Giving pain meds.

I don't know if anyone else will understand my problem or not.

In our LTC facility, we have some patients on PRN Vicodin or Percocet. We have one nurse who trys her darndest to get these things dc'd - she will say that 'they don't need that!'

I understand the problems of addiction, but my thought is - if they're toward the end of their life, why shouldn't they have pain relief?! Tylenol just doesn't do it for some of them.

And (don't hate me) but so what if they DO become addicted? It's not like they'll be standing on the street corner trying to buy it illegally. We have one old guy who asks for a Vicodin every nite at bedtime - that's the only time he takes it - he's unable to move around on his own because of an old hip fracture.

I don't believe in handing it out like candy, but don't they have the same right to pain relief that a hospital pt. has?