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MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Several Memphis area nurses are in trouble for putting patient safety at risk.
That’s according to the state board that oversees their licenses. FOX13 took a closer look at how you find out if the medical professional you use has been disciplined before.
One nurse was disciplined for swallowing 11 Percocet’s while on the job, another whose boyfriend was arrested for filling a patient’s prescription and a third nurse who stole tax payer money for getting paid for time she did not work.
“Over a period of time, people learn to navigate around the safety nets that are in place,” said Linda Stevens, who runs the nursing department for Christ Community Health Services in Memphis.
Stevens told FOX13 patients have to be actively involved in their own healthcare.
“If you’re going to a caregiver, I advise everybody do their own homework,” Stevens said.
For the drug related offenses, Tennessee has a program to help nurses get help with drug problems but most of it is self-reporting. Stevens would like to see that change to a zero tolerance policy.
“That’s what the program is designed for, for the person to correct their behavior but I think one and done sounds good to me,” Stevens said.
Year to date, 1,054 nurses have been disciplined in Tennessee. Of the three recently disciplined, one lost her license. The other two were suspended and put on probation.
Here’s a link to check which nurses have been disciplined.
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