I have had a few patients smoke vapor cigarettes in their rooms. We have no policy against it and if it keeps my restless patient happy I honestly don't have a problem with it (a point which is not the topic of this thread. If you want to debate right or wrong on whether patients should be allowed to use these please start another thread). However, I recently had a patient who was admitted for accidentally overdosing on medication (not a narcotic). This was, however, a chronic pain patient who regularly combines benzos and opiates. The patient was found near to unresponsive in the hospital room one evening, a day or two after admission. As the patient had not been given anything sedating, a search was conducted and multiple bottles of pills (benzos and narcs) found in the patient's belongings. These were, of course, confiscated and sent to security until such time as the patient was released. This was a few days before the patient came under my care. The patient denied suicidal ideation.
Several times upon entering the patients room on the day I was assigned (more than two days after the previous incident), the patient was drowsy, lethargic, drooling on self, would awaken somewhat stuporously to loud verbal stimulation. All vital signs were stable but for a lower than average but still acceptable BP. Labs were stable, tele was NSR, no s/s of anything that would be causing this. Not on an beta blocker or any other med that could be traced to it. The only thing found in the patient's room was a vapor cigarette. I am wondering if anything can be put in these that would induce a high? It was the only red flag in the entire assessment of both person and situation. It seemed to be more than simple sleepiness.
