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Nurses General Nursing

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I am a registered nurse and I have been for 6 years. About a month ago I was very sick and I was on antibiotics and cough syrup with codeine. During this time I also had a fall and went to the emergency room where I received a shot of dilaudid. 3 days after the shot, I was given a drug test at work. My clinical manager knew of my prescriptions and I took the drug test with no worries. I was laid it off due to low patient census approximately a week after my drug test. I found out 1 week ago that my work has turned me into the Board of Nursing because my drug screen showed up positive for codeine and morphine. I have never in my life taking morphine. Now I am being investigated. I have tried to do my own research to determine whether dilaudid or codeine metabolizes in a way that would show positive for morphine.I have never and I would never take any medicine that is not prescribed to me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

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Codeine is metabolized to morphine.

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It isn't that codeine "metabolized to morphine", it IS morphine (natural). And Dilaudid is synthetic morphine.

If you were prescribed codeine (any brand name) or Dilaudid (brand name), you WERE prescribed morphine that would show on a drug test.

Now get yourself a good defense lawyer.

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Why did your clinical manager know about your prescriptions? There is no reason that your manager would EVER need to know what meds you are taking. You should have an employee health department that takes care of this when you begin employment, and then most I've worked with will follow up with yearly checks. I can't imagine any circumstance that I would tell my manager, or anyone else at work, any medications I was taking, or that I was taking codeine at night (or when i got home from work, etc...). For this reason.

It is up to you to decide if you are impaired at work. Even if you went to the ED/employee health after your fall- that is HIPAA protected.

I agree- Lawyer up, and good luck.

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You were prescribed opiates that were found in a UDS.

I don't know how or why your manager knew of your medications, but it's not legal for he/she to ask.

Since you were off work due to low census??, and also reported to the BON for your So called drug usage... I can assume manager wants you out. Think about why.

Please let us know what your attorney says.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

If you have ...CALL THEM NOW! (another reason ALL NURSES should have malpractice insurance.

If you have valid prescriptions you should be fine. Lawyer up. The BON IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!

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Thank you all very much. This whole thing is so stressful. I was working at a Hospice and thought my CM was my friend. I have quickly figured out that she is not. Everything about this is wrong. Also, my drug test was performed at the medical director for hospice office...didn't feel official at all no chain of custody.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

Lawyer up. You were given a script for the cough syrup, and a dilaudid injection as a pt in the ER. Both will show up on a screen.

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And can't she just show them the script for the cough syrup and the dilaudid order from the ER? Wouldn't that explain why she had a positive drug screen to those who are investigating her?

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Good advice all around. Here's some more. IMMEDIATELY contact the mods to change your posting name. Never, never, never use your real name on an internet forum, especially if you are discussing things like this!!!

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I have provided the BON with my prescriptions all my pharmacy transactions for 2 years and my ER reports. I have contacted a lawyer who keeps telling me not to worry but the BON investigator keeps saying I shouldn't have tested positive for morphine. And I keep telling him I took codeine cough syrup and dilaudid. This is so frustrating.

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I just want this to be resolved. but it looks like dealing with the Board of Nursing is a long lengthy process

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