I am so freaking livid!

[moni rn]

i can't believe what happened to me this afternoon!

brief (yeah, right!) synopsis:

i suffer from migraines (both tmj-caused & regular migraines), but for the most part, i have them controlled by medication. well, for entrance to my nursing program, everyone has to have a drug screen. when i had mine done, i listed every single medication i had taken for the last 30 days (neurontin, pamelor, celebrex, amoxicillin, percocet, stadol, phenergan, compazine, motrin & tylenol). as i was sure of, i "failed" the drug screen. they refused to tell me what drug came back positive on the screen. well, my school requested letters from my doctors stating that i was prescribed these medications. i see 3 different doctors that have me on medication. one is my dermatologist (acne: amoxicillin), ent (tmj: celebrex & pamelor) & a neurologist (migraines: everything else). i did as requested, and all 3 doctors said if the school needed to talk to them, please feel free to call. (the neurologist, dean of the neurology department at the local medical school, even stated on the letter that he was pleased to see me go into nursing and he couldn't wait to hire me.) i went to turn in the letters to the dept chair who proceeded to tell me that she was worried about my competency while on these medications and my position in the program may be revoked. excuse me! i couldn't believe my ears! i tried to remain calm. i simply stated, "i don't understand?" she said, "taking percocet & stadol on a regular basis may hamper your ability to complete clinicals" it is not like i take these meds on a daily basis. i may take a percocet every 2 or 3 weeks and stadol maybe only about every 6 months. when i do take them, i know full well not to get out of the house for my safety & others on the road. also, i have a full-time job (employed by the same company for the last 2 years, since graduation), volunteer at 2 local hospitals, tutor at the college, perform submaximal & maximal cardiovascular tests for 2 local cardiologists & the local university and have graduated with honors & cum laude with my bachelors in sports medicine & mathematics. to top it off, i scored the highest they have ever seen on the nln entrance test. how in the h*ll am i not "competent" to complete clinicals? if i have a headache, i live with it, unless i am not going to get out of the house for a while and it is severe. as soon as i got home, i contacted a lawyer. he said they could not do that legally, and if they did, i would have an excellent case of discrimination.

am i overreacting or do i have a right to be pi**ed? please, tell me the truth.

sorry for the novel, but i had to get this off my chest! thanks for "listening"!

[peaceful2100, BSN, RN]

MONI, that is outrageous. The lawyer is a good idea, it is horrible that it has to go that route but it is unfair. You have waited so long and we all know you have what it takes. I will keep you in my prayers.

[KITTYLADY]

sure hope you show them up!!! discrimination sucks!!! i "forgot" to mention the sleeping pill i take when i filled out that form upon entrance to school.... it's sad truly sad that honesty is punished... good luck!!

[jschut, BSN, RN]

*Moni*

I am so sorry this has happened to you...

God bless you and please...keep us posted.

{{{HUGS}}}

Julie

[kids]

I agree that you have every right to be angry, but...

To play devils advocate here...

The Nursing Program has every right to be concerned, they don't know that you would never work while on the meds and it is unfair to expect them to take your word for it.

The Attorney is a good way to get them to sit up and take notice and get them to look at the documentation...did your Doctor's letters include the number and frequancy that your meds are prescribed? If not get another letter that does list the info and get copies of your pharmacy records to back up how seldom you need the meds. Have you missed any work due to taking the meds for a migraine? If so get the employers to write letters that indicate you have historicly called off when on meds.

I do sympathize, I took 3 Vicodin per day (1 in am, 2 at HS) for 7 years (a long story about the unmanagement of chronic pain) 5 years into it I had a new DNS question if I was impaired...lucky for me my PCP was also the house medical director who pointed out that since I wasn't getting ang relief from the pain it was unlikely that I was getting high from it.

-nancy

[Teshiee]

I am glad you did seek legal advice. They are acting as if you are some kind of drug addict or something. I am plagued with migraines to the point I can't get out of bed sometimes. To use your disability as an excuse to not let you enter in the nursing program is so contradictory to what nursing is about. Please keep us posted on the outcome. I know you will be a great contribution to the nursing profession. Good luck to you. :-)

[ekm, BSN, RN]

I agree with Mollyj and kids-r-fun. Yes definitely negotiate with the school before hiring an attorney. You DO want to attend this school under good circumstances, but also understandably the school does have a right to question all medications taken. They are liable for you while you are in clinical, and their licenses are on the line.

[semstr]

ok, Moni, go for it girl!

But do try to negotiate with the school, lawyers are expensive!!

Take care, Renee