Tired of impaired nurses

Tweety, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2007

Contrary to what some believe, not every addict can be "fixed" by being arrested or going to jail. I know that getting arrested did little to help my recovery. Oh it halted my addiction for a little bit but in no way did it stop the monster.
What DID? Love, compassion, my family and friends. They talked to me and my fiancee also pushed me to take a look at my illness. THAT ultimately started me on the road to recovery. Throwing me in jail would never have done it. I had to be ready.
Oh jail may wake a few addicts up to reality but it's a band aid on a deep, deep wound. And I'll say it before Tom does, STEALING IS WRONG AND A CRIME. However, many, many petty criminals get reduced sentences or probation and addicts shouldn't be treated any differently. Thankfully, many courts do have treatment in lieu of jail options. From what I've seen, nurses in recovery tend to do better at staying clean than the general public. I'll try and find stats to back that up but I'm basing it on my observations.
FTR, I too have been hurt by addicts. It wasn't until I becasme one that I truly understood addiction. Before I abused drugs, I thought they were all (expletive) and they all "made the choice" to do what they were doing. I thought a lot of things about addiction that just were not based on fact but on feelings. Now I base it on facts, experiences, feelings, realities, interactions, etc. My thoughts are much more defined. I just want to help others look at this disease a little differently, a little less harshly.

I'm happy that worked for you. I agree that jail usually isn't effective in rehabilitation unless it's followed up with treatment.

I'm sure you know the difference between love and compassion and enabling. Sometimes the most loving and compassionate thing for a family member to do is to let their loved ones face the consequences of their actions.

Usually by the time it gets to putting their own flesh and blood in jail there's a history in the family of fights, lies, let downs, borken promises, disobedience, staying out all night etc. and having the loved one face the music and consequences of their (illegal) actions is what finally gives them the push they need to recover, when the gentle loving care has failed.

Putting a loved one in jail is an agonizing decision and process and my parents stayed up all night crying and fretting about it. Just because they exercised tough love didn't mean they didn't understand that their son was an addict with a disease. They knew my brother to be a good person with a problem. Although admittingly their understanding of the disease process was clouded.

I'm not advocating that addicts be put in jail because they are addictcs and that this should be the treatment of choice. I'm saying when all else fails and they are engaging in illegal activities, such as my brother giving drugs to a minor, they have to face the music, disease or not.

I'm all for offering treatment first to nurses who steal drugs from patients and take them for themselves becuase I understand only a sick person could do that, and it could be me....but when all else fails, take their license away and remove them. Sorry, but tough love and consequences are needed, disease or not.

Cattitude · Dec 16, 2007

I'm all for offering treatment first to nurses who steal drugs from patients and take them for themselves becuase I understand only a sick person could do that, and it could be me....but when all else fails, take their license away and remove them. Sorry, but tough love and consequences are needed, disease or not.

I don't disagree with that at all. My ex DH had to go to jail a couple of times for DUI's. He had no say in the matter at all. I think it was a good thing that he got caught by the cops driving while impaired.

Unfortunately, it still didn't change or "fix" him. He still drives drunk to this day:madface:. He just hasn't admitted that he has a problem. However, once in a while, getting arrested could be a wake up call. I just don't think it works very often. I think that treatment works much better in lieu of punitive measures.

Yes, there are instances where an individual commits a crime that cannot be reduced in any manner. So in those instances an addict must go to prison and pay their dues. But most NURSE addicts commit minor offenses and really need treatment and can even do community service as "punishment".

And FTR Tweety, I think you have a pretty fair outlook on the topic.

For anyone interested, in the past year or so, HBO did a documentary series on addiction and on their website is a lot of info. Here's a tidbit.

http://www.hbo.com/addiction/understanding_addiction/16_myths_of_addiction.html

sara62 · Jun 28, 2008

What I have found to be most devastating is being on a public list for all to read. The first thing people do is check the status of a new hire.

This does not include management,they know before you walk in the door. I mean fellow employees who find out there is a big sign on your forehead that says "drug user" and then turns around and does something knowing that nurse will always be blamed for everything. sSome people will look at this statement and think "this chicks paranoid" and thats fine,we are all entitled to our own opinions. I have read some of the posts addressing this topic and I don't feel that there is any malice,I hear concern and fear. I hope you try to believe what i'm saying because it is very true,very real and I am living it. I don't know how to explain how it feels to be believed guilty when your not.

When I had my license reinstated I thought I was going to have to fight urges about wanting to take drugs. I was not prepared to fight with fellow colleagues. I have never been known to be a quitter but i'm so very tired of having to prove my innocense. I'm sure the majority of people are guilty but try to remember there may be one person out there that ends up being a victim of their own circumstance.

GLORIAmunchkin72 · Jun 28, 2008

As a new hire and with your background it would normal for you to feel you constantly have to prove your innocence, but once people get to know you you should be ok. If you really can't relax then you might be better off pursuing a different line of work. You sound like a very sincere and decent person and that's not way to live...Cheer up!

rph3664 · Jun 28, 2008

I lived with this situation for almost 9 months at a position where I recovered Open Heart patients. This nurse was hired by the hospital (we found out later that they KNEW she had TWO prior remediations). The trouble with her started the very first night....she disappeared on me (she had a fresh heart as did I and she went missing for 50 minutes "I was in the bathroom with diarrhea" - no, she wasn't cause I checked the BR first and then again and you know when someone's been sick)..anyway, the drug count was always off... dayshift complained and everyone who worked with her complained.. I turned in a plastic sealed 5 pack of Demerol which had each syringe opened and a different level of fluid and placed back in the lock box in the torn Demerol pack - she was always dry-mouthed...jeez, I lost all respect for the administration of the hospital.
One night the DON came in to see ME! He wanted to address my complaints about her... I pointed out number of times she worked the shift out with blood seeping through her pants (rear end) or blood seeping through the forearms of her long sleeved turtleneck which she wore under her scrub top in the dead of summer in Florida!... wimpy boy (DON) promised to do "something" oh yeah, he did - he told her I was one of her accusers..
Shortly after that, she came screaming at me at start of shift over my fresh post-op CABG (as I hooked them up to the monitor fresh from the OR)-- screaming at me that she would sue me - poor silly *****, I calmly turned to her and said, "Bring it on, baby, my husband's a lawyer in downtown SUPERLAWFIRM- maybe you've seen their TV ads?" oh, and my uncle is a partner!!!...
So here is what finally got her out of nursing and out of our hair:
Someone (and no, it wasn't me - wish I had thought of it) wrote a letter to the Sheriff's Office in the county where the hospital is located and said basically so-and-so is stealing drugs and the hospital is not dealing with it.... well, next thing you know they put a camera (the sheriff did - took the matter right out of the hands of the hospital) in the drug room - 12 hours later they have enough film for a two hour movie (just kidding) - there she is pulling the Demerol out of the bottom of the vials and replacing it with NS...smile, *****!!
Now they come into the unit on the next night (I was off, DAMNNNNN) and arrest her - and the news is filming her on the eleven-oclock news with her hands handcuffed behind her!!!! Her patient was a two day post-op who saw the whole thing!
Now, here's the kicker - she gave up her nursing license (3 trips to remediation and you are gone!) for a realtor license - she is now a freaking million dollar seller with her own freaking web site!!! DAMNNNNNNN!!!

And some people probably wondered why the pain meds weren't working.

It wouldn't surprise me if she went into real estate so she could raid people's medicine cabinets.

JennieO · Jul 14, 2008

Should drug addicted nurses be allowed to return to practice when their rate of relapsing is incredibly high?

Should they be allowed to potentially harm pts. and compromise the careers of innocent RNs in their attempt to place blame for their behavior on others?

Perhaps it is time to start hoding people accountable for their behavior and not allow them to hurt others anymore.

MAISY, RN-ER, BSN, RN · Jul 14, 2008

There are many avenues that nurses with drug problems can explore. I see no reason why they shouldn't be working. It's a sin to deny a nurse a job. Alcohol is a drug, yet alcoholics keep their jobs-remove the temptation and you remove the problem(assuming controlled substance drug abuse).

JMO

Maisy

Trauma Columnist · Jul 14, 2008

Drug addiction is a mental illness. So, to deny someone a job just because they have been treated for a mental illness does not make sense.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jul 14, 2008

Why not? There is no reason if they are in recovery that they do not get the full support from their colleagues and be allowed to progress forward. May as well state that anyone with an addiction should never work in any job.

BradleyRN · Jul 14, 2008

WHAT??? That is ludicrous!! Nurses are human beings, not angels. Human beings make mistakes. Maybe we should kick out nurses that forget something on a busy shift as well. If they are so absent minded as to forget something, i think it would be safe to assume that they will forget again, which could potentially harm pts. Did someone make a med error? The five rights are pretty clear, so how in the world could they make that mistake in the first place!? I guess they should turn in their license as well! Where do we stop? Soon there wont be any nurses left!:wink2:

BookwormRN · Jul 14, 2008

Yes, I feel that nurses in recovery should be able to practice. This happened at my facility, and most of us welcomed the nurse back with open arms.

Who am I to judge?

oramar · Jul 14, 2008

As long as they get close supervision it is fine with me. Back sliding is very frequent with out good follow up. There are some very good programs in some states that have excellent follow up. Their rate of back sliding is very low. The really BIG problem is people that are diverting and not been caught.