Seeking Narcotics or Chronic Pain?

[samaletta]

I just recently graduated from nursing school and will be starting a GN position at the end of the month. I am still currently working as a tech in the hospital until I start the position.

Last week I worked midnight shift and was placed in the ER for one of the nights. A young woman came in for severe abdominal pain. I knew this woman from working on the other floors, she has crohn's disease. All of the nurses were disgusted and talking about her being a drug seeker, both in the ER that night and when she was on the floor I had remembered the floor nurses saying the same thing.

It kinda bothered me (and maybe I am being niave) because people who have chronic conditions with exacerbations will be going to the community ER for help, and they will be admitted at times. So the hospital nurses will know them, and because Crohn's can be a painful condition, the patient may be looking for relief.

I just thought a couple of the nurses were not treating her fairly or with respect, which made me feel bad for this young woman.

Do you think that sometimes people with chronic conditions that can be painful are sometimes labeled as drug seekers? I just don't think it is very fair.

[rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN]

And also keep in mind to though that when I do go to er I wait so long because I dont want to be judged that by the time I get there my labs are all screwy and Im generally having a Gi bleed and I usually dont refuse any treatments either though like an ng because I know its needed and the nurses around here definately judge you if u want pain meds but are refusing the actual treatments or diagnostics, but they can also just call up my GI doc who Ive known and had forever or my pcp Ive had for the past 10 or so yrs and theyll tell you if im sick and in the er it must be bad because I generally have to be dieing before Ill go to any er. I personally prefer to have and call my own docs and bypass er completely.

[rgroyer1RNBSN, BSN, RN]

Reglan and Droperidol gives me horrible eps, But Zofran works pretty good on me which most of the time I prefer zofran over phenergan, cause the phenergan burns like crazy.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

Now that we aren't giving phenergan anymore, the FFers and Druggies are all asking for Diphenhydramine with their IV narcotics. Goodbye Phenergan Hello Diphenhydramine.

[TazziRN, RN]

Ah.....now the only antiemetics that work for me are droperidol and phenergan. Zofran and Reglan don't do squat.