Is Tramadol part of your Narc count?

[Alibaba]

Just wondering. I work a couple of LTCs and LTACs as agency. Some places have Ultram in their lock boxes and its part of the narc count. Others have it in the regular pill drawer. What is your facility practice, and do you know the rationale for locking it up? Is it a highly diverted pain med?

[necc2008]

I work in a LTC and tramadol was not in the narc count for a while, but then they found a nurse was taking them, so they have since put them in our narc count.

[Alibaba]

Interesting replies. I hadn't given tramadol very much until I started working this one LTC. Seems like everyone is on it scheduled and prn. (the other biggie there is darvocet.) I think it's just the doctor's way of getting away with not prescribing narcotics. Then again, their pain seems pretty well controlled on the tramadol.

[husker_rn, RN]

I agree with the poster who mentioned missed meds. We sometimes count Tylenol and oral antibiotics when accessing the pyxis for them.

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

Not at mine.

[snuffyRN]

Nope we don't count it!

[ReemBZN]

Wow..I never knew that Ultram can be addictive. I was even being skeptical about the effectiveness of the med. Hmm...we really do live and learn.

[CASTLEGATES]

Tramadol is highly addictive. Work for a drug treatment center that handles healthcare professionals and you'll see. It's politics that got it off the scheduled list (lobbyist power). Just do a search on tramadol addiction and you'll see. Some say it's worse than getting off low dose methadone.

Darvocet is a narc (look up the scheduled narc laws about locks and counts and that will shed some light why some are highly prescribed, others aren't).

Vicodin used to be a class lower than percocet (not sure if it still is) but it was just as powerful...all politics when it comes to scheduling :redbeathe