Nurses Who Are Drug Addicts

This is why I do not like to work with nor do I think rehabiliated drug users need to be floor nurses.

I whole heartedly agree with CASbeezgirlRN. I have seen too many times false accusations or pure "assumptions" cost careers needlessly. Also in regards to the above quote - I have known more nurses that dont have drug problems who are quite incompetent and have no business being nurses more so then those I have seen that are as you call it "rehabilitated drug addicts". So stereotypical and you never know when you may find yourself in the same situation. Ever had chronic pain? Im not saying it's ok but I'll dang sure not judge. I also have known rehabilitated nurses who were excellent nurses and came back to be just that and more.

If you think someone is stealing the drugs you need to report it for no other reason than to clear yourself becasue if you think it is going on I am sure there are others that are suspicous too and may think it is you.

The time that I have found out that co workers were stealing drugs I was
very surprised at first then I looked back at some of the triggers I should have picked up on. The first time involved a male nurse and we used to laugh because when he bathed a patient he never rolled his sleeves up ( and he ALWAYS wore long sleeves...to hide the track marks).

The second time a coworker was fired for stealling drugs was trickey-er. This time she was not the user but was stealing drugs for her boyfriend. Looking back the only clue that I can see is that her patients were always
rowdy and complaining of pain and unsatisfied..the nights that she worked were always more heckit than other nights.

In both instances they were LPN's that would give the medicine for the RN and have her to one way or another chart it or sign for it which implicated alot of people and made it harder to track them down. This is why I do not like to work with nor do I think rehabiliated drug users need to be floor nurses.

I good way to check is to ask the patient after the pain med has been signed out if he received his pain med and did it help.