Providing Patients with their legal medication

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I work in a long term care facility. A couple of my patients have told me that they have their medical marijuana cards. (we live in a state that allows this). I believe that my patients deserve to receive this medication.

Recently I have started an in depth study of the pros and cons of this medication. I can really see no reason that long term care resident should be prevented from having this access. We give them an unbelievable amount of opiates. Also the latest research shows that marijuana and opiates should be used in conjunction http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2011/12/11077/ucsf-study-finds-medical-marijuana-could-help-patients-reduce-pain-opiates.

And what about our patients with insomnia and those that never eat?

The more research I do the more I feel that I am depriving my patients from a very beneficial medication.

How can I change things so they can have all their meds?

In LTC the physician writes the order to allow the resident to use tobacco or alcohol products,and even salt and I imagine will do the same for marijuana as well. We then dispense . We have to assist the resident to consume it as well. The LTC is the resident's home and they have freedom of choice. I can imagine the next generation of LTC'ers all requesting muff trims or Brazilians. The staff will have to comply.

We won't be "risking" anything as long as there is an order to cover it.

I have an idea for a nebulizer/vaporizer hybrid.I'm thinking on it.If I can come up with a suitable prototype you may see me on Sharktank.

You should not give away your ideas!

I believe pharmacists dispense and nurses administer. Of course, some places make the night nurse in charge go to the night locker and get meds form it. I guess that's considered dispensing. Just being a stickler for details, no big deal. Good luck with your idea.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.
Card or no, without a provider order for it and without pharmacy to dispense it, I would think that if the RN prescribed and dispensed the med, that would be illegal. Just like an RN can't make the independent decision that a pt should be able to take morphine, order it, and administer it to the pt; we need a provider and a pharmacist involved. The difference between marijuana and alcohol/tobacco products, marijuana is still a controlled substance; as long as he/she is of age, there are no legalities preventing an adult from procuring and consuming a beer.

Whether I agree with the use of marijuana as a medication or not, I personally value my freedom and my nursing license too much to risk it. I don't like to see people suffer, but we still operate within the bounds of the law.

Except wouldn't the marijuana card allow them to procure and to consume it?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Adult Internal Medicine.

The provider can also write a script for dronabinol. I know I get nervous with my patients that smoke MJ (legally or illegally) because of the risk of non-pure product and interaction with prescribed medications.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

All I have found so far is the OSBN statement on nurses who need medical marijuana. http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.oregonrn.org/resource/resmgr/imported/Medical_Marijuana-FINAL.pdf

It is the same as any drug that might impair a person. That you should not work impaired. I also read that the ANA is against all random dug testing because it goes against our civil liberties. I believe that my idea for LTC patients to have access is going to be something a facility would have to discuss with their attorneys. So that will probably never happen since people are closed minded and constantly living in fear.

It is very sad to see, when there is so much positive that can be done for our patients.

What if antibiotics were illegal?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

My residents are allowed to smoke and I have worked at facilities where they are allowed to keep gallons of vodka in their rooms. But I am thinking about treating their symptoms, so us helping to administer it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
In LTC the physician writes the order to allow the resident to use tobacco or alcohol products,and even salt and I imagine will do the same for marijuana as well. We then dispense . We have to assist the resident to consume it as well. The LTC is the resident's home and they have freedom of choice. I can imagine the next generation of LTC'ers all requesting muff trims or Brazilians. The staff will have to comply.

We won't be "risking" anything as long as there is an order to cover it.

I have an idea for a nebulizer/vaporizer hybrid.I'm thinking on it.If I can come up with a suitable prototype you may see me on Sharktank.

um...just NO! Grooming pubic hair for looks rather than need is not something I will do. And yes, it has been requested and yes, I have refused without repercussion of any kind.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program

Up Vote Up Vote ×
All I have found so far is the OSBN statement on nurses who need medical marijuana. http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.oregonrn.org/resource/resmgr/imported/Medical_Marijuana-FINAL.pdf

It is the same as any drug that might impair a person. That you should not work impaired. I also read that the ANA is against all random dug testing because it goes against our civil liberties. I believe that my idea for LTC patients to have access is going to be something a facility would have to discuss with their attorneys. So that will probably never happen since people are closed minded and constantly living in fear.

It is very sad to see, when there is so much positive that can be done for our patients.

What if antibiotics were illegal?

If antibiotics were illegal, licensed nurses would not be administering them. However, there are plenty of reasons to be unenthusiastic about marijuana besides being "close minded" and "living in fear."

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment