Nursing students on drugs

Nurses Announcements Archive

Published

Hello all, A friend of mine from nursing school advised me the other day that she had someone admit to her that they were smoking pot everyday in their car before coming into class. She also had another one admit they are going into nursing for the free rein of narcotics they think they will come into contact with. She is not going to report any of this to any instructors, not even by slipping a note in the mail box of any of the instructors.

She did say that if these people ever came to clinicals and admitted that they were high or whatever that she would make no buts about it and would report them. So what would you do? Would you report them or would you keep quiet and let them get found out on their own?

~twintoo

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Our school makes you sign a consent form for them to just throw the cup at you and say "pee". This should be policy everywhere.

I'd mention to a director that a drug test "might" want to be conducted, and say nothing more.

WOW! That is horrible. I would probably let that person find out on their own, because they WILL get caught. Whether they get caught now during school, or ten years down the road, someone won't like what they're doing and someone will report it.

Specializes in Oncology RN.

After you are all done with nursing school, you might want to read your state's board of nursing paper...you will probably see your classmates' names listed for a revoked license due to drug use and/or theft.

Spend all that time in nursing school...the blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifices you make. All to piss it away for drugs. Go figure! The pot smoking thing doesn't alarm me as much as the student who is going to school because of the "easy access" to drugs. I would definitely report that in the most subtle way possible.

Report them both, BEFORE they hurt or kill somebody. You surely don't want that on your conscious if something does happen and you could have done something about it...just do it anonomously (sp) and get rid of the scumbags. Yes, eventually they will get caught but dont give them a chance to hurt a patient or the nursing profession.

Specializes in Adult Med-Surg, Rehab, and Ambulatory Care.

The stupidity of some people truly amazes me.

That is just it...I want to report them VERY much however I do not know which students they are. My friend didn't give me the names. :( I just hope they are never taking care of me or my family members!!! Thanks for the input! ~twintoo

Prescribed or not, a nurse should not be taking ANY narcotic and working... and a student should not be doing clinicals in these circumstances either. We, as students, were told that tylenol or advil was fine, even the cold and flu pills as long as they were the non-drowsy kind but NO narcotics period. If you need a T3 or anything else that strong or stronger, then you shouldn't be there. No exceptions for nurses, and no exceptions for students.

Specializes in School Nursing, Ambulatory Care, etc..
they were smoking pot everyday in their car before coming into class.

So, are they only smoking on lecture days or on clinical days too? Does it really matter? The point is that they - and you - are going to school to be a NURSE. A nurse - as my 4 year old pointed out to me - takes care of people when they are sick. Would you want these people taking care of you, your mother, father, husband, wife, significant other, child, etc, etc.. while they were high on the pain meds that were ment for you?

One of the things that we are told is to start thinking like a nurse. A nurse is a provider of care, a co-ordinator of care, and a member of the profession . Do you want these same people being a member of your profession?

Specializes in Oncology RN.

Perhaps you can submit an anonymous note about what you have heard, and then let the nursing division take it from there. I don't know if they randomly require drug testing, but at least they can have the information to act on. If they chose not to act on it, then it will rain a poo-storm on them if something happens. Schools tend to pride their reputation on cranking out good nurses...I would think that they would take notice of something like that.

I think that something should be done about it... It just aint right.....

+ Add a Comment