Help! Pharm Question

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Hey guys, i am doing an assignment for pharm. One of the questions state..."You have a life long friend who has been smoking pot since high school. This friend comes to your house to visit and wants you to party with her. What are your legal responsibilities related to your nursing license?" I have some ideas but nothing really solid. :bugeyes:My book does not really talk about people outside of the work environment, just nurses obligation to the client in the workplace. Can anyone help by sharing their views. Thanks so much in advance. :specs:

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

In the past I have actually asked people to leave my home when they disrespect me enough to even ask me if doing pot is OK in my home.

At my hospital every employee is subject to random drug tests as part of their employment contract, so presumably if you did partake you would stand a chance of getting fired if you were hit with a random drug test.

Doesn't seem like a really smart idea for someone who values their nursing license now does it?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.

You're not allowed to do any drugs that aren't prescribed to you by an MD or are illegal. If you get caught you could loose your license.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

my response is get out of my house now. regardless if i wanted to participate in this activity if i am caught i face the music with the board....

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.

Yep, what everyone else said. It says in my state board of nursing description that nurses are to contribute to keeping people safe. That very broad statement includes your personal life (that's why a DUI is a big no-no).

At my new job I signed a contract stating that I will never come to work under the influence of anything that may impair my judgement. That even includes OTC cold medicine. If you feel you cannot safely perform your job, you have to tell your supervisor. How that is linked back to partying at home is that the board of nursing and your future employer want to know that you are of sound mind, will not partake in recreational drugs and that you will be honest in telling them if you are doing anything that is a danger to others.

Heck I was paranoid about poppy seeds before my drug test!

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Good question...probably best answered by looking at your state laws...although it doesn't state that you will be smoking the weed so I don't know if its really an issue. With the military we are not allowed to place ourselves in a position where illegal activities will be taking place so the answer is clear (and there aren't any excuses)

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Somewhere in your pharmacy book should be a table of the controlled drugs under the Federal Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 which is what I think this question is getting at. It was in chapter 1 of my pharmacology textbook. Marijuana is a Schedule I drug. You can do a search of it on the Internet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comprehensive_Drug_Abuse_Prevention_and_Control_Act_of_1970) but, basically, if you are nurse it is best not to be near the stuff or your license is pretty much in jeopardy.

You should also go onto your state board of nursing website and look at the nursing law with regard to the use of illegal drugs by licensees. Many state board websites have FAQs with regard to disciplinary action on this.

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Nursing responsibility? You have no responsibility to this individual as you have not estabslished a formal nurse-patient relationship. Personal responsibility involves getting away from the illegal activity as it could place your professional license up in the air.

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Thanks guys, that's pretty much how i answered it. I also said that even second hand smoke can have a second day positive result depending on the levels of THC in the pot. 1st pharm assignment down .....11 more to go. And ....there were 4 questions and it took a whole page typed for ....drum roll.....1 point.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, IM, OB/GYN, neuro, GI.
Thanks guys, that's pretty much how i answered it. I also said that even second hand smoke can have a second day positive result depending on the levels of THC in the pot. 1st pharm assignment down .....11 more to go. And ....there were 4 questions and it took a whole page typed for ....drum roll.....1 point.

Don't you love it. They give you all that stuff to do for one whole point. We had to do 60 drugs cards in med/surg for each body system and that's what they were worth but it got even better when they averaged them into our grades and all together they were only worth a half a point.

I know it's to understand the material but three hours worth of work really isn't worth the points and they wonder why so many people didn't do it.

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Specializes in Telemetry, CCU.
Thanks guys, that's pretty much how i answered it. I also said that even second hand smoke can have a second day positive result depending on the levels of THC in the pot. 1st pharm assignment down .....11 more to go. And ....there were 4 questions and it took a whole page typed for ....drum roll.....1 point.

Sounds like the school I went to... One teacher had us do a weekly online assignment, could be 1-2 pages typed with references, and it was only worth a few points. She never gave us our grades on them either, lol. Even the university undermined our hard work, clinicals worth only 1 or 2 units??!!! Come on, throw a dog a bone!!!

It's tough but you'll get through it! Good luck to you and happy studying:nurse:

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