Tuesday, September 25, 2012

framed

why would anyone use someone else's name to commit a misdeed?

the nurse used my name to falsely obtain psychotropic drugs, examples of which include pain-killers like morphine & sedatives like valium, from the locked cabinet. apparently he's (yeah, he's a male nurse) been doing it for some months before someone snitched on him.

today, the guys from the pharmacy division of the health ministry came around to conduct its enquiry. because my name was used to perpetrate the theft, i was asked to give a statement which went on for a few pages. and yeah, these guys can't string a sentence in proper english.

but this is not the 1st time i've encountered this problem. psychotropic drugs are widely prescibed in the emergency department as well as in the operation theatres. when i was a trainee in OT at a teaching hospital,  one of the lecturers was found unconscious & frothing at the mouth one evening. it was later found that he had multiple injection marks on his limbs. another trainee with a similar problem was asked to leave the postgrad course.

this is not just a local issue. when i was in UK, a fellow trainee as well as a specialist were found to be drug-dependent. however, instead of being punished, they were sent for counselling 1st, after which, the trainee ended up in general practice while the specialist went into early retirement.

the male nurse has since left the hospital. at the very least, his nursing licence would be revoked. but he is only in his 20s & he is street-smart, which will likely see him thru. after all, he often lamented that he has been left largely to his devices in his growing years while both his parents had been busy working.

10 comments:

stay-at-home mum said...

I guess if its an addiction and they have no other source, they will use whatever they can to get to it.

Robinn T said...

hmm, when you have the power i guess? But depending on psychotics? People really needs to be educated, and its a shame that med associates who know its effects are committing these deeds.

Small Kucing said...

sigh,....why would he do that. By doing it having his licence revoked. Some people do things without thinking of end result :(

The thumb in every pie said...

Doc,
I must say that I find the audacity of the ex-nurse's actions to be most disturbing. And the thing I don't understand is: Isn't the theft of such nature serious enough for him to be charged (vz just having his licence revoked)?

iml said...

A rash act on impulse ruin a future.

doc said...

SAHM,

not sure if he's using it himself, or selling it.

doc said...

Tempus,

it's a common problem, although not often revealed, & the hospital is always a ready & legal source of drugs.

doc said...

S.Kucing,

only he knows why he did that.

doc said...

Andrea,

revoking his nursing licence is the least of his problems; he may be charged for theft, or worse, distribution of drugs. depends on how the enquiry goes.

doc said...

Iml,

unfortunately so, but he is not the 1st, neither will he be the last.