# Darn Thieving Drug Addict Fire Fighters



## medic417 (Feb 3, 2012)

http://www.ems1.com/ems-management/...fighters-arrested-in-Ga-ambulance-drug-probe/


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## DrankTheKoolaid (Feb 4, 2012)

Blech, now they need to post in the news everytime an RN gets caught doing it in hospitals across the nation.  Wouldnt be room for much else.   Even worse is how many of them are able to keep their license to practice.


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## medic417 (Feb 4, 2012)

Definitely a double standard.  Sounds like one of these ff's was a dealer, the other just an occasional user.  Also sounds like the service did not have a good narcs control policy or it would have been caught sooner.


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## Mountain Res-Q (Feb 4, 2012)

Meh... no shocker... after all, how high would I have to be to be a FF?


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## 8jimi8 (Feb 4, 2012)

Corky said:


> Blech, now they need to post in the news everytime an RN gets caught doing it in hospitals across the nation.  Wouldnt be room for much else.   Even worse is how many of them are able to keep their license to practice.



They publish this monthly when the board of nursing publishes it's newsletter.

Nurses don't automatically lose their licenses, if they enroll in mandated treatment programsbecause addiction in any context is labeled a disease.  Something you should have read about in your "education."


Does your state EMS association publish any such list of those unworthy to hold license?  I've not received any from Texas dhhs.


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## medic417 (Feb 4, 2012)

8jimi8 said:


> They publish this monthly when the board of nursing publishes it's newsletter.
> 
> Nurses don't automatically lose their licenses, if they enroll in mandated treatment programsbecause addiction in any context is labeled a disease.  Something you should have read about in your "education."
> 
> ...



http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/disciplinaryactions.shtm


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## Handsome Robb (Feb 4, 2012)

I guess I should put that fentanyl back...


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## EMSLaw (Feb 4, 2012)

8jimi8 said:


> They publish this monthly when the board of nursing publishes it's newsletter.
> 
> Nurses don't automatically lose their licenses, if they enroll in mandated treatment programsbecause addiction in any context is labeled a disease.  Something you should have read about in your "education."



It's still a double standard.  Addiction is something most professional boards know comes from a variety of factors.  Often, in high-stress professions, that's at least used as an explanation, if not an excuse.  

But, stealing from your employer, especially stealing narcotics, is something completely different than just being an addict.  

It's like this in the law - if a lawyer snorts cocaine, and his life goes to hell in a handbasket, his license will probably be suspended and he'll be mandated to go to treatment until he can get clean.  If he already looked for treatment on his own, he might even escape without major discipline, though there will be various limitations and requirements on his license for a few years.  But, if he steals or misdirects so much as a dime from his client trust fund, he will be disbarred.  In New Jersey, at least, disbarred is forever (in some states, it's more like a really long suspension.).


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## 8jimi8 (Feb 4, 2012)

medic417 said:


> http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/disciplinaryactions.shtm



interesting.  quite a disparity in the number of nurses vs the number of ems suspensions.

i wonder what the ratio of disciplinary actions/ N nurses vs disciplinary actions / N em providers.

the number of nurses is pages long in the back of our newsletter


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## DrParasite (Feb 6, 2012)

8jimi8 said:


> Does your state EMS association publish any such list of those unworthy to hold license?  I've not received any from Texas dhhs.


Jersey does: http://www.nj.gov/health/ems/legal.shtml


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## Aidey (Feb 6, 2012)

Its been in the news here when there are high profile cases, I've only seen a couple. The state has a website showing any discipline taken against any healthcare provider in the state. The majority of the people on it seem to be nursing assistants.


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