Can taking prescribed medications bite you in the butt?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Army Medic.

This has been on my mind a lot lately. I'm disabled and take narcotic pain killers as well as benzo's for anxiety. What I'm wondering is if any nurses on here are in my position? If something comes up that requires an investigation, does this situation work against you even though it's something prescribed by your doctor and required for you to work normally in the first place?

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You mention you are disabled. Do you currently work as a RN? Investigation? I think we need a little bit more info

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There are a few older threads here about nurses working on narcotics and other controlled substances. You may want to do a search to find them.

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Specializes in Army Medic.

I don't currently work as an RN. I have pins in my hip, and a narrow spine.

What I'm wondering is - if a nurse makes a mistake that would require an investigation. Would taking prescribed narcotic pain killers be used against them in a urinalysis - whereas if a nurse made the same mistake and was not taking narcotic pain killers.

In other words, is it something that can cost me my license? Or does it have no effect since it is a legal prescription from a Doctor?

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Specializes in Army Medic.
There are a few older threads here about nurses working on narcotics and other controlled substances. You may want to do a search to find them.

All I'm finding are issues dealing with nurses stealing narcs or being addicted to them - any keywords I should be putting in to narrow the search down?

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Specializes in Army Medic.

I guess I should also clarify that even though I am opioid tolerant from long term medication use - I would never use any medications that have the chance of impairing my judgment while working.

I would be more concerned with them finding the drugs in my urine or blood stream if I have an accident - and saying that I was under the influence even though I was not.

Does that make things a bit more clear? Is there any cut and dry answer to this problem?

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Specializes in Anesthesia.

No, they cannot hold it against when you "pop" positive d/t legally prescribed meds.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

You should be ok...however, I have lived life with chronic pain and was on STRONG narcotics and benzos for years.( Bilateral hip and knee replacements/RA and Sarcoidosis among other stuff) Tolerance was unbelievable. Too long and detailed to post here, but my experience with the drugs (all prescribed) and stopping is chronicled in the Nurses in Recovery section.

Not all nurses who take narcotics and become dependant on them are diverting/stealing them. Many,many take them for pain and over time become addicted.

Funny thing is-when I finally stopped after years of use-my pain level decreased so much it was nothing short of a miracle! I can easily use OTC NSAIDS now and contol it well. Only one of the advantages to that is that I dont have to worry about what a urine screen would reveal.

I know that when I was tested for pre employment--as long as there was a script, it was not an issue.

I am not sure if there was a problem at work and you are tested what a positive result would do. I do know that everywhere I have worked in a clinical setting, if you are hurt or injured accidently, you are required to take a UDS. I do not know what the ramifications of a positive one would be.

Good Luck,

SWS

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Specializes in Army Medic.
You should be ok...however, I have lived life with chronic pain and was on STRONG narcotics and benzos for years.( Bilateral hip and knee replacements/RA and Sarcoidosis among other stuff) Tolerance was unbelievable. Too long and detailed to post here, but my experience with the drugs (all prescribed) and stopping is chronicled in the Nurses in Recovery section.

Not all nurses who take narcotics and become dependant on them are diverting/stealing them. Many,many take them for pain and over time become addicted.

Funny thing is-when I finally stopped after years of use-my pain level decreased so much it was nothing short of a miracle! I can easily use OTC NSAIDS now and contol it well. Only one of the advantages to that is that I dont have to worry about what a urine screen would reveal.

I know that when I was tested for pre employment--as long as there was a script, it was not an issue.

I am not sure if there was a problem at work and you are tested what a positive result would do. I do know that everywhere I have worked in a clinical setting, if you are hurt or injured accidently, you are required to take a UDS. I do not know what the ramifications of a positive one would be.

Good Luck,

SWS

Thanks for the reply. :)

I can understand tolerance. When I was in the Army - in basic training I had a fractured left calcaneus and kept going on it, the Doctors were giving me 10-15 Tylox daily.

After having my hip pinned, my tolerance point was so high (this was after about 5 straight months of Tylox and Percocet doses at that level) that I was getting oxycontin, dillauded, morphine injections, and percocet multiple times on a daily basis for two weeks straight - then sent home with nothing, cold turkey!

After going through withdrawals from that ordeal in the hospital I've managed to keep things in perspective. I only take my medications when my pain level is affecting my performance (once a week, if that), and for the most part I can do without them. I intentionally cycle myself off of them completely for 3 month intervals and just tough it out with the pain to try and keep my tolerance low.

You're right - not taking narcotic pain medications actually keeps the pain at a lesser intensity on a more consistent basis.

Chronic pain is a bummer - finding the balance between abuse and pain relief is a hard road to go down.

I was just concerned that if something were to happen, I would be scrutinized for having opioid in my system.

Am I obligated to disclose any of this history to employers?

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

I suppose that could cause a problem.

I can totally relate to the withdrawal. I also took all of the drugs you mentioned (at different times) for years.

W/D from opiates was misery but the w/d from benzo's was HELL!

I am so grateful to be drug free after years of being chained to chemical substances.

Good Luck, dbs

sws

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hopefully you are not in florida??? i do believe that some one has pointed out that in florida you can not work with opiates on board...

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

Morte

Sorry to disagree, but I am in Fl. For 8 years I worked while using opiates for pain control. Again, this was not a secret. Every time I was pre employed tested by the hospital, hospice and LTC (places I worked over the years) I was + for the meds. They were all prescribed and used under the supervision of a doctor. I would speak to the Medical Review Officer each time and once the script was faxed, no problem. It is against the law to work if said meds are not prescribed...especially if you happen to be dipping in to the pyxis and helping yourself. (I am being faceitious)...

It is also forbidden if you are in the Fl IPN program...which I am now.

I no longer take anything except NAIDS--personal choice and long story.

Again, if you have an accident at work, most facilities will do a UDS.

Been doing this for over 16yrs in Fl.

s

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