 Document Type: Thesis

Via stipulated agreement, a licensee who faces disciplinary action has the right to negotiate a settlement. Such a settlement is also subject to the Board vote, and may be approved or denied as a result. When disagreeing with the outcome of the disciplinary hearing, the licensee may also appeal to have the Board's decision overthrown. However, if the accused believes that the charges are valid, he or she may also

Trafficking of Human Tissue
Words: 580 Length: 2 Document Type: Research Paper

Human Tissue Trafficking Human Tissue Tracking: A Literature Review Recent developments in the medical field have seen a substantial increase in the need for continuous nursing studies with the intention of enhancing the quality of healthcare provided to patients. Various studies have concentrated on the effective behaviors adoptable to ensure the provision of quality nursing care to patients. However, a report released recently by the American Medical Association showed that most of

RFID System for Patient Tracking
Words: 3588 Length: 12 Document Type: Literature Review

There are various applications of the RFID technology in the healthcare. These are explored by a HIBCC,(2006 ) report that studies the application of the RFID technology in the healthcare setting with emphasis on its benefits, limitations as well as recommendations The report categorically pointed out that that the applications of the RFID technology in the health care settings are numerous. They range from being used in the management of

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now