Drug seekers: where's the compassion?

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We had a patient at work, age 41, female. On scheduled Lortab 10 mg three times a day. Her diagnoses included depression and chronic back pain. She clearly had the depressed affect but was very sweet and thanked me whenever I came in the room. She didn't complain of anything to me but when the doctor came in she said she was having chest pain so the doctor ordered a telemetry monitor and troponin level (both of which were normal.) Another nurse remarked that she probably said that because she thought the doctor would order more pain medicine but he didn't so HA to her.

The eye rolling and superior attitudes kind of got on my nerves. Maybe she is a drug seeker...maybe the Lortabs do something for her that make her feel better, even if it's from a buzz. Why be condescending toward her? I felt badly for her, my heart ached for her, in fact. She had the look of years of rough living and did not seem to want to go home. It was sad.

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You are a REAL nurse with compassion.

When I first started working as a nurse and in a nursing home, I was horrified when I saw the way the patients were treated. And when they cried, they were prescribed antidepressants.

One patient, that was terminally sick, her legs were extremely swollen, her eyes bulging, and abscesses in her mouth, was in constant pain. When I mentioned this to the supervisor and asked if the doctor should be notified she replied by telling me, "Don't mind her. She is always complaining!" I thought, of course she is always complaining. Anyone would with pain like that!

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.

That's sad that the other nurse had an attitude. My personal belief is that I do not work at a drug rehab facility, it is not my job to rehabilitate someone IF they do have a problem; if my pt says they are in pain, I treat the pain. I do not withhold meds if I think someone is a drug seeker, that's not my call. Now, I have had situations where a person is quite demanding and rude about getting their meds, not displaying any s/s of pain, constantly watching the clock and expecting you to be there on the dot with drugs in hand. In those cases, I set limits; I remind the pt that prn meds are not scheduled and that I will be assessing them for pain and medicating as needed, not just showing up with the meds every 2 hours. I also gently remind them that I have other pts and that I will be prioritizing care as necessary. I am kind but firm with those types of pts and have never had any complaints.

Anyway, it sounds like the other nurse you were working with has seen her fair share of drug seekers and is unfortunately biased against anyone who remotely seems like one. It sounds like you are compassionate and have a good attitude towards your patients. Keep up the good work.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

that nurse has a very bad attitude.. she is not there to judge people .. she thought the patient was a drug seeker for a lortab?? for cryin outloud .. the lady has a history of chronic pain and a few lortab isn't going to throw her in rehab.. gees... to me she is not a drug seeker she is lady with chronic pain... now there are people who are drug seekers true 100% certified drug seekers and those people are the IV pain meds mixed with phenergan every 2 hours on the dot with a negative test results.. now those people i set limits on ... and thats just for the sake of my license , they can do what they want when they leave.. but i carefullly watch them ... you are a wonderful nurse and i would be proud to work with you... never change

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Specializes in ED. ICU, PICU, infection prevention, aeromedical e.

When a nurse starts disliking her/his job and her/his patients, it may be time to move to another area. I worked ER for 9 years. Loved it for many years. But the misuse of the ER, and mistreatment of staff, and yes, the drug seekers finally turned me into feeling ugly towards my patients. I am now a content ICU nurse. I still have chronic patients and drug seekers, but I'm happy and refound my compassion and care. :)

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Specializes in Oncology/BMT.

I pass out pain medications like there is no tomorrow... Who am I to judge?

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I work in the clinic the doctor I work for has two clinics I had a patient try to call me and say I talked to the doctor today she said it was ok for you to call in me some hydrocodone. I told the patient I know you have not talked to the doctor she has been in surgery since 7 am. The patient kept trying to come up with lies to try to get medication I refered her to the drug abuse counsler. She never called my office again. In the clinic setting we have so many patients that try to do stuff like that we have a lady that comes in here weekly for a injection of nubain and phnergan. She complaints of a migrane but she never presents symptoms of a migrane she laughs and crack jokes the whole time she is there. When you ask her her pain level she knows to say at least a level 8 to get the shot when she is clearly not displaying any signs of pain. I do see some patients who honestly need pain medication we have one lady that has severe back pain but because she has a history of a past drug abuse know one wants to treat her she just gets past along from doctor to doctor. THe people who abuse it messes it up for the people who need it.

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i'm currently a nursing student but i first started as a medical assistant and worked in an office with multiple doctors. i was shocked at the way the doctors and staff would talk about the patients, calling them crazy, fat, druggies. it disgusted me and actually effected me to the point that i get nervous to see a doctor b/c i worry what he says about me when i leave. i just hope that i never become a person that’s so negative and cynical

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Specializes in Operating Room Nursing.
That's sad that the other nurse had an attitude. My personal belief is that I do not work at a drug rehab facility, it is not my job to rehabilitate someone IF they do have a problem; if my pt says they are in pain, I treat the pain. I do not withhold meds if I think someone is a drug seeker, that's not my call. Now, I have had situations where a person is quite demanding and rude about getting their meds, not displaying any s/s of pain, constantly watching the clock and expecting you to be there on the dot with drugs in hand. In those cases, I set limits; I remind the pt that prn meds are not scheduled and that I will be assessing them for pain and medicating as needed, not just showing up with the meds every 2 hours. I also gently remind them that I have other pts and that I will be prioritizing care as necessary. I am kind but firm with those types of pts and have never had any complaints.

I completely agree with this. Even if they are a drug seeker, who am I to judge them for it? I don't know their situation in life, why they turned to drugs and quite frankly it's not any nurses job to judge anyone. I get very angry with people who make comments like 'oh so and so is just a druggie'.

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Specializes in LTC.

Pain is whatever the patient says it is. Who are we to judge ? I have had drug seekers and I give them the pain meds in the prescribed paremters. Now if mr.x has RR of 10 and still requesting morphine I would hold the morphine. ( and have narcan near by)

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
I pass out pain medications like there is no tomorrow... Who am I to judge?

I also work in oncology and do the same...

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Specializes in home health, dialysis, others.

I have a herniated disc, and there are some days when my entire leg is numb, and with pain from my back to my toes.I take Ibu 800, TID, and vicodin at night time 2 x 5/500, to help me relax. My doc added Trazadone, I take 1/2 of a 50 mg tab. For the first time in nearly a year, I am sleeping most of the night, sometimes as much as 7 hours. Although I already learned many years ago that the pain is what the patient says it is, I have new found respect for patients who do not appear in much distress and yet will tell you 8, 9, 10.

I am thankful that no one questions my need for pain meds.

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