Just found out I was accepted - Xanax usage

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Hi all!

I'm new here (first post). I was accepted into the ADN program at my school. I'm very excited, but am a little worried because I have an Rx for Xanax. I don't know my school's policy on this. The Rx is for 0.5 up to twice daily. When I do take any, I break the pill in half (0.5 at once would knock me out). I'm a 4.0 student, which has in and of itself been stressful. My mother is single (and I'm an only child) and she has been battling cancer. I'm also married and have a family, so my stress levels can get pretty high at times. Had it not been for the Xanax, I don't know if I could've pulled off my 4.0 GPA, not with everything that has gone on in my life lately. I could write a book on just the last year.

I have never taken Xanax for an extended amount of time. It has only been during extremely stressful times. The longest I've ever taken it is 4 months last year, and I've taken it over the last month this year.

I do not want to lie on the medical forms that my school has requested I fill out. I do have a prescription, but if I have to just stop taking the drug, even though I don't take it regularly, I will. Even if stop, should I let the school know I have a Rx for it? I will be drug screened at some point prior to the fall semester. If, God forbid, I were to take one, and didn't list it on the initial medical form, it would not be good.

I know you can't answer anything about my particular school, but has anyone else found themselves in this situation? I would hate to know that I've worked my butt off to complete all my prereqs with As, only to find out that .25mg of Xanax now and then would be enough to crush my dreams.

Just for the record, I don't drink, I don't do any drugs except for the occasional Goody Powder, and I'm not trying to pass a drug test. I'm just nervous about this situation because I don't know how schools typically view situations like this.

Thanks in advance!

Charley

The situation described is not a HIPAA violation because OP would be volunteering the information as part of the admission process.

OP may want to research her state's NPA position on the use of mood-altering medications. In most states, it doesn't matter why the drug is prescribed .... if it affects cognition or reaction time, it is NOT OK to use while working because it is a patient safety issue. There are also penalties for "failure to disclose" - choosing not to do so is a calculated risk.

What does NPA stand for? And does he state set a policy for this, or can schools set their own policy? I'm tempted to just properly dispose of my prescription and not take it at all. If I'm not taking it, there's not an issue. I am located in NC if that makes any difference.

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They are looking for illegal drug use, so any illegal drugs that show up meaning street drugs or prescription drugs that you don't have a script for.

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They are looking for illegal drug use, so any illegal drugs that show up meaning street drugs or prescription drugs that you don't have a script for.

I am just afraid that if I voluntarily disclose that I take Xanax, they will automatically boot me out. I do need this drug sometimes with all that I have going on. What I want is to just be upfront and honest. I don't like lying or hiding things because I believe it always bites you in the butt in the end. But at the same time, I have worked my butt off for this, and don't want it snatched away just because I'm on a low dose of Xanax for some current life stressors that induce anxiety. Ugh.

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
I am just afraid that if I voluntarily disclose that I take Xanax, they will automatically boot me out.

If they did this, I feel like they would be risking a law suit. Does anybody else think that, or am I being crazy?

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

OP, you might consider posting your question in one of these forums for more responses:

https://allnurses.com/health-stress-management/

https://allnurses.com/nurses-with-disabilities/

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One of my nursing instructors actually told me to ask my doctor about a prescription for an anti-anxiety after I talked with her about how poorly I was handling testing anxiety. Your nursing school does NOT want your mental health to fall to the wayside! As long as you provide documentation of your prescription, you'll be absolutely fine.

Mental health isn't generally regarded as a true "health problem" in much of our society, but the health care field is one place where you'll find that it is regarded as a true health problem, and it's encouraged that you take care of yourself.

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What does NPA stand for?

Nurse Practice Act

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I have a prescription for a ADD medication. I have been on this medication for 15 years and was on it through nursing school, my masters program, as well as multiple jobs/hospitals. The way it works everywhere I have been drug tested is once your drug screen comes back positive, a doctor from the agency who performed the test will contact you to ask about what medications you are taking. Once you tell them about the controlled substance, you have 24 hours to submit verification of the prescription to the agency (must be filled within 30 days). I believe after they have verified your prescription, the result is reported to the school as negative. I believe I was "randomly" tested more often than other students, but I can't remember if I disclosed the medication I was on to the school. As long as you have a valid prescription and are not impaired you should be fine. Of course you should not take Xanax on the days you will be interacting with patients.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
Thanks so much for the quick replies! I have to say, when I read the medical forms, and saw the part where it says "please list" any medications (OTC and Rx) that you take, and how often you take them, I freaked out just a bit. Are you saying that I can leave this blank because HIPAA protects me in this area? My first thought was that if I didn't list the Xanax, and they found out, it would be grounds for dismissal because it would be seen as dishonest.

I've browsed a few threads here and have seen that it's not terribly uncommon for nursing students to take Xanax. Is usage of a drug like this (as prescribed, not ABUSED) frowned upon in schools?

I apologize in advance if my questions seem repetitive. I'm sure you all know how badly you wanted to be a nurse, and I certainly feel the same way. I just don't want to jeopardize it.

This isn't really a HIPAA protection issue (HIPAA would just mean they can't go digging around in your personal health records to find out). You should disclose it. It's not going to ruin your future. It's not going to look great if you don't disclose your Rx and for whatever reason it comes back on a drug test (which can happen at any point during nursing school). This isn't the time to try and hold back information.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
One of my nursing instructors actually told me to ask my doctor about a prescription for an anti-anxiety after I talked with her about how poorly I was handling testing anxiety. Your nursing school does NOT want your mental health to fall to the wayside! As long as you provide documentation of your prescription, you'll be absolutely fine.

Mental health isn't generally regarded as a true "health problem" in much of our society, but the health care field is one place where you'll find that it is regarded as a true health problem, and it's encouraged that you take care of yourself.

This times 1 million!!!!

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This isn't really a HIPAA protection issue (HIPAA would just mean they can't go digging around in your personal health records to find out). You should disclose it. It's not going to ruin your future. It's not going to look great if you don't disclose your Rx and for whatever reason it comes back on a drug test (which can happen at any point during nursing school). This isn't the time to try and hold back information.

I have decided to be honest about it. I'm not big on lying, and I'm fairly certain that with my luck, it would bite me in the butt if I did lie. Plus, it's a low dosage med. It's not like I'm a closeted heroin addict. I have nothing to hide. If, for some reason, the school has an issue with it, I will just discontinue the med. I just feel more comfortable being honest. I've worked my butt off in school, and I'm not going to mess that up by lying about something that shouldn't (hopefully) be an issue.

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Just an update. I actually spoke with the DON at my school and asked her if this would be a problem. I didn't want to wait almost two months (when medical forms have to be turned in) to find out whether or not this med could be a problem. She said it is fine and that as long as I have a valid Rx, it's all good. Feeling much better now! I'm not a fan of "what if's".

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