A nurse in BC was disciplined this year after the BC College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM) found out they were stealing drugs from their workplace for personal use.
The nurse has not been publicly identified, but a consent resolution explaining their discipline outcome was posted on the BCCNM’s website Tuesday.
The nurse took narcotic medication from their workplace and then lied on patient records to conceal the theft.
“The falsification of the medical record left the impression that patients were requiring more … narcotic medication than what was actually administered, a practice that potentially could have resulted in patient harm,” the college said.
The nurse has been disciplined for similar behaviour before and has a disability that relates to the problem.
The nurse was able to keep working after serving a one-week suspension as a reprimand for the theft and falsification.
They were also enrolled in a medical monitoring program that will last for 36 months. As well, they’re not allowed to handle benzodiazepines or other narcotics for a period of time while they return to work. Finally, they cannot work overtime for 12 months, cannot work an overnight shift, and are barred from leading a shift or training nursing students.
The college didn’t say where the nurse was based but did say the theft and falsification happened between December 2022 and February 2023.
“The name of the registrant has been withheld in accordance with section 39.3 (4) (a) of the Health Professions Act for the purposes of not identifying a registrant or their personal health information respecting the condition that impaired their ability to practice nursing or midwifery,” the college said.