nursing jobs that are narcotic free...dialysis?

[ICURN80]

Looking for a nursing job that doesn't require passing narcotics.

I have been in recovery for over 5 years now. It was a miracle to get clean and even start working again in the ICU (I never thought I'd be able to handle it, but after a few years of being clean, I went back to ICU and did well for a long time) Unfortunately, I've been under a lot of stress lately, and those old thoughts of using have come back- I've been going to meetings, talking to my sponsor, etc. but the thoughts keep coming and my recovery needs to come first. I think it's time to consider working in a "safe" environment where I'm not tempted to use. I'm considering a job at an outpatient dialysis center- does anyone know if dialysis nurses administer narcotics?

Thank you!!!

[LibertyTX]

I shadowed with DaVita once and they said they never give narcs. An endoscopy center might work for you. They might keeps narcs in the pharmacy just incase, but would rarely administer them. Also, working in pre-op, OR, or PAT at a surgery center or hospital.

[CryssyD]

Dialysis is a common area for nurses in recovery and/or with no-narc stipulations. Day surgery, pre-op, and endoscopy nurses often have to give sedation and pre-anesthesia meds (narcs). Some prisons and jails are narcotic-free, or at least aim to be. I would think medical office nurses rarely give meds of any kind, as would nurses at a public health clinic (not totally sure).

Keep your mind open--you will pretty much have to change your specialty completely. Good luck! Kudos to you for putting your recovery first--that's so important!

[LibertyTX]

The endo center where I worked, the pre-op and circulating nurses never gave narcs. Anesthesia did all the sedation. Fentanyl was used very rarely in post-op for the occasional liver biopsy patient. You just have to interview and talk with managers about the specifics of a position.

[RNdynamic]

You may still handle narcs in acute dialysis.