If a healthcare worker is suspected of diversion and they resign, do I still need to report to the licensing agency? The answer is a resounding yes! A resignation does not remove the obligation to report a concern. Failure to report allows the healthcare worker (HCW) to move right on to the next facility and repeat the behaviors. This is one way a HCW makes their rounds to various hospitals. They quit prior to discovery or quit upon discovery and the facility does not follow through with the reporting because it is no longer their “problem”. Unfortunately, some facilities don’t report even when terminating employment. And let’s be honest, reporting takes time and can be a bit uncomfortable from an emotional standpoint. No one wants to be the cause of ruining someone’s livelihood, and what if we are wrong? However, we need to set those feelings aside and put the work into filing the complaint. The licensing board will investigate and sort it out. If they do not feel there is a case of diversion, the matter will be closed. If however, there is a reason for concern, the HCW will be removed from patient care and hopefully take that opportunity to enter a recovery program.
