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Safeguards in place to keep healthcare workers from stealing, using drugs, hospital says

‘Drug diversion’ a problem SAH, other hospitals, Ministry, College of Nurses of Ontario keeping an eye on
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Sault Area Hospital says its employees are not stealing and using drugs intended for patients.

"Sault Area Hospital (SAH) has safeguards and processes in place to minimize the risk of drug diversion in the health care setting,” wrote Rose Calibani, SAH communications and public affairs officer, in an email to SooToday.

A CTV W5 documentary entitled ‘Hospital Secrets,’ first aired in February and re-aired this month, looked at a problem known as ‘drug diversion’ within Canadian hospitals.

'Drug diversion’ involves employees, nurses, pharmacists and doctors who steal narcotics intended for patients.

The documentary included an interview with a Canadian nurse, who spoke to W5 on condition of anonymity, who admitted to stealing drugs from her hospital to feed her addiction, which started off with taking pills and progressed to injecting herself with IV narcotics.

The W5 documentary also told the story of one woman from the U.S. who contracted hepatitis C during routine surgery after an infected surgical technical injected the painkiller meant for the patient into her own arm and refilled the same syringe with saline.

The documentary suggested the issue presents a danger both to healthcare workers and patients.

“In the majority of our patient care areas, we use Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs) for storage and control of medications (including controlled substances) as well as for automated tracking of access to medications,” Calibani told SooToday.

“Access to ADCs is strictly maintained to ensure adequate security; access must be approved by a manager. Biometrics (fingerprints) are used by authorized individuals to access the cabinet. In areas where ADCs are not in use, medications are stored in locked medication rooms, and additionally, locked cupboards. We take inventory each time there is access as well as at each shift change. Discrepancies would be investigated and acted upon immediately,” Calibani said.

“We take this issue very seriously at SAH and any suspected incidences of drug diversion would be subject to an in-depth investigation. Any employee found diverting drugs could face suspension or dismissal and may be reported to the Police.”

“We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our patients and our employees. In addition to the checks and balances we have in place to protect our patents, we are equally concerned about the health and well-being of our employees. As such, we have a number of employee benefits including a robust Employee and Family Assistance Program which offers counselling and access to a number of medical professionals,” Calibani said.

“The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care values the important role of health care professionals in providing health care to Ontarians. The ministry relies on its health regulatory colleges to provide oversight and guidance to the various professions. Under the Regulated Health Professions Act, health regulatory colleges are responsible for setting standards of practice to ensure that patients are receiving safe and competent care and that members provide health care services in a safe, professional and ethical manner,” wrote David Jensen, Ministry of Health spokesperson, in reply to SooToday.

“All health regulatory colleges have processes in place to address any incapacity-related issues of their members. In addition to these processes, some colleges have developed programs to assist their members with challenges they may have.”

Jensen said the College of Nurses of Ontario is working with the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario, the Ontario Nurses Association and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario “to implement a program that will provide additional treatment options for nurses with mental health or substance abuse disorders.”

More information about the College’s program may be found on its website or by contacting the College of Nurses of Ontario at 101 Davenport Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 3P1, or by phone at (416) 928-0900 or 1-800-387-5526.

“The ministry does not receive complaints about health care professionals using drugs. These complaints and concerns are dealt with by the health regulatory colleges, such as the College of Nurses of Ontario,” Jensen said.

Lynn Butler, College of Nurses of Ontario communications coordinator, in an email reply, wrote “employers, facility operators and nurses are required to alert the College if there is a concern a nurse may not be practising safely.”

“The College reviews all public complaints and reports from employers or nursing colleagues, assesses the level of risk posed to the public, and then determines an appropriate regulatory response.”

“The response...may result, following a hearing, in the nurse being fined, reprimanded, monitored while practising, suspended from practising, having to complete medical treatment or additional education before returning to practice, or having their registration revoked,” Butler said.

Butler told SooToday that “Section 85.2 of the Health Professions Procedural Code of the Regulated Health Professions Act provides that facility operators must report to the College if there are reasonable and probable grounds to believe that a member who practises at the facility is incompetent, incapacitated, or has sexually abused a patient.”

Section 85.5 of the Code provides that employers must report to the College a member who has been terminated (or resigns) for reasons of professional misconduct, incompetence or incapacity.

Penalties involved under Section 93 of the Code provides that every person who fails to provide these reports is subject to the following fines:

  • For an individual: A fine of not more than $25,000 for a first offence and not more than $50,000 for a second or subsequent offence.

  • For a corporation: A fine of not more than $50,000 for a first offence and not more than $200,000 for a second or subsequent offence.

“If the person who did not submit the required report is a member of the College, we can also investigate them for professional misconduct,” Butler stated.

When asked how many complaints of drug use by healthcare professionals have been received by the College, Butler replied “CNO does not publicly disclose this confidential information. However, CNO expects employers of nurses and facility operators (including hospitals) to comply with their mandatory reporting obligations. They must notify the College if there is a concern a nurse may not be practising safely.”

With regard to the Nurses Health Program, Butler wrote “the College of Nurses of Ontario has been working with provincial nursing organizations to deliver a new program that will support additional treatment options for nurses with substance use and/or mental health disorders,” Butler wrote.

“We are making good progress on the program development and expect to launch it later this year,” Butler stated.

“When launched, the new Nurses Health Program will be a voluntary program to encourage nurses to seek treatment for substance use and/or mental health disorders. It is a recognized best-in-class approach to treating these issues. This program will be modelled on similar ones that other regulated health professions in Ontario use.”


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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