Drug Abuse Among Us??

Danielle4 · Oct 31, 2002

I hope you do not mind, but I am not a nurse. (I am still a student)

When you say wasting what do you mean by that?

Danielle4 · Oct 31, 2002

I hope you do not mind, but I am not a nurse. (I am still a student)

When you say wasting what do you mean by that?

BuffaloLPN · Nov 1, 2002

Danielle4,

say a narcotic or other med like it comes in 10mg tablets, we break it in half and dump half down the drain and give the other.

BuffaloLPN · Nov 1, 2002

Danielle4,

say a narcotic or other med like it comes in 10mg tablets, we break it in half and dump half down the drain and give the other.

abrenrn · Nov 3, 2002

Interesting site.

My first job was in Pedi oncology - lots of IV narcs, lots of waste (because peds). I was not abusing - then or ever - but I have an imagination. It would have been so easy to divert waste, not keep from patient - something a caring RN could do without guilt. Also, nurses very overworked, not enough time to follow every procedure, every policy. Guess which one might have been forgotten? Good nurses - always did full double check of blood, insulin, etc. - always careful with patients. Perhaps not so careful with selves, with licenses.

I did a paper on "impaired nursing" in college, for some reason just read it. Back in the 80s, it was a problem, worse problem was reaction though: tended to be silence, nothing said to impaired nurse until problem became severe - then would be led away in handcuffs. This was dift in medicine - most who ended up in trouble had been approached on a personal level (fellow MD), supervisory level (in hospital or something), then professional level - impaired physicians programs, licensing stuff - rarely ended up in jail.

Sounds like thinks are improving since my paper. There are impaired nursing programs. Sounds like people want to talk directly to peer if safe, then to management if no change, then to professional boards before nurse caught diverting narcotics and sent to jail.

Hope so.

tattooednursie, LVN · Nov 3, 2002

Ive worked under the influnce of vikoden. Either I had o have vikodin or I was not going to be there. I was in TOO much pain. I had a horrible ear infection with throbbing pain, and blood and puss was just running out my ears, down both sides of my neck, it was so awful. I was in so mch pain that i wanted to curl up in a little ball, and then croak.

Furball · Nov 3, 2002

I would've just stayed home...geesh. I wouldn't stay anywhere that doesn't allow sick call offs. Are you so willing to possibly make a mistake and finding your license in jeopardy?

Sorry....I'm off topic. It just boils me that so many nurses don't take care of themselves or aren't expected too. grrrr

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Nov 3, 2002

Howdy yall

from deep in the heart of texas

I agree with you Furball. Impaired nurses is a growing problem everywhere and it isnt being addressed adequately in any fashion. But it it isnt just diversion of medications, Interesting term for plain old stealing in my book. But nurses using prescription meds that nowadays are so easily obtainable wherever you go. The nurse with migraines having a stadol sniffers, who has a migraine during driving and takes a nasal inhalation of stadol or 2 or 3 ad infinitum. Or any of the other meds that you can get just because you tell some doctor you are in pain. Yes pain needs to be dealy with. But so does the responsibilyt of proper usage. If Im ever in a car wreck, I dont want whoever hits me to be tested for alcohol necessarily. Im going to want that person tested for any and all drug usage.

Just a irritated ER nurse who has seen to many avoidable tragedies.

suprnurse · Nov 21, 2002

Would you report a nurse to management who diverted a non-narcotic medication? I did so, & am being asked to sit down with this nurse and the nurse manager. It was a bizarre situation. The medication was a prep for a procedure, & this nurse removed it from the patient's room, then took the medication herself. I just wonder if, when we do sit down, this will be treated as a conflict between 2 employees, rather than what I feel it is. Meaning, questionable practice by a nurse. Any ideas?

mattsmom81 · Nov 21, 2002

Very interesting thread. :)

Jen, I sure can relate to your story as there was a time I was in severe pain and still trying to work (I was waiting for a herniated disc to heal..80% do..so I hung in there) I was afraid to take narcotics for pain..and in retrospect suffered needlessly for too long before I finally had surgery to correct the problem.

Nurses with chronic pain are exposed to a lot of suspicion as soon as the drug count is off, unfortunately. But the use of vicodin or other narcotics for treatment of pain does NOT make an impaired nurse, nor does it make a drug diverter.

I know a nurse who wears a low dose Duragesic patch for untreatable pelvic pain (adhesions.) She functions well and her life is semi normal due to proper pain control. She does home health and does a great job. :)

If I have chronic unrelenting pain (that cannot be cured), and I am healthy and able/willing to do my job safely, and a narcotic makes it possible for me to be productive and enjoy a normal life...then I should be able to receive pain control, IMHO. And without raised eyebrows or funny looks, suspicions from coworkers. (Be careful who you share this type of info with, I've found)

I believe pain and pain control is easily misunderstood. Particularly chronic pain ..."She doesn't LOOK like she hurts."...

I believe too many health care professionals still undertreat (vs overtreat) pain. Due to recent patient rights laws, we now have a 'right' to pain control and I am glad to see this. Yes, analgesic use should be monitored closely for proper use, potential abuse...but proper use of analgesics is NOT abuse.

I agree with everyone who felt laxity in narcotics wastage can contribute to medication diversion. It should be like a 'standard precaution' to witness each other draw up the proper dose and waste the remainder right then....keeps us all honest :)

I have worked with 4 excellent nurses who are recovering alcoholics or CD's and they all were upfront with coworkers, and asked us for our support. They got it..and are doing well in their sobriety. My hat's off to them and they're all good nurses in my book. :)

fab4fan · Nov 21, 2002

I also have a chronic pain condition and am on daily meds for it. You would never know it to see me; in fact, if I did not take my medication I would look questionable.

If monitored closely, needing to take pain meds for a legitimate reason should not preclude someone from working. However, I sure would not show up for work with pus running out of my ears...that's a huge risk IMO.

montroyal · Nov 21, 2002

The problem with abuse and habitual use of narcotics in nursing is widespread. I am amazed though that most of these post are looking at this problem from the nurses point of view only. Anyone who deverts drugs, is stealing from a patient! Addiction is a medical problem but does not relieve a person from being accountable for the actions. We can treat the addiction but we are also patient advicits and must watch out for the patients rights to be upheld. If my family member was in pain because of deversion, I would make sure the person responsible was delt with by the law, and aren't we supposed to treat our patients with the same level of care and respect. As far as habitual(daily) users of narcotics,even if perscribed by a physcian, we must look at this problem from several different prespectives. In most states in this country, if you are a daily user of a narcotic, even if prescribed by a MD, you are not allowed to have a drivers liscence. Most states BON require a medical review of each case, were strong evidence must be presented to support the nurses intention that they are "okay to work". Finally, the patient and their family have the right to know if their nurse is taking a narcotic and be giving the opportunity to decide for themselves if the nurse can work in the role of caregiver to them. Patients and their families pay large sums of money for their care and have the right to expect competent care without the influence of a narcotic, no matter what the dose or reason for the use.

How many of us know coworkers that take ativan, xanax, valium, restoril, or any other narcotic on a daily basis and then watch them climb behind the wheel of their car at the end of the shift and say nothing. How many of these coworkers have not reported the use of their drugs to the state Board of Nursing in order to go the the process of ensuring they are competent to care for their patients? How many of our coworkers inform their patients that they take a narcotic on a daily basis, allowing them their right to make an informed decision?

There are people who can take narcotics and work safely, but that is why there are rules governing this. Anyone who aviods these procedures are placing their patients, themselves and their coworkers at risk.