janaRNWV

I hear great things about the KARE program. I am from WV and our program sucks. The RN's I know who are advocating for better programs here say that KARE is awesome.

I hope to god you never are my nurse or anyone in my family's. I respect the love of your license, but my job means NOTHING to me if I knowingly let a patient have a bad, possibly fatal outcome because I failed to act in a manner that could have prevented said negative outcome. Also, MANY MANY MANY conversations with docs on the phone are the doc saying "did you turn up their O2?" Did you put them on a mask?" or whatever. The docs are busy, they expect us to be there to take care of the patient until they can pick up. They trust the nursing staff to keep their patient alive using our common sense and TRAINING until they can get out of surgery/done with a patient/whatever. They DEPEND on us. Bottom line: if I can save someone's life with a basic sound nursing judgement, to hell with my license. I think I'm more likely to be spotlighted by admin, patient family, etc., if I FAIL to act and sit on my "sorry not my job" ass than if I save a life.

Pot is not the issue--it didn't "lead to meth use"--his disease led him to BOTH drugs. How many of us forget that alcohol is a drug, too, yet no one takes issue with someone having a few drinks once a week, or once a month, whatever? The majority of those folks don't have an addiction to any other drugs, so the idea of one drug leading to another isn't applicable in most cases IMO. Those who carry the disease of addiction will be more prone to abusing ALL drugs--trying a "low-level" drug like pot or alcohol is just one sign among many of behaviors that may or may not lead to full blown addiction/chronic abuse of ANY substance. I agree, though, that associating with folks who are engaging in behaviors you either don't like, don't approve of, or know are illegal and could get you in trouble with the law/RN board shouldn't be tolerated. Do what you have to do until the person gets clean. If they can't do it, do what you have to do to be safe, secure, and happy.

I would take some vacation or sick time, detox (the physical stuff is only a few days), and start going to NA/AA meetings. Do as much as you can on your own until you find out what your options are in your state. Every day that you go to work, you risk being REPORTED by someone, and worse than that, you are risking your health. I wish someone would have explained it this simply to me! I waited and waited, not knowing what to do or how to do it, and ended up losing my job and now I'm dealing with the RN board in WV. BUT, I could have ended up dead or in jail. Bottom line, stop taking them and detox on your own if you can. If not, find a way (rehab enter, etc). It's not nearly as bad as you think it's going to be! Congratulations on making that first step. That's the hardest one.

Sorry-- previous post is @lexielynn :-)

I was reading your posts and could tell immediately that you were dealing with the WV BON like me :-) Are you in the Charleston area?

FYI, marijuana is only found for up to 30 days in folks with "heavy, chronic use". Otherwise, it typically is gone in a couple days...

Hi, My name is Jana, I'm a 38 year old recovering opiate addict from WV. I began my journey to addiction with chronic pain, and used my pain meds responsible...until I didn't any more. I'd like to say that I know when and why I crossed the line, but that's the $25,000 question for all of us, isn't it? I was snorting approximately 200 mg/day of hydrocodone--so of course my script was gone in a few days. I was buying pills. Then, I started sneaking "supplements" from my patients, finally culminating with IV waste diversion. I self-reported to my Nurse Manager because I started hearing whispers from co-workers and I knew that I would be better off if I self-reported--I couldn't bear to sit around and wait for my boss to call me into her office to fire me. I reported to my boss on 7-27-10 and was forced to resign that day. I went to the BON the next day, 7-28-10, which is also my sobriety date. My license is currently inactive, I'm working as an unskilled caregiver for two elderly patients. For minimum wage. :smackingf The GREAT NEWS: I have never felt better. My pain is under control, I'm a good mom again, I've learned to live very happily on very little, and I have made some amazing friends in my Nurse Support Group. I meet with my BON next Monday to discuss my contract to go back to work supervised. My old boss contacts me regularly to check up on me and people have been very supportive of my recovery. I've been clean for only a few months and my journey thru the INTP (Impaired Nurse Treatment Program in WV) is just beginning, but this has already been amazing--I'm so grateful I got a second chance at LIFE!