BC nurse reprimanded, suspended for diverting narcotics from their workplace

A BC nurse has been handed a one-week suspension and public reprimand after taking narcotics from their workplace and falsifying medical records to cover it up.

The issues happened between December 2022 and February 2023.

On Tuesday, the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BBCNM) published a consent agreement with the unnamed nurse.

According to a summary of the agreement, the nurse has a “history” with narcotic diversion and regulatory intervention for the issue.

Additionally, the BBCNM said the nurse has been diagnosed with and admitted to a “ disability with a causal relationship to the practice issues.”

“The falsification of the medical re​cord left the impression that patients were requiring more prn (as needed) narcotic medication than what was actually administered, a practice that potentially could have resulted in patient harm,” the summary said.

In addition to the suspension and reprimand, the nurse will be required to enroll in a medical monitoring agreement for 36 months with regular reports of compliance.

Additionally, the nurse will have a limit on access to and handling of narcotics and other controlled substances.

They will also be limited to not acting as the nurse-in-charge, working night shifts, having supervision over students or being involved with the orientation of new staff for six months.

They will not be able to work overtime for a year and will need to follow any return-to-work plan implemented by their employer.

“The Inquiry Committee is satisfied that the terms will protect the public,” the summary said.