RN's w/chronic pain, using narcotics

Specialties Pain

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I am currently, and have been, for 3 years, taking oxycontin for chronic pain. My question is, Is is legal for a nurse to work while taking pain meds? I am unable to work, or hardly move unless I get some relief from the pain. A nurse friend told me it is against the nurse practice act for a nurse to care for patients while under the influence of narcotics. Looks like I will have to stop working if this is the case. I have been a nurse for 27 years...what else could I do? What else would I want to do? answer to that last question is easy..I don't want to do anything else. Thanks for your time, and any help or suggestions.

I am currently, and have been, for 3 years, taking oxycontin for chronic pain. My question is, Is is legal for a nurse to work while taking pain meds? I am unable to work, or hardly move unless I get some relief from the pain. A nurse friend told me it is against the nurse practice act for a nurse to care for patients while under the influence of narcotics. Looks like I will have to stop working if this is the case. I have been a nurse for 27 years...what else could I do? What else would I want to do? answer to that last question is easy..I don't want to do anything else. Thanks for your time, and any help or suggestions.

I am in the same boat. I am on Duragesic 50mcg and Neurotin and Zanaflex for post back surgery pain. I had the surgery in January, but the pain persists. I have been told by my DON that if I have to take the medication I cannot work. No one out there is going to pay my bills for me, so I keep quiet! Isn't that sad? :crying2:

Specializes in med/surg, neuro, ortho, cardiol.

I am sorry to hear about your back cubby. I kept quiet about the narcotic I had to take, and worked for 3 years as a charge nurse on a large m/s floor, and did a good job. Some of my at work nurse friends knew I was taking a narcotic, somehow nurse manager found out. Who knows? Anyway, BON, is now saying I violated nurse practice act.. NO way I can think of to fight this, looks like that little piece of paper that says R.N. ... gonna go in the shredder. So keep it quiet, work to pay your bills, and heck, you can even pay some of mine !! The very best of luck to you, and wishes that your pain will decrease.

Did you have a prescription? I would fight this one.

I am sorry to hear about your back cubby. I kept quiet about the narcotic I had to take, and worked for 3 years as a charge nurse on a large m/s floor, and did a good job. Some of my at work nurse friends knew I was taking a narcotic, somehow nurse manager found out. Who knows? Anyway, BON, is now saying I violated nurse practice act.. NO way I can think of to fight this, looks like that little piece of paper that says R.N. ... gonna go in the shredder. So keep it quiet, work to pay your bills, and heck, you can even pay some of mine !! The very best of luck to you, and wishes that your pain will decrease.
I am sorry to hear about your back cubby. I kept quiet about the narcotic I had to take, and worked for 3 years as a charge nurse on a large m/s floor, and did a good job. Some of my at work nurse friends knew I was taking a narcotic, somehow nurse manager found out. Who knows? Anyway, BON, is now saying I violated nurse practice act.. NO way I can think of to fight this, looks like that little piece of paper that says R.N. ... gonna go in the shredder. So keep it quiet, work to pay your bills, and heck, you can even pay some of mine !! The very best of luck to you, and wishes that your pain will decrease.

Please do not sit back and let them take your license. Ask which specific portion of the NPA you violated. You are entitled to know the accusations that have been made against you. Do you homework, if you can't afford an attorney. Go to your library and go to WESTLAW to do the legal research. As the research librarian for help. Or go to the local college library and use their computers and librarian.

Grannynurse

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I am sorry to hear about your back cubby. I kept quiet about the narcotic I had to take, and worked for 3 years as a charge nurse on a large m/s floor, and did a good job. Some of my at work nurse friends knew I was taking a narcotic, somehow nurse manager found out. Who knows? Anyway, BON, is now saying I violated nurse practice act.. NO way I can think of to fight this, looks like that little piece of paper that says R.N. ... gonna go in the shredder. So keep it quiet, work to pay your bills, and heck, you can even pay some of mine !! The very best of luck to you, and wishes that your pain will decrease.

As proven on this BB and and beyond, this is adverse advice. Anytime a nurse requires a narcotic/controlled substance and works at the same time, this must be declared.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Did you have a prescription? I would fight this one.

If an individual has a valid prescription for a controlled substance and does not declare this, it is in violation. There is nothing to fight.

If an individual has a valid prescription for a controlled substance and does not declare this, it is in violation. There is nothing to fight.

Declare it to whom? The BON, one's employer?

Grannynurse

Specializes in med/surg, neuro, ortho, cardiol.

Well....call it gone. When I started at the pain clinic (associated with the hospital, my doc was and still is head of anethesia there), and he started me on oxycontin, I asked him if I could work on it ,and he said yes. For 2 1/2 yrs, I ran into him around the hospital, he would ask me how I was doing. Granted I should have done the homework on the narcotic and working thing. But some anger is kicking in..did the doc not have just a little bit more responsibility in explaining things. He didn't seem to have a problem with me taking care of his patients.

I'm so sorry. I would love to see this challenged in the courts through ADA. I don

t think the BNE can make laws against federal laws, and it seems to me this has been done here. If a nurse is not impaired and can do the job I cannot understand this..it seems to me discrimination towards a nurse in chronic pain who needs narcs to function, with an assumption they are 'impaired'. :(

Siri...sorry...I didn't know you were a legal nurse consultant...is there no hope that this can be fough, or will nurses in chronic pain be forever undermedicated to keep a job???

Specializes in ER, ICU, L&D, OR.

Do you want someone under the use of narcotics driving a car.

Do you want a nurse using narcotics to control pain to take care of your family members

To be truthfull for myself I have to answer....No

I do feel sorry for your problems though. There are areas that you can go into not involving patient care though, that you can do. Insurance comapnies love haveing nurses for audits and such. So do Shysters.

Specializes in med/surg, neuro, ortho, cardiol.

Do you realize how many people out there are working and driving each day taking pain meds?? Wonder if we could find out the number of oxycontin precriptions filled each year or for other narcotics as well. We as nurses have been pushed over the last years, that pain is the fifth vital sign, and pain is what the patient says it is. Well that is great............but they really did not finish the teaching......like putting the cart before the horse. We need to treat pain..good...but do you stop working because you have pain, do you stop being a mother, daughter, wife, friend. We have some serious thinking and studying to do here folks. you can't treat pain, and then condemn those you treat.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I'm so sorry. I would love to see this challenged in the courts through ADA. I don

t think the BNE can make laws against federal laws, and it seems to me this has been done here. If a nurse is not impaired and can do the job I cannot understand this..it seems to me discrimination towards a nurse in chronic pain who needs narcs to function, with an assumption they are 'impaired'. :(

Siri...sorry...I didn't know you were a legal nurse consultant...is there no hope that this can be fough, or will nurses in chronic pain be forever undermedicated to keep a job???

Hey there, mattsmom,

If the state law is more stringent than the federal law about the same issue/s then, yes, the state law takes precedence.

I see these laws not changing any time soon, if ever. It is strictly a patient safety factor.

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