A-Man

Controlled substance yes, but narcotic NO. Narcotic refers to a specific classification of drugs under which ativan does not fall. Ativan is a benzodiazepine. I just think this is important because everyone needs to be clear before educating patients on their medications..... As for this nurse and her errors: these need to be addressed, as it would be with any other nurse who was or was not taking any medications. Your original post spurred some concern I think because you left out the details and simply implied "a nurse is taking ativan- what should I do about it?" With that being the only information, nothing "should be done about it," unless patient care is an issue, which it clearly is. That then, is an entirely different issue. I would be very careful though about categorizing people by their medications, and would judge them solely on work performance. [This message has been edited by A-Man (edited April 08, 2001).]

I'm sorry, I'm new to the board and I just had to post. I have never, ever, ever seen ativan classified as a narcotic! According to the PDR, the correct classification is a tranquilizer, hypnotic and antimanic. Narcotic it is NOT. Morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, fentanyl....THOSE are all narcotics/analgesics.