Real-Life Decision Making
You're a staff RN in a large metropolitan hospital's geriatric department
working as a team with another RN on the night shift. He's doing the meds
(handing out medications) and you're tape recording the evening's record for
the next shift of nurses.
The hospital is very quiet and your shift is coming to a close.
You lean back in your chair to stretch when you catch a glimpse of your co-worker
in the medicine room. You see him look over his shoulder and then drop two
bottles into his pocket.
You're stunned! As soon as he leaves the room, you go in and see if you
can figure out what's missing.
You're not sure exactly what he took, but the shelf where the morphine
is kept is looking a little sparse.
Your co-worker's been stealing narcotics.
State law says you're obligated to confront your co-worker about this,
so you do. The next day you confront him and tell him he has three days to
own up to his problem. If he owns up, he'll get counseling and won't lose
his license. However, if he's reported by someone else he'll lose his license.
He tells you he'll own up to it and leaves it at that. But after three
days he still hasn't and you notice more narcotics missing. Should you confront
him again yourself and give him another chance to get help?