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As I posted in an earlier thread I recently worked at an assisted living where the owner is a "doctor shopper" like the article about Freedom House director. Most of the employees think she's just crazy. She comes into the facility, pulls stuff out of the cabinets, scatters it all over the floor, generally creates chaos. The administrator told me to ignore her when she behaves that way. The admin has also worried out loud about the woman seeing 10 different doctors for mepergan, an injectable combo of pain meds. The woman has had 5 operations to remove abscess from her hips from infection from the injections.

She has surgery after surgery so she can get these meds. She has had every tooth in her head pulled one by one. She is now having the implants one by one. She's had every carpal tunnel surgery, back surgery, migraine treatment, tmj, nose job, neck lift, I can go on and on....She slurs her words, can barely hold her head up and is constantly calling people at the facility to pick up her meds for her. (These are the kind you have to sign for.)The administrator is a classic enabler.

The two of them insisted on having a key to my med cart. So. I quit.

earthmama says her "addiction" to food is legal. Guess what, until a couple of years ago, so was doctor shopping.

Now, the facility I'm employed by today wants to start a program of hiring women from an outreach home who have been in prison on drug related charges (non-violent offenders) to come to the facility and work as PCA's for our old people.

My question to you guys is this: If you had your mother in a nursing home and found that the PCAs were all convicted drug abusers and felons, would you be comfortable?
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Great point Vick, in my 14 years as an L.E.O. I have seen many people who are addicted to pills. I have always thought that this type of addiction is one of the most dangerous because it is often over looked and ignored. I am not sure if it is overlooked because of people think it is legal when people have prescriptions or what, but I do know it is a huge problem!

And to answer your question, to allow these type of people to care for the elderly would be a terrible thing, I would report them!

Vick someone needs to put a stop to it.

I saw a girl I went to school with get hooked on a presciption drug and eventually caused her death in her late 20s. Very sad.
Great points! My best friend (sort of, only person who stops by) is the worst, disabled TVA, he has insurance pay for his lorcets and oxys and then sells them! He also buys "good" pills around town from other folks who have insurance pay for the meds and re-sells them. I get around a good bit but have never seen a pill prob like in the shoals, does anyone else see this?
I didn't even know people could do this anymore. I thought when pharmacies hooked up with Insurance companies over meds, it would red flag people who were getting too many pain meds and or other narcotics. Boy, was I wrong!!!

Wonder WHY they don't use their computer systems as a Nation wide tool to make sure this don't and can't happen with ANYONE???
I have been practicing in the Shoals for some time now and I have seen the drug situation in NW Alabama getting worse and worse. Hydrocodone and oxycodone are almost as essential to some folks as bread and water...sometimes more essential. Just when I think I have seen every excuse under the sun, some creative soul comes up with another one. It is very sad because there are for sure many many legitimate needs for the meds. I try to err on the side of caution, but at the same time have to balance it with the potential for legitimate need for relief. I cannot tell you how many times my auxillary staff has been nearly cussed out when the prescription was for Anaprox DS rather than Lorcet 10....then all of a sudden they forgot to tell us they cannot take NSAIDS.

There is a system that has recently gone into place that tracks all controlled substance prescriptions in the state and I believe it is real time entry for most folks now. This is administered by the state. I have never been a fan of big brother looking over your shoulder, but I do believe this will help keep some folks from making a 'pill tour' across the state or for that matter across town.

To answer vick's original question...I believe this should be disclosed to the patients and their families, but I am sure it will not be. They may not have keys to the drug cabinet, but statistically some of them will clean it out over time.

Dr. XYZ
quote:
osted 09 December 2007 09:15 AM Hide Post
Vick,

Pardon me, as a newcomer, but the suggested employees would have drug supply connections and might be a conduit for drugs to the owner.

Appears you have a dilemma at best!



Let me clarify: the owner/administrator was over the last facility I worked for.

Now, I'm working for a mega church related facility in Birmingham. Our cna's are, shall we say, unmotivated. So that administrator had the great idea to go to a halfway house for women who have been in prison for non-violent, mostly drug related charges and "sponsor" them. They will come to our facility by bus, be picked up by bus to return to the halfway house. In the meantime they are to be pca's for our old people. They are to be treated like employees - unsupervised breaks, lunch breaks, etc.

They will be with our cna's (with lots of contacts with less than stellar friends) all day.

I am appalled that we're putting people who knowingly broke the law for drugs back in this setting. Many of these were nurses before. Apparently they got caught that time. Now, would you want your parent being cared for by these people? In their rooms, with their belongings, etc....
It's dilemma for sure.

If, as you state, this facility is run by a church then it seems that such a program is perfectly in line with Christian teachings. God won't turn you away because you have sinned in the past. It seems that this program is merely putting that idea into practice.

Is there a risk? Of course. But then there is always a risk.

Christ reached out to many like the women you mention. He believed in them when others would not. He offered love and trust where others offered only distrust and disdain.
Tac made my point. I work with the CNAs we have now and seriously a lot of them are probably doing worse than these women have done. But, I don't KNOW that. With these women, I do know it. I'm wavering on both sides. On one hand, I would love to think they're screened and ready to get themselves together and love these old people. On the other hand.....
quote:
osted 09 December 2007 04:34 PM Hide Post
Vick, I'm a firm believer in giving people a second chance. These girls might get involved with this program. like it and decide to go to nursing school. Who knows?



Jimbo, most of these were either cna's or nurses before. It's not a question of going to school. It's being able to be licensed again.

And would you be comfortable leaving them alone in a room with your feeble, bed bound mother or father who is confused and cannot communicate with the staff?
No,No,No, I don't want convicted drug users caring for me or my family members. They may have dried out, but they have not been clean long enough to be creditable. Putting people like that in the health care field is a very risky situation. If they want to work , put them in the laundry or the kitchen, far away from the pills, They will find a way to get their dope if they want it and God only knows how much of the patient's belongings will be stolen to pay for their drugs off campus, if they can not obtain it in-house. Is there not some agency in the State of Alabam that can prevent these felons from being brought back into close contact with defenseless people? I bet they would not be hired back into a hospital setting and be given free run of the house. If the administrator does not want to tell the patient's families about this situation, I don't know what I would not give the story to the local press. Many reporters still protect their sources , any way it would get the word out to folks who need to know.
Many of these were nurses before. Apparently they got caught that time.[QUOTE]
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hey vick, you and i both know how cunning medical personnel addicts can be in obtaining access to drugs..they know every trick in the book..seems it wouldn't be in THEIR best interest, to work them in such an environment..that would be my main concern with addicts..

many of the ones i know, didn't want to be placed back in a medical work environment..most of them have done well with a second chance, in other medical fields, or other careers entirely....
Vick -- you are cold -- you are honest and honesty scares a lot of people. There are some employers that are of the mindset that they can't "not" hire someone because of their addiction becasue that could be deemed "discrimination", but I think that any employer that hires persons with an addiction and allows them free access with little supervision to the very meds they were addicted to is irresponsible. Why would you want to do that to them--put the carrot right in under their nose and tempt them? Why would you want to put your business and your patients at risk by taking on that liability? I think they are employable, yes, but not in a facility where they have that much access and then have direct patient care.

I would be finding another place to put my family member immediately. I think your concerns are very well placed. Thank you for making people aware of the "hidden" dangers they may not be aware are even out there.
The medical personnel May know the tricks to getting what they want but there are also doctors in this area that need to have thier Script abilities taken away. There are some who know "the facts" and still perscribe and see them back in 30 days for their refills. It makes me so frustrated that we allow these glorified drug dealers to practice medicine!
doobie, understand me, I am not talking about the addict's addiction and THEIR health. I'm concerned about having an addict freshly out of prison taking care of my helpless old people alone in their rooms. yeah, yeah, I may have an addict in there that I don't know about right now. But these I DO KNOW about.

My first responsibility is to 80 and 90 year old people who are helpless.
quote:
Originally posted by vick13:
doobie, understand me, I am not talking about the addict's addiction and THEIR health. I'm concerned about having an addict freshly out of prison taking care of my helpless old people alone in their rooms. yeah, yeah, I may have an addict in there that I don't know about right now. But these I DO KNOW about.

My first responsibility is to 80 and 90 year old people who are helpless.


Doobie doesn't get it! Wink
quote:
Originally posted by Howard Rourke:
vick,

The ex-cons will not only be tempted to steal your charges belongings, but their meds, as well. Placing them in such a venue may be too much of a temptation.

I'd hate to be the insurance agent responsible for the home's liability insurance.


Ex-cons? Perhaps you would like to next discuss retards? Sir, all Registered Nurses are vetted by the Albama Board. For the record, I have never been addicted to drugs, unless we count Blue Bell Ice Cream. I'm told by Board employees that recovering nurses make the best ones. I would defer to their judgment. As for what Vick faced at the ALF, I think she made the right decision to leave this abyss of mental illness.

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