Coming to work after taking a narcotic?!

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A CNA injured herself (not on the job) ...it was her hand. She comes to work ,sits down and says "oh man I need another Vicodin, my hand is hurting...I took one before I left and I am feeling sleepy now , but Ill be okay" She says she had a script from her doctor. In my experience , Vicodin always knocks me out when I have had to take it for a broken bone or something....but anywoo do you think this is acceptable? What would you have done?

Specializes in Family NP, OB Nursing.
I agree with weezy. The CNA knows that if she calls off the majority of the facility will behave like children and begin to tear her up for it. Best she come in and let a supervisor make the call on whether she can work or not.

Narcs, are totally individual. Vicodin = tylenol for me. My issue is with her hand. Bad injury? or enough pain where she might drop a patient.

I agree. It's not so much the Vicodin that I take issue with since some people do fine on it, it is that the OP states the CNA was sleepy and still in pain, AEB complaining and saying she needed ANOTHER Vicodin. To me this means, she is impaired, whether because of the Vicodin, the pain or both.

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i would like to see her bring a note from her pcp, clearing her for duty....without the vicodin.

leslie

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Specializes in Home Health/Hospice.

I'd call my manager only because she would be a risk to her patients, falls could happen etc etc etc. I'd rather send her home and deal with it.

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.

facilities have supervisors, HR and employee health for a reason. Express your concerns to your supervisor. let them make the call on if this employee should work or not.

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Refer to your facility policy. Or talk to your supervisor. If you feel she is impaired for any reason, you may be better off sending her home.

That being said, I don't agree with some replies which seem to assume anyone using a narcotic at all must be "impaired" or "drunk". OTC drugs don't work for me. If I am in extreme pain, vicotin does work. I am not suggesting taking it DURING a shift or just before one. But don't assume taking one vicotin will put everyone to sleep or make them useless; each person responds to drugs differently. You'd never be aware if I took one (and to be fair, I would not take one within 10+ hours of a shift). But then again I don't blab to coworkers, complain about being tired, and want to pop one after the other, either... lol

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.

Check your employer's policy, but my gut reaction says this is an impaired person, responsible for taking care of others (on some level) and at risk to herself and others in the IMPAIRED state. I would send her home.

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Another way of looking at this. She should have to provide clearance from the doctor who is treating the hand. Even if she were to make it through the shift without dropping a patient or making a mistake she could make the injury worse, in which case the facilty could be on the hook for a workers comp claim.

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Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.

It depends on the individual. But For her sake, if she was hurting that badly. I would have suggested, not demanded, she go home. Not everyone who takes a narcotic is a danger to the workplace. We are all different, and respond differently. Peace!

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I agree, she appears impaired. However, can I, legally, put her back on the road? Or should she call a cab/friend or whatever?

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Refer to your facility policy. Or talk to your supervisor. If you feel she is impaired for any reason, you may be better off sending her home.

That being said, I don't agree with some replies which seem to assume anyone using a narcotic at all must be "impaired" or "drunk". OTC drugs don't work for me. If I am in extreme pain, vicotin does work. I am not suggesting taking it DURING a shift or just before one. But don't assume taking one vicotin will put everyone to sleep or make them useless; each person responds to drugs differently. You'd never be aware if I took one (and to be fair, I would not take one within 10+ hours of a shift). But then again I don't blab to coworkers, complain about being tired, and want to pop one after the other, either... lol

It was an observation, NOT an assumption. Big difference.

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Specializes in Professional Development Specialist.

IMO the issue is more about her current injury. Can she really give effective and safe care? The narcotic is up to the manager to decide whether it's appropriate or not.

Personally I don't usually take pain meds. But I had my wisdom teeth removed and the pain was never ending. After a couple of days the percocet still worked on the pain but I didn't feel loopy anymore. I went to work (not as a nurse but still a stressful job requiring 100% of my brain.) Not everyone is knocked out by 1-2 vicodin. I'd be more worried about the addict taking more than 2 at a time and who is unable to function without them.

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A CNA injured herself (not on the job) ...it was her hand. She comes to work ,sits down and says "oh man I need another Vicodin, my hand is hurting...I took one before I left and I am feeling sleepy now , but Ill be okay" She says she had a script from her doctor. In my experience , Vicodin always knocks me out when I have had to take it for a broken bone or something....but anywoo do you think this is acceptable? What would you have done?

She admitted to being under the influence of a narcotic. If you DID NOT call your supervisor immediately, you are at fault.

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