Drug addicted nurses

Published

I am a nursing student and in one of my classes we have recently talked about nurses and substance abuse. I think that it is hard for me to wrap my brain around the issue. My questions are:

1. what do you do as a fellow nurse and friend of someone who is involved in substance abuse...especially in the workplace?

2. is this really prevelent and have any of you been put in this position?

Thanks!!

I don't understand how they would get away with this anyways because don't all nurses get pop drug tested all the time??

BTW, I'm hoping to go to LPN school next year so I try to come here once in a while and just read up on things. My friend is in the LPN program now and she said they have already had 3 pop drug tests (since July), and we assumed they would do that once your working too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I don't understand how they would get away with this anyways because don't all nurses get pop drug tested all the time??

No, they don't, not all facilities do this.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Have you ever done anything that you shouln't have?

There's quite a few things i've doen in life that i shouldn't have, yet i cannot imagine stealing somoene's medicine, someone who's in pain, for my own selfish reasons.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I personally have a zero tolorence for a nurse who has stolen medication and or uses drugs and is able to keep a nursing license.

I feel this way, to, if someone is doing this, ALLOWED to continue doing this, and STILL has a license.

I worked at a facility where a nurse was caught stealing Duragesic patches and oxy pills. The suspicion of it STARTED two months before she was finally fired, the narc count was off, it was ALWAYS off after she worked, yet this went on for TWO months before anything was done about it. Maybe they needed evidence, for some reason i don't think so, but meanwhile, a pt. who needed a drug was unable to receive it one evening, as a result, and cried and wimpered with pain. THAT angered me.

It went on way too long. Something was finally done when the camera were installed in the med room, and she was caught slipping narcs into her pants pocket.

I have no idea what had happened to her, after she was called to the DONs office and fired, she stormed down the hall yelling "F you all, you ________". The facility would refer someone to a rehab center for this, yet it was up to the individual to do it.

But i also don't see how this is really the facility's responsibility, refering someone to rehab.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I feel this way, to, if someone is doing this, ALLOWED to continue doing this, and STILL has a license.

I worked at a facility where a nurse was caught stealing Duragesic patches and oxy pills. The suspicion of it STARTED two months before she was finally fired, the narc count was off, it was ALWAYS off after she worked, yet this went on for TWO months before anything was done about it. Maybe they needed evidence, for some reason i don't think so, but meanwhile, a pt. who needed a drug was unable to receive it one evening, as a result, and cried and wimpered with pain. THAT angered me.

It went on way too long. Something was finally done when the camera were installed in the med room, and she was caught slipping narcs into her pants pocket.

I have no idea what had happened to her, after she was called to the DONs office and fired, she stormed down the hall yelling "F you all, you ________". The facility would refer someone to a rehab center for this, yet it was up to the individual to do it.

But i also don't see how this is really the facility's responsibility, refering someone to rehab.

I don't know which state you practice in, but most now require an employer to report to the BON as well. And since rehab is not free, I would venture to guess the employer may still owe some health benefits. And despite what you think, of your fellow nurse, they do suffer from a disease. Would you have the same attitude if they suffered from AIDS?

Grannynurse:balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I don't know which state you practice in, but most now require an employer to report to the BON as well. And since rehab is not free, I would venture to guess the employer may still owe some health benefits. And despite what you think, of your fellow nurse, they do suffer from a disease. Would you have the same attitude if they suffered from AIDS?

Grannynurse:balloons:

The state i "practiced" in is irrelevent. Things HAVE changed in the 10 years that this happened.

I'm not buying the disease part right now. Horrible addiction, yes definately, disease, not so sure about.

If the rehab is part of the insurance or benefits, i could see that being provided, but it wasn't a part of the benefits at the time, nor was it a requirement. I almost see a facility paying for someone's rehab as if the facility is saying they are responsible for someone getting addicted to narcs. I do not see how a facility is responsible for someone getting addicted to narcotics.

And we're not talking AIDS here, we're talking drug addiction.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The state i "practiced" in is irrelevent. Things HAVE changed in the 10 years that this happened.

I'm not buying the disease part right now. Horrible addiction, yes definately, disease, not so sure about.

If the rehab is part of the insurance or benefits, i could see that being provided, but it wasn't a part of the benefits at the time, nor was it a requirement. I almost see a facility paying for someone's rehab as if the facility is saying they are responsible for someone getting addicted to narcs. I do not see how a facility is responsible for someone getting addicted to narcotics.

And we're not talking AIDS here, we're talking drug addiction.

Hate to tell you this but neither the BON nor MDs have to ascribe to your errornous contention that drug addiction is not a disease. Nor have they, for more then 15 years, not listed addiction in the DMS IV and IX. And there are those that share your feelings regarding those who suffer from AIDS. They view it as God's punishment and not a disease. As for the facility paying or not paying, even in employer friendly SW Florida, employers frequently pay for addiction treatment. Guess they don't have to where you practice.

Grannynurse:balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Hate to tell you this but neither the BON nor MDs have to ascribe to your errornous contention that drug addiction is not a disease. Nor have they, for more then 15 years, not listed addiction in the DMS IV and IX. And there are those that share your feelings regarding those who suffer from AIDS. They view it as God's punishment and not a disease. As for the facility paying or not paying, even in employer friendly SW Florida, employers frequently pay for addiction treatment. Guess they don't have to where you practice.

Grannynurse:balloons:

I already stated how i felt on this, if i'm not stating every little thing, you draw your own conclusions, and i'm refusing to continue arguing with you on this anymore.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Anyone ever know of a nurse that was allowed back to the same job after drug rehab, if the nurse was stealing drugs on the job?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I do, an ex sister in law got caught, went to rehab, did the RNP thing in Louisiana and went back to her original hospital. She did the no nights,weekends,ED,ICU thing for 6 months and stayed clean. After a few mor months her patients were getting an awful lot of narcotics on her shift.

Guess what?? Here we go again. Rehab,currently in RNP but is allowed to get her license back and is working in a hospital in case management.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Some states allow them to work with restricted drug access as well as attend rehab programs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Reason why i asked is that any nurses i've known that were caught doing this, were fired and not allowed to come back.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion