title: Nurse drug diversion and nursing leader's responsibilities: legal, regulatory, ethical, humanistic, and practical considerations.
abstract: Nurses who divert drugs pose significant threats to patient safety, but also become a liability to healthcare organizations and the nursing department where the diversion occurred. Healthcare and nursing leaders have a responsibility to ensure that security systems are in place to prevent diversion and protect patients if nursing impairment is suspected as a result of drug diversion. Nursing leaders must consider legal, regulatory, ethical, humanistic, and practical considerations in resolving this issue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital of San Diego, California, USA. hazel.tanga@va.gov
authors.forename: Hazel Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tanga
mesh_terms: D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods*; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D007884:Legislation, Nursing; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital; D009718:Nurse Administrators; D011363:Professional Impairment; D012637:Security Measures; D012941:Social Responsibility; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013800:Theft / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*