How does BON handle + marijuana screens from nurses in states that have legalized it?

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I see that Arizona has just voted in to legalize medical marijuana if you have a recommendation from an MD. How does the BON in the states that have legalized medical marijuana react if you test positive but have an RX from an MD for it? Anyone had any experience with their BON or know their policies?

I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the idea that the same people who want to toss law-abiding illegal immigrants in the clink are also a bunch of stoners :smokin:

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I thought exactly the same thing! :yeah: I think that is was aswmfun was saying when she said Arizona was redneck, conservative and Republcan.

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It is. I lived there for 7 years. I'm quite surprised, too.

The county you described...yavapai, by chance?

I'll never tell! :smokin: :D

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Nope, not concerned about my lack of sleep, I've learned that you suck it up! Nurses are tired, that's just how it is, working a zillion different shifts and crazy hours, that's how it is. I'm not gonna sit around and smoke weed or eat marijuana brownies.

I have intermittent insomnia and it is more than just sucking it up. Twice, during times of insomnia, I have fallen asleep driving. There are times when I have to postpone trips because I didn't get enough sleep. And I have gone to work even though I've been awake until 5 am, and have to be to work at 8:00 am. I too, used to partake when I was not working in Nursing, and marijuana was effective for sleep. I tried many sleepers, but had too much of a "hangover" the next morning. And I'm too afraid of Ambien as I have seen some of the reactions, and feel pot is safer alternative. Just wonder how the BON handle this with nurses.

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Are we having the discussion of is it OK to smoke pot and care for patients?

I'll give you a choice.

Nurse A: Well qualified, experienced, intelligent, caring.

Nurse B: Well quallified, experienced, intelligent, caring, stoned.

Who you gonna let titrate your drips or manage your vent?

Really?

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Specializes in criminal.

Neither, the issue is the disorder of insomnia and what the Physician has ordered for it. A patient is trying to relieve their symptoms and get some sleep, NOT to care for patients.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Are we having the discussion of is it OK to smoke pot and care for patients?

I'll give you a choice.

Nurse A: Well qualified, experienced, intelligent, caring.

Nurse B: Well quallified, experienced, intelligent, caring, stoned.

Who you gonna let titrate your drips or manage your vent?

Really?

It's not okay to be stoned, drunk or high on prescription narcotics while taking care of patients.

What a nurse does in his/her own time, which doesn't affect the workplace and patient safety, should be up to him/her. That should include marijuana.

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Specializes in PACU, ED.
Are we having the discussion of is it OK to smoke pot and care for patients?

I'll give you a choice.

Nurse A: Well qualified, experienced, intelligent, caring.

Nurse B: Well quallified, experienced, intelligent, caring, stoned.

Who you gonna let titrate your drips or manage your vent?

Really?

I really don't care what someone does at home. However, I bet there a plenty of malpractice lawyers just chomping at the bit to play this to a group of non-professionals who were not able to escape jury duty. How would a nurse defend themselves if they have a positive urine test? A positive ETOH will hang you even if you are under the legal limit for driving.

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Are we having the discussion of is it OK to smoke pot and care for patients?

I'll give you a choice.

Nurse A: Well qualified, experienced, intelligent, caring.

Nurse B: Well quallified, experienced, intelligent, caring, stoned.

Who you gonna let titrate your drips or manage your vent?

Really?

A nurse can not show up to work "stoned" or impaired from marijuana, even if she has an RX for it, the same a a nurse can not show up to work "high" or impaired from narcotics, even if she has an RX for it. There will always be sanctions against impaired nurses, even with an RX.

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Specializes in PACU, ED.
A nurse can not show up to work "stoned" or impaired from marijuana, even if she has an RX for it, the same a a nurse can not show up to work "high" or impaired from narcotics, even if she has an RX for it. There will always be sanctions against impaired nurses, even with an RX.

I agree with you awsmfun. I think the problem is there is no definition of a blood concentration that can be defined as impaired. It pretty much boils down to whether there is a positive urine dipstick which doesn't differentiate between smoking 2 hours, 2 days, or 2 weeks ago. That makes it pretty risky for a nurse to treat their insomnia on Friday night and then show up for work on Monday morning.

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We should all get together and develop a test that will actually determine the amount of THC in your blood/urine/saliva. We'd be billionaires!!!!

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I agree with you awsmfun. I think the problem is there is no definition of a blood concentration that can be defined as impaired. It pretty much boils down to whether there is a positive urine dipstick which doesn't differentiate between smoking 2 hours, 2 days, or 2 weeks ago. That makes it pretty risky for a nurse to treat their insomnia on Friday night and then show up for work on Monday morning.

There is a test that the police use, especially on fatality/serious MVA to determine how ng/ml of metabolites is in your urine. They use it to determine if you smoked 2 weeks ago vs hrs ago. The Dept. of Transportation has determined that the standard cutoff is 50 nanograms/milliliter (ng/ml). Yes, you may still test positive for metabolites, but won't be charged if its under 50 nanograms/ml as the marijuana was smoked/ingested long before you drove. Seems to me the BON should adopt similar standards to determine impairment or not.

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Specializes in respiratory,hospice,discharge planning,c.

I have a c215 certificate in california,YOU MUST BE CLEAN AND PASS YOUR PEE TEST, because almost all facilities accept federal funding and fed law will always supercede state laws. the facilites that i have applied at make it clear that if you have a med marijuanna certificate and cant pass pee test you will not be hired. fed laws need to change about its legal status.

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