Interesting way to manage patients

[Dontstressdoyourbest, RN]

Quote

Nurses at a New Jersey hospital allegedly gave patients Benadryl to zonk them out and “lighten the workload,” a fellow nurse alleges in a new lawsuit.

Patricia Moran, of Wall, claims several night-shift co-workers in the adult psychiatric unit at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch secretly and “knowingly ...

Read the the rest of the story.

https://nypost.com/2019/10/11/nj-nurse-claims-co-workers-fed-patients-benadryl-to-lighten-workload/

[jayefrojersy]

There has to be more to this story. It is unfair to the nurses accused to just hear the side of the nurse making the accusations. For all everyone knows this may be a disgruntled staff member with their own mental health issues.

[MunoRN, RN]

While there's evidence that diphenhydramine (benadryl) should not be regularly used as a sleep aid, her claim that using it for that purpose can be described as to "knowingly misuse" the medication, use as a sleep aid is an FDA approved indication for diphenhydramine.

She seems to be claiming the medication was used as a chemical restraint, which may or may not be true based on the information provided. If it was given to treat a lack of sleep or poor sleep quality in these patients then that's a therapeutic use, not a chemical restraint.

[jayefrojersy]

I work at one of the sister hospitals to this system. The complaining nurse is leaving out details.

[Oldmahubbard]

Regular use of benadryl is never appropriate for sleep. My opinion

[jayefrojersy]

Just because she says it happened does not mean it happened.

[jayefrojersy]

Benadryl is monitored like any other drug by the pharmacy. Every nurse that works in a hospital is aware of that . In this hospital trazodone is used for sleep, which is an antidepressant. Benadryl is only used for responding to adverse effects of medications.