Trauma Columnist traumaRUs, MSN, APRN 153 Articles; 21,231 Posts Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU. Has 31 years experience. Jan 14, 2012 Effective this week Tramadol and Soma ARE controlled, class III meds.
backtowork 146 Posts Specializes in u name it. Has 34 years experience. Jan 14, 2012 Even more reason to get that UA and consult with an attorney.
jmo1231 70 Posts Specializes in adult health , critical care. Jan 15, 2012 I agree with backtowork, I hope you provided a urine sample at a certified susbstance abuse testing lab and consult an attorney. If you are innocent then it should all work out in your favor. Good luck and keep us informed.
Multicollinearity, BSN, RN 3,119 Posts Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student. Has 4 years experience. Jan 15, 2012 I agree with backtowork, I hope you provided a urine sample at a certified susbstance abuse testing lab and consult an attorney. If you are innocent then it should all work out in your favor. Good luck and keep us informed.That's not the primary concern in a correctional facility. The primary concern is that the medication could have been sold/given/found its way to an inmate. That could lead to felony charges for diversion PLUS felony charges of introducing contraband to an inmate. A criminal investigator will probably investigate the matter. If there is no evidence, the case will probably be closed. One thing we can count on is that the facility will probably get its act together about counting tramadol.
backtowork 146 Posts Specializes in u name it. Has 34 years experience. Jan 15, 2012 I have worked corrections as well and you are correct that nurse diversion is not the primary concern to the facility..it is in fact the primary concern of the BON tho, and they control your ability to practice.
Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN 4 Articles; 7,907 Posts Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions. Jan 15, 2012 A clean urine will help, but it does not get you off the hook from them accusing you of misappropriation.This is true, because you'd be surprised how many nurses are diverting not for themselves but for others. Take the UDS but also get a lawyer ready in case they give you a hard time.
Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN 4 Articles; 7,907 Posts Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions. Jan 15, 2012 The medication was not a controlled substance.Actually, depending on the state you're practicing in, Tramadol may already be categorized as controlled substance because it does have an abuse potential. I know Kentucky is one of them--I think they have it as Schedule IV. But as traumaRUs posted, that's going to change for all the states.
subee, MSN, CRNA 4,768 Posts Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired. Has 51 years experience. Jan 15, 2012 Tramadol should be treated as a narcotic. Big problem if UDS shows up positive for Tramadol. Your pharmacists need to get with the program. Good luck.
luvche 102 Posts Specializes in Med/Surg/Ortho, Oncology, PACU. Has 8 years experience. Jan 17, 2012 Where I used to work, they always treated Ultram as a controlled substance and it had to be counted. Even way back in 2004 when I started there. I can see, now, where this extra precaution was a good one! It was always kept in a drawer that could NOT be closed without a count being put in once opened.
BamaRN2004 28 Posts Specializes in med/surg, step down, I have seen it all. Has 9 years experience. Sep 26, 2013 I am confused. Because if you were pulling med from the pyxis and then your patient didn't want it and you cancelled it that should be fine. But how did you know they didn't want it when you were pulling that med? Because you would have had to have taken to them and they said no thanks or they just happened to walk by the machine and said I don't want that pill. I know the pyxis well and the story you tell doesn't add up. I am thinking you are in denial about a problem you have. I know this post is a little behind in yeas but Ijust found it odd about he pyxis machine. Don't think I am being mean but if that is the story you gave them then it probably didn't pass and you are prob disciplined by now. Sorry that happened. always waste don't cancel. Even waste non narcotics that is to save your butt.
RainMom 1,114 Posts Specializes in PACU, pre/postoperative, ortho. Has 12 years experience. Sep 26, 2013 But how did you know they didn't want it when you were pulling that med? Because you would have had to have taken to them and they said no thanks or they just happened to walk by the machine and said I don't want that pill. I know the pyxis well and the story you tell doesn't add up.This confused me at first also. But after reading posts referring to correctional facilities, it makes more sense. I don't have a lot of knowledge about them, but I imagine the nurse doesn't go cell to cell with meds. More like there is a med room that pts come to at scheduled intervals in which case they are standing there as the nurse pulls meds. (Maybe a corrections nurse could clear that up?) If so, it sounds reasonable that OP may have just cancelled in order to pull a different PRN as the pt actually would be standing right there.It's been quite some time since the original post. Maybe OP could let us know how things turned out?
BamaRN2004 28 Posts Specializes in med/surg, step down, I have seen it all. Has 9 years experience. Sep 26, 2013 Oh okay. I didn't see the part about correctional facility. It was kind of a long thread and I skimmed through. I give my apologies for saying that. It just was confusing at first like you said. But that makes sense being a correctional facility. I would like to find out how things turned out too. I know this is an old thread but I am new to the forum and couldn't sleep so I was thumbing thru the posts. Just seeing how everyone else was doing in this crazy life we live.
