Prescription narcotics or benzodiazepines while working?

[FireStarterRN]

Should a nurse be working while on Ativan, Xanax, Lortab, Percocet, or some other prescribed medication that may impair a person? I always thought this was a no no, even with a prescription. Don't these drugs impair ones judgment? Yet, I heard on another thread that nurses take Ativan to get through their shift.

Aren't there warnings on these meds 'do not drive while taking'. Isn't it common sense that, if you shouldn't drive while on a medication, you probably shouldn't be making nursing judgment calls, dispensing risky medications, transferring patients, and so forth.

What is the policy on this? What about the Nurse Practice Act?

[Atheos]

I'm surprised, too, at how lenient people are. I also wonder why there aren't more definite rules about this.

I brought up driving. If you cause an accident with prescribed benzos or opiates on board, what is your legal responsibility? Does anyone know the answer to that question? Are you off the hook if you have a script?

If you have an accident and you are under the influence of a narcotic, whether prescribed or not, you get charged with DUI. If you are loopy enough for them to pull you over you get charged as well.

Period.

DUI is not about legality of the narcotic or drug or alcohol. It's about safety.

Here you can even get charged if Nyquil has made you too loopy to safely drive.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

So how about nurses? I've seen nurses at work who seemed loopy, tired, not at their best. They'll say that they stayed up too late or some other excuse. Nursing encourages people to come in no matter what their condition so we accept a colleague who appears to be having a subpar day.

[Atheos]

So how about nurses? I've seen nurses at work who seemed loopy, tired, not at their best. They'll say that they stayed up too late or some other excuse. Nursing encourages people to come in no matter what their condition so we accept a colleague who appears to be having a subpar day.

And when those nurses make a serious error the facility is going to throw the nurses under the bus.

But really, the facility doesn't actually throw the nurses under the bus.

The nurses throw themselves under the bus...

[RheatherN, ASN, RN, EMT-P]

When i got hired, of course the drug screen. i do have a script for vicodin and take as needed for chonic military injury. They "counseled" me on this that i shouldnt take it unless blah blah blah and not before work, to try other things first. therefore- my drug screen was reported as negative to my facility- because i have a legal verified script. but they do expect you to take it at your discretion, of course not if its going to screw you up type of thing. the only time i have really taken it is at the end of my night when i was walking out the door. knowing that i was NOT going to be caught up in something else work related. there are ppl that take things on a normal basis, and it does not affect them. i have been taking this for so long prn, that i dont get a "high" from it or anything, it simply helps my issues.

So, V are you SURE???? your not taking that expired script??? LMAO! i had to add that, many ppl are very dearly concerned about you! lololol

-H-RN

[vashtee, RN]

So, V are you SURE???? your not taking that expired script??? LMAO! i had to add that, many ppl are very dearly concerned about you! lololol

-H-RN

Please, dear nurses! worry no more!! I started with 20 in the bottle, and there are 17 left, and they have been around long enough to expire. That should be a pretty clear indication that I don't have a problem. :chuckle

Which BTW reminds me - there is no appropriate way to get rid of expired medication in my town. The pharmacy they came from won't take them back, and I don't want to flush them because of the ground water issues. I wonder how people who don't take unneeded drugs get rid of them?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

kitty litter, preferrably "pooped in" LOL

[Atheos]

Which BTW reminds me - there is no appropriate way to get rid of expired medication in my town. The pharmacy they came from won't take them back, and I don't want to flush them because of the ground water issues. I wonder how people who don't take unneeded drugs get rid of them?

Save them.

I and many people I know have started to save them. We save them somewhere where they are inaccessible and then we just wait.

A couple of big name pharmacies host a 'Clean out the Medicine Cabinet' day. On that day we bring the meds to them for disposal.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

I know a school nurse who has severe, chronic nerve pain. She takes prescribed, routine ATC MSO4 and Methadone.

She has never seemed high to me- she just seems like a normal person.

[rngolfer53]

OY, for the 4th time, I AM NOT TAKING DRUGS AT WORK.

Sorry if I seem rude, it's just that I've had to repeat myself 4 times.

Being tempted is not the same as doing it.

I didn't say or imply that you were taking drugs at work. Your post stated you "considered" which implies a question. You also stated you didn't want to ask anyone at work. Again, a question.

So, I tried to answer the questions you posed by stating what I would do if I were in the same situation.

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

jeeeze . Hellooo... dang. Ya'll are scaring the nursing student.

If the "PRESCRIBED" medication does not effect your decision making and does not make you "LOOPY",, and it makes you a normal person.. then YES IT IS OKAY TO TAKE IT at work.

[meluhn]

As a new nurse who is about to go off orientation, the anxiety is killing me. I've considered taking a (low dose) Xanax that was prescribed to me over a year ago for a long airplane flight, but have also worried about whether or not that would be okay. I don't want to ask anyone I work with because I am trying to give the impression that I am relatively confident, and also I know that with more experience, my anxiety will diminish. Hopefully, I won't have a nervous breakdown before I find my groove!

I would discourage you from doing this. Just try to bite the bullet and get through these first few weeks/months without medication. If you start taking it , you will not ever feel prepared to stop. I started taking xanax when I was taking a public speaking class, just a 0.25mg, telling myself that I would taper even that low dose down when I felt more comfortable. Well as it turns out I never got to that point. It was just a psychological crutch that helped me get through a tough time,but my class ended, you are not oing to stop working. You are better off learning how to cope. Besides, these drugs are addictive and you will feel a little drowsy at first. You're better off being as alert as possible and just tackling things head on. Good luck

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

If I had taken some vicodin at work, I might have been able to tough it out with my kidney stones, but I was nervous about it. I have had to take vicodin for gall stones and back problems over the years, so it does not make me loopy or sleepy any more unless I take it on an empty stomach. Even still, I just could not take that chance. Even as a school nurse, there are people's lives in my hands, and I just can't chance my head not being 100% in the game.

I do know that there are people on meds for chronic problems that do not experience the side effects of those narcs/benzos anymore, and I do not see a problem with them continuing to work. Some people need meds to make it through the day and I don't think they should be banned from patient care for that fact.