helping a nurse with drug use/job

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recently a friend who is very seasoned trauma rn was busted for

using a vicodin while on shift. i can't believe she would do this

while on duty much less happen to tell her pt. she did so due

to back pain. she tested neg. by ua but was very honest when

asked by er coord.-even so they dismissed her and now she is

in a peer assit. prgm. for drug abuse.(state req.)

by the way this was a drug for her from her pcp. confirmed by w/rx.

this nurse not only has excellent skills/house/charge exp.& with

more than 21yrs in-she keeps hitting road blocks when applying

for many positions and with the restrictions they placed on her

working-options have become very slim. she is not a abuser of

narcs. and has been clean on every random test.

i have been by her side and even networked for her to gain some

type of emplymt. she has even resorted to working in conv.&book

store to make ends meet..she has one child/single partent.

i really need some encouragement and words of wisdom from others,

i live in a rural area and have limited contact with others i can trust

with this..

It isn't a point of agreeing with someone or not agreeing with them. Thesea re the current statutes listed on all Boards of Nursing at this time.

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

At least she was honest and now will get some help. Her behavior is unacceptable but it happens even to the best of people. Hope she recovers soon and learns a good lesson.

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It isn't a point of agreeing with someone or not agreeing with them. These are the current statutes listed on all Boards of Nursing at this time.

Working as a nurse in any state, you are 100% under BON regulations, not whether you think it is right or wrong.

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Like Judee said, maybe the BON's need to listen to pain specialists, and the laws need to be changed. Although I wouldn't break the law, I would be interested in doing things to change some outdated BON's laws. Some states like Ct. don't even have any options for impaired nurses to get help. Also, what about a nurse working in pain or a nurse working in a very anxious state. This can be just as dangerous for patients as a nurse taking a pain killer. I am in favor of doing whatever I can as a nurse to get BON's to update their laws regarding impaired nurses getting help and to reevaluate which pain killers can be safe for a nurse to take if she is suffering. Not all nurses can afford to stop working because of chronic pain, so they work without pain killers suffering and anxious. How safe is that for patients? I know that I cannot concentrate when I am in pain or feeling anxious about it. Maybe some pain killers should be allowed. At least they should listen to pain specialists and consider options instead of saying, "Let's just get rid of impaired nurses and nurses with chronic pain issues.

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It is not a matter of us agreeing or disagreeing about following the present BON's laws. It is a matter of agreeing or disagreeing about whether these laws, which I think are outdated, need to be changed and how we can help try to change them if we think they need to be changed.. Laws do get changed ie. abortion, alcohol prohibition

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Using a narcotic while on duty in a health care facility is agaist all Boards of Nursing throughout the US. Narcotics can affect the person that is using them differently each time.

If the person is having that much pain that they require a narcotic, then they should be at home taking care of themselves. You will only make a back injury worse by pushing it.

You would be surprised at the number of health care professionals who take pain medication and who work, without any signs of impairment. And the outdated and backward outlook of BONs. Impaired nurses have no business working but it depends on how one defines an impaired nurse. An impaired nurse is one who takes medication that interfers with ones ability to function. Taking a pain medication, on a daily bases, does not mean that one is impaired. That is a mistake in knowledge. As nurses, you need to update your knowledge.

Grannynurse :balloons:

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The impact of a pain medication, such as vicodin, varies from person to person. The presence of such a medication, in one's blood stream, does not necessarily mean that an individual is impaired from doing one's job. I am not surprised at the attitudes, posted on this board or a BON, which demonstrate a lack of understanding of the mechanisms of drug therapy. Unfortunately, education has not kept up with practice.

Grannynurse :balloons:

Amen!

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]This nurse I was speaking about has had major back surgery and I have seen

her work in extreme pain just to cover our shortage in ED, and I do know

it is breaking all kinds of BON laws etc. but she takes this only in a real crisis

not that it's right but we as staff have never ever seen or even thought

she might be of harm to anybody must less impaired.

Most of our pm staff were shocked because I think everyone of

us takes some type of prescription medication from time to time

but never and the expense of patient care. I even over heard

one of the nursing interns say she takes xanax and was now very

worried about this information getting back to the ED coord.

Once when one of our part-timers called in saying she could'nt come in

because she had taken a T3 for a toothache, she was told to come in anyway and

they would use her not as a primary nurse but a ED tech.

and I must admit this was during one of our busy winter months(flu,etc.)

Thank you Krissy for the info on the book I have already placed a order

for my buddy to have. I must admit laws might very well need to be changed and

I have taken out my comb to go over our policy book!

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I've seen nurses on antidepressants that are basically walking around in a fog and seem far more impaired that ones that I have worked with that take pain medication in a responsible manner. Maybe this needs to be reevaluated and also take a look at how antidepressants can affect a caregivers ability to provide safe and accurate care. : :rolleyes:

You would be surprised at the number of health care professionals who take pain medication and who work, without any signs of impairment. And the outdated and backward outlook of BONs. Impaired nurses have no business working but it depends on how one defines an impaired nurse. An impaired nurse is one who takes medication that interfers with ones ability to function. Taking a pain medication, on a daily bases, does not mean that one is impaired. That is a mistake in knowledge. As nurses, you need to update your knowledge.

Grannynurse :balloons:

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I agree with grannynurse. I for one am one of the nurse who has chornic back pain due major back surgery that I had to have bacause of a work injury because we were short staffed and have to take pain meds on a daily basis as prescribed by the PM doc the hospital sent me to and I take methadone, baclofen, darvocet for breakthrough and ambien to sleep 3-4 hrs a night. I have to work I have a family so not working is not an option. These meds do not effect me other than making the pain managable (not go away it, never gets below a 5 on a pain scale of 1-10 ). I am better able to function when the pain is not crippling. And yes the hospital knows what I am taking they are paying for it ( I get a a pay slip from employee health to get it from the hospital pharmacy ).

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I agree with grannynurse. I for one am one of the nurse who has chornic back pain due major back surgery that I had to have bacause of a work injury because we were short staffed and have to take pain meds on a daily basis as prescribed by the PM doc the hospital sent me to and I take methadone, baclofen, darvocet for breakthrough and ambien to sleep 3-4 hrs a night. I have to work I have a family so not working is not an option. These meds do not effect me other than making the pain managable (not go away it, never gets below a 5 on a pain scale of 1-10 ). I am better able to function when the pain is not crippling. And yes the hospital knows what I am taking they are paying for it ( I get a a pay slip from employee health to get it from the hospital pharmacy ).

When the impaired nurses program first began, in the state I am presently living in, it was intended for nurses who use drugs illictly. Nurses who took medications from their employers and/or patients or used street drugs. It was expanded to include nurses who used medications to control pain. Funny thing, they do not ask for such information when you renew your license. BON, like BOM need to up date their knowledge and information. While SOM and SON have increased their diateck work, apparently have not increased it enought.

Grannynurse :balloons:

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What is SOM and SON?

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