when your patient is a nurse

sjt9721, BSN, RN · Mar 27, 2008

I think the only time you're justified in reporting this situation is if the impairment is in the course of the nurse's duty to his/her patients.

So...if I divert morphine and you find me passed out in the bathroom with a needle in my arm...all bets are off & I should be reported.

Although in that instance, the facility would more than likely make the report and not an individual co-worker.

For aeauooo: Best wishes for you in your continued recovery. Thank you for sharing that with us. :)

BrokenRNheart · Mar 27, 2008

It depends....if on duty, that's a whole other issue....
However, I did a search online for this...and found a statement from the NY state nurses association...
In conclusion, the New York State Nurses Association affirms and emphasizes two issues:
any testing for alcohol and/or other drug use involving professional nurses should be done only when there is reasonable suspicion and/or objective documentation that job performance is or has been impaired by alcohol or drug usage; not, as a random procedure or general policy; and
the above recommendations for policies for testing for alcohol and/or other drugs are separate from the provisions of a reentry contract which may have been negotiated between a recovering nurse and an employer
As a patient, a nurse has the same HIPPA rights as anyone else....regardless of our personal feelings. If it is not affecting job performance, and no criminal case has been proven, I believe that the nurse has the same right to get treatment as anyone else.
I realize that this thread borders on the legality of said issue....and may be closed, but that's what I believe....right or wrong.
Would I want that nurse working on my loved one? Nope. But would I know unless job issues started showing up? probably not......

Exactly. My ex-husband was an alcoholic (just beer-never liquor) - NEVER drank on the job or had any alcohol related to work. A change in management after like 30 years in the same institution put his license under review. The right lawyer put a stop to it after a year of he** because he NEVER had a work related issue and the whole thing was dead wrong.

Anyone I have ever met or know of it had to have a relation to work or the suspicion. While seeing a co-worker with a positive drug screen is not very impressive, responding in that manner is no better. HEY, she's a nurse.....aren't they trying to destroy us anyway? Maybe that is her survivol.

I have never suffered any of those addictions. I did go from a part-time mostly non-smoker to smoking 2 packs a day at my last job. I am in the midst of quitting and down to 1-10 a day right now. I tried the chantix - didn't help one bit. Doing it on my own - besides I'm not nursing.

I have made many jokes about becoming a drug addict because the benefits are better than facing this straight.....but, I have enough things going on in my life and can't fit it in. I feel like it doesn't pay to try to live right or do right. Maybe in my next life I will give it a try :nuke:

And...Best wishes to you in your recovery!!! I know how hard it is to quit something. My true addiction is brownies. Addiction is addiction. If I could drink, I would. My gut can't take it after taking MOBIC for my neck a few years ago.

aeauooo · Mar 27, 2008

I have never suffered any of those addictions. I did go from a part-time mostly non-smoker to smoking 2 packs a day at my last job. I am in the midst of quitting and down to 1-10 a day right now. I tried the chantix - didn't help one bit. Doing it on my own - besides I'm not nursing.

Good luck! For me, quitting drinking was a heck of a lot easier than quitting smoking. I've heard other recovering alcoholic/former smokers say the same thing.

BrokenRNheart · Mar 27, 2008

Good luck! For me, quitting drinking was a heck of a lot easier than quitting smoking. I've heard other recovering alcoholic/former smokers say the same thing.

I can't imagine since I had to give up drinking because of the gut pain. Not that I drank alot, but I like a good dose of jack and pepsi on the weekends.

The smoking was easy for me in the past. I have never smoked this much or this bad. Now that I have been away from my job a few weeks, I am losing the need or craving. It was the intense stress that made chain smoking feel so good.

CITCAT · Mar 27, 2008

A couple of months ago a patient was admitted to my unit with a diagnosis of overdose. The patient's urine tox was positive for a number of drugs including at least one illicit substance.
The ED nurse made a big stink that this patient was a nurse and that she was going to notify the state board that the patient had been admitted with overdose and a positive tox screen.
Aside from the fact that I found the ED nurse's behavior to be self-righteous and extremely offensive, I also believed that by contacting the state board to 'narc' on this patient she would be violating the patient's right to confidentiality.
Let me add this caveat; I am a recovering alcoholic. I got sober after a colleague, who is also a recovering alcoholic, came to me and told me he thought I had a drinking problem.
How should we advocate for our colleagues who have substance abuse problems?

I would refer this to nurses in recovery this nurse i believe has rights under hippa also I am sure her doctor is aware of these lab test let it fall on him also if you were to report her and shes was under tx for eg. depression and lost her license,her reputation and hypothetically becomes despondant and commits suicide. Would it not be better for doctor to pysch admit, to eval rather than judge Weres the heart of nursing wheres the empathy between nurses or are nurses become the cold hearted computerized robots,result driven,Even the tin man in the wizard of oz "If I only Had A HEART' :nurse:

:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe:redbeathe

stephlucasrn2008 · Mar 27, 2008

I am a big believer in WE ALL HAVE OUR PROBLEMS! So then, about reporting this to the state board of nursing. I am not aware of the process for reporting things and who can, but I would say that it could possibly be a HIPPA violation. Furthermore, I worked with a nurse who got caught stealing Dilaudid, and I almost fell over onto the floor. She was the most knowledgable, caring, empathetic, all around awesomest nurse I know of.

So then, should I report my hairdresser that I know smokes pot on a regular basis? Or should I report my cousin, who is a lawyer, that binge drinks every weekend? We are all technically, in some way or another, held to the same professional standards.

aeauooo · Mar 27, 2008

I am a big believer in WE ALL HAVE OUR PROBLEMS!

Amen to that!

I wonder what that ED nurse is hiding in her closet. Considering her behavior, it's probably something scary.

worked with a nurse who got caught stealing Dilaudid, and I almost fell over onto the floor. She was the most knowledgable, caring, empathetic, all around awesomest nurse I know of.

I've worked with several nurses who got popped for diverting narcs - they're great nurses who are an asset to the profession.

Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN · Mar 28, 2008

It is because of people like the charge nurse that HIPAA exists. I started my medical career in medical records, and made it my mission to protect sensitive information - people being treated for HIV/AIDS, mental illness or addiction. It's nobody's frickin' frackin' business. I've seen lots of nosey people trying to get the goods on someone they know under the guise of concern.

I've known lots of high functioning addicts in my day. Until they cross the line of it interfering with their jobs, I figure it's between the person and their higher power. Reporting her to the BON won't do anything but complicate her life even more.

Some people are just cussed mean.

Lorie P. · Mar 28, 2008

A major HIPPA violation! She is a patient and has rights. The only way this other nurse could report her is if she came to work under the influence and put her pt's as risk.

The loud mouth nurse needs to " sweep in front of her own door" before doing it at some one else's!

Can we say HIPPA!!?

Katie82, RN · Mar 28, 2008

This is a really touchy subject, most ERs would not even bill this as an overdose, but as a "reaction to medication". I agree that the nurse has the same rights as a patient and the ER nurse could be kissing her own license goodbye.... I am currently case managing a patient who was hospitalized for an overdose several years ago. She was not a nurse, but held a professional position, and the stigma has followed her to this day. Come to find out, she has a history of gastric bypass and her body does not metabolize opiates the way most do, so she "overdosed" on Percocet (after another procedure) taken according to label directions. I am not so quick to judge anymore.... Aeauooo, kudos to you on your recovery, keep it up..

squeakykitty · Apr 1, 2008

This is not the first time I've overheard this particular nurse say really horrible things to patients with substance abuse problems.

She really needs to get off her high horse and lose the nastiness. Has anyone reported her, since it sounds like she is into verbal abuse?

aeauooo · Apr 3, 2008

She really needs to get off her high horse and lose the nastiness. Has anyone reported her, since it sounds like she is into verbal abuse?

I don't know. I get the impression she's one of those nurses who has been around so long she's part of the furniture.

I'm not worried about it - that kind of bad energy, karma, or whatever, has a way of coming back around and biting you in the @$$.