Using PRN benzodiazepines on the job

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I get terrible anxiety attacks at work, and as often as I have tried to just 'calm down' when they start coming on, they often feel completely uncontrollable. I am prescribed a prn benzodiazepine, but I only use it when I am not on the job.

I am curious to know how some of you feel about using a small dose benzodiazepine for anxiety attacks on the job. In the past, I have noticed some short term memory loss from mine, and I never want to experience that on the job and potentially harm a patient (of course). Sometimes it seems like the anxiety itself can be more harmful than the potential side effects that could be caused by taking a low dose of such a med. What do you think?

I wish there was one without any potential to inhibit nursing judgement ... in inhaled form for faster action! :clown:

Thanks in advance for your input.

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Many health professionals are on a lot of medications that can potentially impair judgement especially in the early stages of drug treatment. Anti-depressants, seizure meds, chemotherapy, etc. It would be really hard to say "as professionals we can't be taking any meds that might risk the possibility of having negative side effects" as that would pretty much eliminate every med in the book. So we wouldn't be allowed to be human.

I think WE have to be cognizant how meds effect us and determine if we are still able to safely practice nursing while being "helped" for whatever the problem is.

I know many nurses who take Benzos regularly, in fact they function very poorly without it!

The short term memory loss you mention could be a result of the anxiety not necessarily the med.

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I was on a benzo several years ago when working on a medical floor--low dose--as I was going through a divorce and the unit itself gave me anxiety. I didn't find the low dose to affect my work or safe practice at all. I really didn't "feel" any different with it except that my anxiety was better. However--there is something you should know. If you are driving and EVER pulled over for any reason and they suspect anything you are screwed if they test your urine. Even if the drug is still just in your system (as it lasts up to I believe 8 days)--which obviously includes taking it at home and not even at work. Driving with any BENZO in your system is illegal here in NY--don't know about other states. So be careful!!!! I warn everyone I can as I have suffered as a result.

I was pulled over driving home after 17 hours of work at the hospital and was super tired. This effected my driving and so I got pulled over. As a routine they did a BAC (which was of course zero) and brought me to the police station and did a urine and found the benzo in my system. Despite the fact that it was being tired that had caused my impaired driving they charged me with DWAI-Prescription Drugs. (Driving while ability impaired). Though I was taking them as prescribed. The bottle says "do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this drug will affect you" I did that....I had been on it for months. In NY you lose your license for 6 months with this charge and can't even get a conditional one to drive to work. Being a single parent that wasn't an option. My only other option was to accept a DWI charge so I could get a conditional license. So I got screwed.

I tell you all this as to hopefully keep someone from having to deal with the same nightmare I have had to deal with. And to top that--the original charge, had I been able to deal with the no license thing--was a traffic violation. The DWI is a misdemenor that I will have for 7 to 10 years. It has not affected my nursing license but still....

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Wow. I am moving back to NY very soon, so that is very scary to hear. It sounds very unjust!

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

You might want to check with your BON in whatever state you practice in as in some states you can't work as a nurse while taking benzos, narcotics, etc..

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i use kava and it does not have any side effects, works really well, you should give it a try, the only things is that you can't take both.

i agree with the short term memory loss and the anxiety, anxiety causes all sorts of junk.

Another question i would like to ask, i am not a nurse but a student, is this, prescribing medications like xanax, valium, lithium is really not a way to treat anxiety is it????? i'm a little confused.

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i use kava and it does not have any side effects, works really well, you should give it a try, the only things is that you can't take both.

i agree with the short term memory loss and the anxiety, anxiety causes all sorts of junk.

Another question i would like to ask, i am not a nurse but a student, is this, prescribing medications like xanax, valium, lithium is really not a way to treat anxiety is it????? i'm a little confused.

I am thinking about starting Kava and passionflower...glad to hear it is working for you:-) Xanax and others in that catergory of benzodiazepines are supposed to be for short term usage, but I know some people who get them every month and for years because their anxiety is that bad.

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