Nursing students on medication

Hoosier_RN, MSN · Feb 17, 2014

Most don't care, its all about $$$$. If it is during their clinical hours for school, report it to their instructor. If otherwise, say something to your dept director, as it is our responsibility as nurses to provide a safe environment

dudette10, MSN, RN · Feb 17, 2014

How do you know they are "drugged up" on Adderal or another prescription medication?

NurseNightOwl, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2014

How do you know they are "drugged up" on Adderal or another prescription medication?

Exactly. Also, a lot of people are prescribed this medication. Nursing school is stressful, especially with other responsibilities like working or families (or both), and it's possible they're just "drugged up" on caffeine or Red Bull. In a perfect world no one would work without being 100% rested, but that just doesn't happen, in or out of school.

CountryMomma, ASN, RN · Feb 17, 2014

From an occasional sleep-deprived nursing student:

The only drug I take for sleepiness is caffeine, same as what, 80% of y'all nurses on the floor? How do you know they are poppin speed and all sorts of other crud?

Maybe they're not drugged up. Maybe they're exhausted and are having a hard time functioning on short sleep.

That's a huge allegation you plan on leveling on those students. You have no proof, but you still want to lay a label on a student because you think. You don't know, you think.

Think long and hard before you act. Ask yourself why you are making these allegations, and if you are truly doing it out of altruistic motives for your patients, or if you are pushing it for a different reason.

And taking Adderall with a prescription isn't a crime.

kjnsweets · Feb 17, 2014

It's because they have told us that they are on it and they have voices to their fellow students that they are on it to stay awake. We have a new RN that we hired and she says that in school she was out on a board and that was a very big issue. Some of them saw it as cheating. I wouldn't make these accusation if I didn't know for sure it was going on

kjnsweets · Feb 17, 2014

Believe. It or not I believe that patient safety comes first and foremost. I am an LPN and have been for several year. I worked a full time job and had 3 kids and a husband the whole time with out drugs to stay awake. I am now a RN student that works full time, has a husband and I still have a child at home and the most I drink is coffee. So yes it can be done.

USMCRN2015 · Feb 17, 2014

I am in school now and a lot of people are taking it, or going and getting a prescription for it, just to "make it" through school. They aren't even shy about it either. I will say that if it is putting a patient at risk, absolutely say something, maybe more to the fact they don't seem adequately rested, vice popping pills (unless you witness it firsthand of course) as that can come back at you in a bad way. I personally don't see the need to, but I'm also a huge Sugar Free Red Bull fan. I work par time as a tech, a mother of a 6 year old who does competitive dance, and a husband who is a full time student. I prioritize and ensure I'm rested as best I can. If that means napping during the day, or going to her vice going out, so be it. The ones who are taking the adderral are also the ones who come in hungover, or can't stop talking about what they are going to do that night. I'm 29, but I love my sleep. More than alcohol.

dudette10, MSN, RN · Feb 17, 2014

The students you're talking about lean toward the theatrical, don't they? Seems that some are looking at their prescription as validation that nursing school is sooooooo harrrrrd.

Even if they are on Adderal, what is it about their behavior that you feel is a patient safety issue? Simply taking a prescription drug is not a safety issue; if it adversely affects behavior or performance, it is.

allnurses Guide · Feb 17, 2014

Maybe you should leave their medication to them and their healthcare provider. If they have a legal prescription for whatever medication they are taking then perhaps they are safer taking their prescribed medication than without it.

Explain to us how you have observed them abusing their medications, or how they have endangered patients as a result, and perhaps we can help more.

SleeepyRN · Feb 17, 2014

If they have a script for it, I don't think it is any of your business to report it. That being said, if you notice a student during clinical that to your opinion doesn't look as if they are acting safely, you can bring that to the attention of your clinical instructor leaving the medication knowledge out of it. At that point, it us in the instructor's hands ans you did your duty to protect patients.

I'm hearing judgment on your end of people who take medications. That's great that you are super nurse/mom/student/wife without medication. I personally have a prescription for xanax, and during nursing school I provided my school with a note from my psychiatrist stating that I was safe to work with patients. I wish I didn't have the debilitating performance anxiety I have in new situations. I wish I didn't have to take xanax to keep from having a complete panick attack. I truly am glad that you can wear so many hats and remain very mentally sound. But some of us need help. More than you realize actually. My psychiatrist and PCP tell me they themselves need anxiolytics and ambien sometimes, and that they treat many health care professionals with these types of drugs. Try not to judge.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Feb 17, 2014

We have a new RN that we hired and she says that in school she was out on a board and that was a very big issue. Some of them saw it as cheating.

I agree with almost everyone else--you can't report a student--or anyone else for that matter--just because they say that they took a legal medication. If they are unsafe or you see them posing a risk to patients, then you say something to the CI.

The reason I quoted the post about--what do you mean? Out on a board? Just curious.