Tested positive for marijuana

Published

Hello,

I've read here (allnurses)forever it seems but have never posted. I just failed a drug test. It was positive for marijuana and opiates. I took one of my husband's Percocet the day before I was tested, and I had been using weed for about 3 months previously. I had run out and since money was so tight I had decided not to buy anymore. The last time I used was 3 weeks ago.

I know this sounds sketchy but I have no reason to lie here....

Anyway, no Rx for the Percocet. I'm afraid they will suspect I was diverting. I wasn't.

I've called the BON and am waiting for a return call and am waiting for risk, the DON, and my manager to get back with me. This just happened today.

I feel like I can't breathe.

I'm in NC.

My family doesn't know yet. Including my husband.

Can someone tell me what to expect please? What should I be doing?

I can't believe I've done this; I'm the primary breadwinner. We can't survive on my husband's income.

I hope you're joking here.

Really???? I guess the only solution to the above listed issues would be to rid hospitals of humans and only employ robots.

No, I am not joking- I can't tell you the number of nurses "working" while engrossed in their phones. Really, none of your patients could benefit from anything you are licensed to provide? Half the posts on Allnurses are about how overloaded nurses are, yet go to any hospital and I am sure there is a nurse impaired by their phone.

I doubt the nurses that have come before us, the ones that you sometimes find still working that say things like "I appreciate you wanting to connect with me, but when I am at work my focus is on my patients".

The ones that use any "extra" time to look through the patients chart and look for any clues that will help their patient today.

I've worked with nurses that literally could not run or walk quickly to save their own lives.

So no, I am not joking, and I am not advocating for robots. But my time in recovery has shown me where a medical professionals focus should be- and it should not be on yourself.

A nurse is a person who is supposed to be able to exercise critical thinking to help their patients. If they can't make those same judgments for themselves, I question that.

Wow. Just wow.

IMO not allowing staff to smoke on the property is one thing. Discrimination in the hiring process is another.

I agree. I guess next they will exclude those who don't have a normal BMI or lower.

No, I am not joking- I can't tell you the number of nurses "working" while engrossed in their phones. Really, none of your patients could benefit from anything you are licensed to provide? Half the posts on Allnurses are about how overloaded nurses are, yet go to any hospital and I am sure there is a nurse impaired by their phone.

I doubt the nurses that have come before us, the ones that you sometimes find still working that say things like "I appreciate you wanting to connect with me, but when I am at work my focus is on my patients".

The ones that use any "extra" time to look through the patients chart and look for any clues that will help their patient today.

I've worked with nurses that literally could not run or walk quickly to save their own lives.

So no, I am not joking, and I am not advocating for robots. But my time in recovery has shown me where a medical professionals focus should be- and it should not be on yourself.

I couldn't agree more. I am blown away by the awesomeness you just spoke . BRAVO :)

Specializes in ER, Med/Surg.

Working with a headache is working impaired? What should I do? Call in everytime I have a headache?

lol

This is truly laughable.

Nurses are always going on about not getting bathroom breaks, not getting lunch....that would be impairment, low blood sugar can lead to cloudly thinking....

Working with a headache is working impaired? What should I do? Call in everytime I have a headache?

lol

This is truly laughable.

Nurses are always going on about not getting bathroom breaks, not getting lunch....that would be impairment, low blood sugar can lead to cloudly thinking....

Its not laughable- its in the code of nursing. There are any number of things that could be called out as "conduct unbecoming a nurse" even when you are off duty...

My point is that there are plenty of functional drug addicts working, why single out one group of impaired people when it suits your needs...

"(a) Practicing nursing when unable/unfit to perform procedures and/or make decisions due to physical impairment as evidenced by documented deterioration of functioning in the practice setting and/or by the assessment of a health care provider qualified to diagnose physical condition/status. (b) Practicing nursing when unable/unfit to perform procedures and/or make decisions due to psychological or mental impairment as evidenced by documented deterioration of functioning in the practice setting and/or by the assessment of a health care provider qualified to diagnose mental condition/status;"

+ Join the Discussion