Patients, Are They really all drug seekers?

[julabell]

I'm a fourth semester RN student, YEAH, almost done!!, but I truly hope I do not get cynical with years experience. It bothers me, alot, to hear nurses at clinicals say that the patient is a drug seeker. I thought we were taught that our job as nurses is not to judge, but to help and treat people with dignity. I'm not saying they didn't show these patient's dignity, but just by the comments, I feel it imposes negative feelings towards the patient(s). I'm not quite sure how I can reply to these nurses, any suggestions? Are we not taught that the person's pain is what they say it is?

[Lovely_RN, MSN]

I'm not sure if you have me mixed up with the OP. I'm an RN, not the student who posted that they hope they don't become cynical. Best wishes to you as well. I think I've said what I needed to say and I'll leave it at that. If my reply to the student was offensive then I apologize.

If you already knew that "yes, there are some drug seeking patients" and the thread title is "patients, are they really all drug seekers?", and the title was not asking a question but answering a question, I think I can be cut some slack for failing to accurately comprehend your thoughts.

If you really are here because you need suggestions on how to reply to a nurse who calls a patient a drug seeker, immediately followed by the rhetorical question "are we not taught that the person's pain is what they say it is?" it really isn't that crazy to think you meant nurses who say that don't believe the patient is in as much pain as he says he is.

You stated "I hope I do not get cynical". Then you said it bothers you a lot to hear nurses at clinicals say that the patient is a drug seeker. Most people who intend to convey that the next sentence means that not all nurses who say that are cynical and the phrase "nurses at clinical" really means some fraction of nurses at clinical don't word it the way you did, but strictly online messages are often misinterpreted.

That's how I managed to sum up from your comments what I managed to sum up from them. I don't understand the defensiveness because I wasn't intending to criticize you. Best wishes in your future career.

.

[nursel56]

Oh, yeah I see what happened Lovely RN. Since you quoted part of my message to Julabell as if I was responding to your reply (which was a fantastic reply) I assumed you were the OP, and I also assumed the nurse above me who made the comment about working in the ER didn't specify that he was responding to your reply and not Julabell's original message I didn't crosscheck the names.

Most of the time people who don't address their post to anyone in particular intend them to be directed to the OP, but it's more a custom than a hard and fast rule. Normally if I'm responding to someone else's answer I quote part of it or put their username at the top. Heck no - your answer was great! No harm done. :)

Now I'm going to edit my answer to you to hopefully reduce the confusion level for anyone else who might read the thread someday.

[johnb777]

I am not sure how to make this short , there are so many things that I could say about the way I am being treated by the VA. I get up early every morning and write something about my situation that helps me feel better.

First of all I am unemployed 58 years old and have been suffering back problems due to hard parachute landings in the Army.

They used to say, You are going to pay for that when you get older. Well the time has come.

I don not remember when I have slept a full night due to pain or withdrawals. First of all let me make an attempt to not have anyone here prejudge me already. The truth is, first "I am not a bad person".

I am not a drug seeker but I do feel I am being undertreated. This is something I have been told by the VA Advocate, "I should not be the one to start a discussion about my pain meds" Is this some sort of an indication I am drug seeking? Let me get to the beginning: I was assigned a VA Health Care Providor who was a PA.

Somehow he decided I was a drug seeking and wrote all kinds of negative and false things in my progress notes.

I found out after I requested my medical records. I was astonished, without going into details ,even the Med Records Manager agreed there were things in there that should not be. My back problem continues to get worse. My whole left side is not right. I have had a ruptured achillies heel and I believe I have SI jouint dysfunction along with scoliosis and lordosis. I think they are related. Well anyways my problem just gets worse and when I say the pain meds don't work any more they either ignore me or try to give something that doesn,t work or bothers me.

I took 800mg ibuprophen for many years untill it started destroying my stomach and intestines, but they ignore when I tell them that and just tell me to take it with food. They don't work for me anymore anyway. To try and make a long story short let me try and finish my thoughts.

Basically at this point in time I am getting very frustrated and depressed. I don,t dare tell them I am getting depressed because this will just raise another red flag that I am prone to addiction. I feel I am in limbo , they give me percocet that works for half the time but I still get withdrawals If I try to get off of them. I just told the doctor to just get me off of the pain meds , not because they don't help some but because I don't want to be treated like an addict anymore. If I could be free withdrawals right now I would just take the pain and either treat myself or find help outside the VA System. I feel I am now stuck with the VA untill I can get myself free of the dependency. I do not drink alcholol or smoke. I have never been in trouble for alchohol or drugs. I have never tried to use multiple ways to get pain meds. I tried to make this short. If nothing else maybe just one person who reads this will take a little more effort and not prejudge so quickly. Writing this out helps me some. I am not religious but I must say God help us all. The way the world is now I believe a major change is needed. Too much greed and not enough compassion.

sincerely,

johnb777

[nursel56]

Hi John . . .First - it's obvious you have gone through hell on earth because of the medication issue, and that the VA is apparently indifferent to your complaints - what will very likely happen here is that as much as we would like to - we aren't allowed to comment on anything bordering medical or legal advice.

I understand their policy, yet it is frustrating too-- we like to help people! I know there are people here who understand the VA system and yet they would be prevented from commenting as well for the same reason.

If I had a family member in the situation you are -- well your local Congress-person has a Constituent Services crew if I recall correctly. Most people would find it unconscionable to let an injured veteran also having intractable pain untreated. Before I gave up all hope and resigned my theoretical family member to a life of chronic pain I would not leave that particular stone unturned. Thank you so much for your service to our country-- it make me really sad to see our VA system isn't treating you with the respect and attention you deserve.

That's what I would do. You would think your Patient Advocate would advocate instead of making cryptic comments about pain meds.

[johnb777]

Thank you so much. It makes me feel good that someone cares. I won't even tell you what I just went thru at my last visit today. I was chastized and humiliated. As you say I am going to try and get some outside help. I have zero trust in the System at this point.

Thank you again.