Upset!!! write up and patients marijuana

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i recently was written up for going to see a patient who is on dialysis, has hypertension, and is schizophrenic. he had a marijuana plant growing in his home and i reported this to my clinical manager along with the md. the md confronted the patient about it and the patient denied it. my clinical manager wrote me up because she said that i should not have told the doctor because now he has threatened to sue. my rationale was that it could affect some of his 20 medicines that he was on. of course he denied it. do you think this was right???? i'm upset.

thanks!:nurse:

Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
As far as everyone's arguments about CYA, I don't know that you as the nurse could ever be held responsible as an accessory to this "crime" or will ever be brought in front the firing line for not reporting a single existing pot plant.....also I find it hard to believe that everyone here is so concerned about the patient's well being re: pot rather than assuming that your moral judgement's about smoking pot are exact. Also, I'd be willing to bet those who are so concerned with this illegal activity frequently, if not daily, participate in their own levels of anarchy....such as speeding, not wearing your seat belt, etc. Kathryn

Awesome post Kathryn and soooo well stated. Thanks!

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Specializes in Case Management.

I remember talking to a nurse/friend about her days working in home health care in the 1970's. She worked for a hospice company and she remembers rolling the patient's joints for them!

Just an observation how times have flipped. (not changed, but flipped over)

But I see no problem with what OP did. She told the patients doctor. She did not call the police. She spoke to his doctor about something that his doctor should know about. If he did not want her to know, or the doctor to know, he should have had the plant in a back bedroom or somewhere out of the view of anybody walking in the door.

We all have different moral compasses. And we all feel differently about each subject that comes up on this board.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
This conversation could have been over a long time ago if more people smoked pot.....:)

What a great idea. Not.

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good job RNGINA.

as the nurse it is your job to ensure the patients safety. Given what you said about this pts diagnoses, you were absolutely right to be concerned about the effects on his other medications or his illnesses. AND THE DOC ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE NOTIFIED.

If this pt had been a diabetic obese status post bariatric surgery and you walked in and found no food in the house but ben& jerry's and jack daniels you would do the same thing in notifying the doc... and if you didnt then you would be negligent if your pt slipped into a coma.... after all you are the home care nurse not a visitor, guest or friend

Remember NON compliance is grounds for discharge not to mention so is posession of an illegal substance that hasnt been Rx'd for medical reasons.

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How can our patients be honest with us if they cannot trust us to maintain their privacy? Don't you think that you could have made a more positive difference in this person's life if you had maintained an honest, trusting relationship with him rather than jumping to conclusions about his drug use and possibly sending him to jail? How can it be better for this human being to be in jail because he smokes a joint now and then (assuming that he is smoking it).

It's no wonder that we have an epidemic of untreated drug abuse because no one is willing to discuss their drug use, even with their doctors, for fear of being turned in and going to jail .

It all boils down to who reaches these people first....doctors/nurses or police. If our healthcare professionals decide to make themselves policemen, then who would they be able to turn to for help? How can a drug abuser receive the help they need in order to make their lives better if we all negatively pre-judge them and send them to jail?

Imagine a world where diabetics and cancer patients were incarcerated rather than treated if their diseases where illegal. Addiction is the only disease known to man that is treated by our legal system rather than by our healthcare system.

Finding a marijuana plant in one of my patient's home would be a signal to me to open my lines of communication and trust in order to move forward with counseling and drug treatment rather than trying to get them busted and incarcerated.

Many nurses are so quick to claim how open and non-judgemental they are, when in fact, many of them jump on their high horses and "better than thou" attitudes when it comes to drugs of any kind. Many just are not willing to accept the scientific data that proves addiction is a disease that can be treated, not to mention that many studies show that the active ingredient in marijuana has been shown to reduce pain and nausea.

I think that our society would be better served through education about addiction (marijuana in particular) rather than allowing our legal system to manage the care of addicts.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Many nurses are so quick to claim how open and non-judgemental they are, when in fact, many of them jump on their high horses and "better than thou" attitudes when it comes to drugs of any kind. Many just are not willing to accept the scientific data that proves addiction is a disease that can be treated, not to mention that many studies show that the active ingredient in marijuana has been shown to reduce pain and nausea.

That might have some relevence to the scenario presented in the OP, however there was no actual proof he smoked it, or anything else with it.

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Are you sure it was pot...?

There are similar looking plants out there. Kinda strange...

Why would someone grow it in plain view? Not to mention, when the plant buds it smells really strong and really rank!

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Awesome post Kathryn and soooo well stated. Thanks!

:yeahthat:

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
How can our patients be honest with us if they cannot trust us to maintain their privacy? Don't you think that you could have made a more positive difference in this person's life if you had maintained an honest, trusting relationship with him rather than jumping to conclusions about his drug use and possibly sending him to jail? How can it be better for this human being to be in jail because he smokes a joint now and then (assuming that he is smoking it).

It's no wonder that we have an epidemic of untreated drug abuse because no one is willing to discuss their drug use, even with their doctors, for fear of being turned in and going to jail .

It all boils down to who reaches these people first....doctors/nurses or police. If our healthcare professionals decide to make themselves policemen, then who would they be able to turn to for help? How can a drug abuser receive the help they need in order to make their lives better if we all negatively pre-judge them and send them to jail?

Imagine a world where diabetics and cancer patients were incarcerated rather than treated if their diseases where illegal. Addiction is the only disease known to man that is treated by our legal system rather than by our healthcare system.

Finding a marijuana plant in one of my patient's home would be a signal to me to open my lines of communication and trust in order to move forward with counseling and drug treatment rather than trying to get them busted and incarcerated.

Many nurses are so quick to claim how open and non-judgemental they are, when in fact, many of them jump on their high horses and "better than thou" attitudes when it comes to drugs of any kind. Many just are not willing to accept the scientific data that proves addiction is a disease that can be treated, not to mention that many studies show that the active ingredient in marijuana has been shown to reduce pain and nausea.

I think that our society would be better served through education about addiction (marijuana in particular) rather than allowing our legal system to manage the care of addicts.

Magnificent......and as far as I'm concerned, the most rational statement in the entire thread. Thank you for putting things so eloquently, and yet so clearly.:yeahthat:

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Many just are not willing to accept the scientific data that proves addiction is a disease that can be treated, not to mention that many studies show that the active ingredient in marijuana has been shown to reduce pain and nausea.

I think that our society would be better served through education about addiction (marijuana in particular) rather than allowing our legal system to manage the care of addicts.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4226613341497072803&q=penn+and+teller

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Specializes in Critical Care.
I live in CA, and MEDICAL marijuana is legal. It is occasionally "prescribed" to a person with cancer or other severe pain. Perhaps the pt. was one of those?

Even though I am against the use of marijuana, I doubt if I would have reported a single plant.

Actually, not true.

MJ is a violation of FEDERAL LAW. And federal law trumps state law. It's actually written that way in the Constitution.

Try looking at the 10th Amendment. First Uncle Sam, then the States, then the People.

And the Supreme Cabal agrees:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,158690,00.html

"Monday, June 06, 2005

Supreme Court Ponders Medical Marijuana Case

WASHINGTON — Federal authorities may prosecute sick people whose doctors prescribe marijuana to ease pain, the Supreme Court (search) ruled Monday, concluding that state laws don't protect users from a federal ban on the drug."

~faith,

Timothy.

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I agree with the fact that you are not a guest- you are there to do a job. Illegal is illegal-:nono: no 2 ways about it. As far as invading privacy- it wasn't like she was going through his personal stuff and found it- it was in line of site and illegal. Imagine if you asked to be reassigned and someone new came in and reported it or a neighbor and "Oh by the way officer, why didn't the nurse that was assigned here report this". My philosphy is I always protect my license first. I worked to hard to get it and I will not jepordize it for someone else- I do the right and legal thing. Think of it this way- if an off duty cop happened to stop by- do you think he/she wouldn't report it?? Heck no. This does not fit into the expectation of privacy- just as bruises on an eldery person don't- and you HAVE to report that even with a suspicion. Illegal is illegal. As far as opening the lines of communication with the patient- that's all fine and dandy but if you turn your head to any crime you are an accomplice- As for me- I love my nursing license and will not jepordize it by turning my head to a crime just because I don't want to hurt my patients feelings.

Also- this patient had a lack of respect for the nurse- leaving out illegal drugs in line of site. Betcha he would have had more respect if a cop walked in there.

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