Dismissed from nursing program for taking a prescribed narcotic!

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I was dismissed more than half way through my LPN program for taking a prescribed narcotic during a clinical rotation. I gave my instructor the notice that I was perscribed the narcotic that morning before I started and she let me work. (I took the medication more the 4 hours prior to the shift for neck pain which is what it was prescribed for) That evening when i returned home I took another one and received a call from my instructor that "some meds had been stolen from the hospital" and I needed to take a drug test immediately. I brought my prescription with me and submitted to the drug test and of course it came up positive for narcotics. i showed them that I had an RX for it and they said they didn't care about that part. I was told that I was banned from campus until further investigation. This was on last Friday. On Tuesday I was called into the administrators office and was told I could withdraw or they would dismiss me from the course. I asked why they told me that I had been cought in a "random drug test" and that I had not notified anyone that I was taking a narcotic which was a violation of policy. I explained that I HAD given my instructor notice of my injury and the medication they had prescribed me and she said that the instructor did not know that I was taking the medication. She said that just because I was prescribed it does not mean I am taking it and she didn't know so they were dismissing me. Now I took the medication more than 4 hours before my shift and not during it as well as showed no impairment during my clinicals...as a matter of fact I received praises from my instructor for finding and noticing things with the patients that she herself had not noticed. I feel I have been wrongly dismissed and am being railroaded. Does anyone have any input or ideas as to what I should do or what rout I should take. I am appealing it but feel that still may not be enough. I need all the help I can get as this is my life and my future. Thank you sooo much.

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I think you need an attorney.

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Specializes in PD,Nxstage,hemo.

Lawyer up ASAP

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Yes I would say speak to a lawyer and also talk to your state's board of nursing education.

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Seek legal advice.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I would lawyer up, get your name cleared, and find a new program.

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Specializes in Step-down, cardiac.

YIKES! That is awful. I agree with the others--call your state board of nursing. Honestly, I don't know what they'll say; yes, normally, as long as you have a prescription, you are good to go. But actually taking narcotics before a shift? That's a whole different ball game. A woman in my class was not allowed to attending clinicals one week last semester because she had surgery and needed painkillers, and you just cannot work on a ward while on them, even if they are prescribed.

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YIKES! That is awful. I agree with the others--call your state board of nursing. Honestly, I don't know what they'll say; yes, normally, as long as you have a prescription, you are good to go. But actually taking narcotics before a shift? That's a whole different ball game. A woman in my class was not allowed to attending clinicals one week last semester because she had surgery and needed painkillers, and you just cannot work on a ward while on them, even if they are prescribed.

Actually the Louisiana Board of Nurses allowes it at the nurses dicretion. "It is up to the nurse to know if she is able to perform her duties" but I didn't want to work while under the influence of them which is why I took it more than 4 hours before my shift and then waited till I got home.

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Specializes in SDU, Tele.

Wow I am glad I read this post. I have to take lots of painkillers for my arthritis. Now I know to tell them the first day of class more than once :|

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I'm in Louisiana as well. I'm just wondering, could you tell me what program this was?

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I'm in Louisiana as well. I'm just wondering, could you tell me what program this was?

LSUS LPN Program

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Specializes in NICU, Post-partum.
I was dismissed more than half way through my LPN program for taking a prescribed narcotic during a clinical rotation. I gave my instructor the notice that I was perscribed the narcotic that morning before I started and she let me work. (I took the medication more the 4 hours prior to the shift for neck pain which is what it was prescribed for) That evening when i returned home I took another one and received a call from my instructor that "some meds had been stolen from the hospital" and I needed to take a drug test immediately. I brought my prescription with me and submitted to the drug test and of course it came up positive for narcotics. i showed them that I had an RX for it and they said they didn't care about that part. I was told that I was banned from campus until further investigation. This was on last Friday. On Tuesday I was called into the administrators office and was told I could withdraw or they would dismiss me from the course. I asked why they told me that I had been cought in a "random drug test" and that I had not notified anyone that I was taking a narcotic which was a violation of policy. I explained that I HAD given my instructor notice of my injury and the medication they had prescribed me and she said that the instructor did not know that I was taking the medication. She said that just because I was prescribed it does not mean I am taking it and she didn't know so they were dismissing me. Now I took the medication more than 4 hours before my shift and not during it as well as showed no impairment during my clinicals...as a matter of fact I received praises from my instructor for finding and noticing things with the patients that she herself had not noticed. I feel I have been wrongly dismissed and am being railroaded. Does anyone have any input or ideas as to what I should do or what rout I should take. I am appealing it but feel that still may not be enough. I need all the help I can get as this is my life and my future. Thank you sooo much.

Here is the problem you are going to run into:

1. You did not notify your instructor in writing, preferably, by e-mail that you can keep a copy of. I would refer to your program handbook of who you were supposed to contact and how to see if you gave notice properly.

2. You cannot "assume" that just because you took a medication 4 hours prior to a shift that it did not impair you. That is not for you to judge. That is for the nursing program to judge. In my facility you CANNOT take ANY opiate within 12 hours of your shift and work...prescribed or not.

So, I have no idea of what you should do, but my advice is to run through your nursing handbook and famliarize yourself with their policies and make sure they are following them.

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