Nurses Who Are Drug Addicts

Cattitude · Sep 8, 2007

Why can't our fellow colleagues offer support and encouragement and show respect for the nurse who is working their butt off to rebuild their life?

Hi Sara,

I too am a nurse in recovery. It's been a long road and I've had to go through a lot of emotions and learning to get to where I am today. Sometimes, other nurses can't offer support because they are human. Not everyone believes that 1. addiction is a disease,

2. addicts want to get well.

Sometimes they also have personal issues which affect their feelings about those in recovery. I used to get upset when people wouldn't give me support. Now I don't, I will not give anyone one bit of my energy. I respect other people's opinion even if I don't agree with them. No one is perfect and everybody has done wrong in their life. Our wrongs are plainly out in the open and up for all to judge.

I think, if you follow your heart and a great recovery plan, then everything you need will follow. You don't need ALL their support. But there will be one or two that will give it and that is enough. And we are always here too.

Some folks just want to be the perpetual martyr, others like to play the victim, etc......even tho they were never personally involved in a situation with your drug addiction. Some folks like making others feel less than.......makes them feel better about themselves if they are "one up".

Oh you said it! I am so tired of people like the above, the whiners/victims. The high and mighty. To heck with all of them!

I live my life the way I feel is good and healthy. I don't live for everybody else the way I used to, the way that got me into trouble with my sanity! I think that most of us are good people, only a few spoil the bunch. Too bad that some are too blind to see or accept it. Their loss.

margom · Sep 9, 2007

I too am in recovery and the last year of my using, I wasn't a good anything. I would have never stopped if my DON hadn't intervened and although I was fired from my position, they did not call the police and file a report, but instead gave me the option of self reporting to the BON. I never realized that being impaired, my patients were not safe in my care. It took me 5 years in recovery and alot of work on myself to realize that. I am really grateful that my DON stepped in, and forced the hand. Like I said, I would have never quit on my own. I couldn't . My addiction would have only progressed to complete loss. Thanks to you all for listening. Peace

Margo

blueheaven · Sep 10, 2007

I too am in recovery and the last year of my using, I wasn't a good anything. I would have never stopped if my DON hadn't intervened and although I was fired from my position, they did not call the police and file a report, but instead gave me the option of self reporting to the BON. I never realized that being impaired, my patients were not safe in my care. It took me 5 years in recovery and alot of work on myself to realize that. I am really grateful that my DON stepped in, and forced the hand. Like I said, I would have never quit on my own. I couldn't . My addiction would have only progressed to complete loss. Thanks to you all for listening. Peace
Margo

I have never understood some institutions policy that they will fire a nurse instead of helping them get into a recovery program (if the addict chooses to).

I come from a long family history of addiction and I can see the tendancy in myself. Money, food etc.

I was married to a non recovering addict for 10 years thinking I could love him into changing.....NOT. My dad (rest his recovered alcoholic soul) finally got me to go to a Al-anon meeting and I learned about me, and I learned about the disease.

13 years later, met a wonderful man who is now 8 years clean and we go 12 stepping together...LOL. Sometimes I go to NA with him, sometimes he goes to Nar-Anon with me. We make recovery a family thing and it has helped us both to grow as a couple. God bless all of you who are recovering and prayers to all who are still out there hurting. Cazbeez...I really enjoy (?? can't think of another word) your messages of hope.

santababy52 · Sep 10, 2007

To Burn Out:

Studying this now in school: The signs and symptoms are:

1.nurse appears to be a workaholic, offering to work extra shift

2. works areas where many commonly abused drugs are used

3. likes to care for pts with diminished awareness

4. pts under nurses care reports ineffective relief of pain soon after supposed admn

5. quality or qty of nurses work changes

6. increased irritability with pts and collegaes followed with extrem calm

7. social isolation, eats alone and avoid unit social function

8. goes to the bathroom alot

9. extreme/rapid mood swings

10. strong interest in narcotics or the narcotic cabinet

11. Sudden dramatic change in personal grooming

12. extreme defensiveness regarding med errors

Huston, Carol (2006). Professional Issues in Nursing:; Cahllenges & Opportunites Lippincott, Williams, & Wilkins p. 320

blueheaven · Sep 10, 2007

A majority of these symptoms can also be indicative of a psych disorder and not necessarily an addiction problem. If any of you have worked with a Type 1 unmedicated bipolar you know what I'm saying. Then there are the untreated ppl with BPD.

sara62 · Sep 15, 2007

Having personal experience I really understand some of these responses. However, nurse's are caregivers to everyone but their own.

Police bond together,our military bonds together and fire fighters.

There are a large majority of nurse's out there that will not only put you in your coffin,they will help nail it shut.

I know this statement is going to make people angry but it is true,and I hate that it is.

Reporting a nurse you suspect might be on drugs is a career, life ruining event. Alot of people out there actually believe that a nurse who is using drugs let people in pain suffer. It's actually the complete opposite. What they really do is take a prn med ordered for a patient who is not in pain.

If you suspect a fellow colleague is on drugs start paying close attention to behavior,appearence,excessive complaints from home,how is that nurse interacting with both fellow colleagues and patients,mood swings,losing weight etc. Confront her/him first. If you feel or see that her clinical performance poses a threat to patients,you must report ASAP. If a nurse is having a problem with drugs,that is a medical condition that calls for a Dr. A nurse and mental health worker for treatment.Are we or are we not nurse's?

For example; I would confront,intervene,give that nurse the opportunity to seek some sort of treatment and it your satisfied with the result,you saved a life.

rn/writer, RN · Sep 15, 2007

You are correct in saying that we nurses need to be more supportive of each other.

I do take issue with several of your statements, though.

Reporting a nurse you suspect might be on drugs is a career, life ruining event.

It can be a career- and life-ruining event if the nurse is actually using and has not asked for help. But the reality is that the reporting didn't ruin things--the using did. Reporting can actually save both the nurse and anyone who may stand to be harmed by her actions--on or off the job.

Alot of people out there actually believe that a nurse who is using drugs let people in pain suffer. It's actually the complete opposite. What they really do is take a prn med ordered for a patient who is not in pain.

I'm sure many nurses do exactly what you have described. Unfortunately, there are also many who divert from those who really need the meds. One way they get caught is when patients start to complain that their pain is not being relieved. Sad, but true.

Confront her/him first.

In some cases, this is not the best choice. Addictive thinking can get hostile and ugly. It can also set the reporter up for retaliation or even entrapment efforts to shift the blame.

A nurse who has suspicions should report factual objective evidence--not what she thinks it means. Remember that from nursing school? Say something like, "I've had three patients complain in two days that their pain never decreased after their day shift meds. Alicia was the nurse that gave those meds in all three cases." Not, "I think Alicia may be taking patients' meds," or, "I think Alicia has a drug problem."

If you feel or see that her clinical performance poses a threat to patients,you must report ASAP.

This one we agree on.

Thanks for your thoughtful post.

Cattitude · Sep 16, 2007

I agree with Miranda though I do understand what Sara62 is trying to say.

However, addiction among nurses is not the issue that is going to bond us, trust me!

We do need unity in nursing and I hope one day we get it.

Actively using addicted nurses need to be pulled out of patient care ASAP. There is a LOT of progress that still needs to be made in the field of addicted health care professionals. I think we have an ok start. I do think we need a heck of a lot more education.

All in good time I hope.

santababy52 · Sep 16, 2007

Sara62, thanks for your thought provoking post. We always need to look at issues from several angles. Addiction is all over my family, and there is one who is a professional that has been provided support from his profession. So I too have some knowledge of how the addicted healer feels. But how much worse would they feel if their drug use killed someone? Not probable but it is possible. Our jobs are to protect the patient, not the nurse. Yes we need to unify and help the addicted, recognizing it is a symptom of a disease. We need to be very certain before accusation. This is "tough love" but it must be carried out if we suspect a patient is in harms way from an addicted nurse.

Thanks for your ensight.

santababy52 · Sep 16, 2007

God's speed to you in this journey. I am a nurse who uses within the parameters of the script, for chronic phantom pain from a BKA r/t MVA. I have recently been trying to get back to work since my amputation, so feel somewhat frightened about the aspect of being on pain medication and what my potential employer would do. I've been honest in my first interview and did not get the job. Am I fooling myself that I am not an addict if I stay with what has been prescribed? I don't long for it or think about it until I have uncontrolled pain. I do not get high from it, nor sleepy, no eurphoria or kick to taking it. Am I OK? Do I remain in pain? What should I do? I am working with a pain specialist and my goal is to never need it, knowing that there will be a withdrawal time. any suggestions from anyone?

Keep up the good work, and you have done a very good thing. I am proud of you.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 16, 2007

You are correct in saying that we nurses need to be more supportive of each other.
I do take issue with several of your statements, though.
It can be a career- and life-ruining event if the nurse is actually using and has not asked for help. But the reality is that the reporting didn't ruin things--the using did. Reporting can actually save both the nurse and anyone who may stand to be harmed by her actions--on or off the job.
I'm sure many nurses do exactly what you have described. Unfortunately, there are also many who divert from those who really need the meds. One way they get caught is when patients start to complain that their pain is not being relieved. Sad, but true.
In some cases, this is not the best choice. Addictive thinking can get hostile and ugly. It can also set the reporter up for retaliation or even entrapment efforts to shift the blame.
A nurse who has suspicions should report factual objective evidence--not what she thinks it means. Remember that from nursing school? Say something like, "I've had three patients complain in two days that their pain never decreased after their day shift meds. Alicia was the nurse that gave those meds in all three cases." Not, "I think Alicia may be taking patients' meds," or, "I think Alicia has a drug problem."
This one we agree on.
Thanks for your thoughtful post.

If there is the possiblity that someone is diverting drugs, funny how we call it diversion. When in all sense what we truly mean is theft, stealing, A Criminal activity. Yes I will notify administration and in the same breath I will also be notifying the police.Diversion aka, theft. stealing, is acriminal activity. If that nurse is stealing drugs, and giving her pts less medication so she can steal more. Then that nurse is causing harm to a patient or patients.

LilgirlRN, ADN, RN · Aug 23, 2008

I may have already replied to this post but I don't think so. Recently I was at work when someone told the nurse manager that my eyes looked funny so they had me do a urine drug screen and gave me the day off. I ended up being off for 3 days, I had a small paid vacation. Of course the drug screen was negative. I had been complaining all day of being tired, I didn't sleep much the night before. Please be careful when making accusations of this magnitude. I work with several nurses who make wonder what in the hell they're taking, always so full of energy, always bouncing off the wall. They do their job though and many have patients that just love them, so who am I to judge?.... if I ever thought that the patients may be in danger though, I wouldn't hesitate to speak up. Most of us are overworked and underpaid, it's a real wonder that more patients aren't injured by us.