What defines addict

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My question is... even if you drink on a semi regular basis just to have a good time or you take a pain pill for relief or smoke a joint. Does that really classify you as an addict?

i do not know the psychological aspect of nursing in substance abuse but obliviously a board does or doctor.

but to classify a person that is actually not addicted is a tough place to be in.

what about nurses who get caught like in a dui. But does “one” drink actually make them addicted beyond repair and constitute ten years inpatient?

I would assume I would have to go further in nursing like advanced nursing to learn some of these answers.

however I checked the Texas board nursing recently and they are revoking for one unit of miscalculated insulin and aspirin. Is that really necessary also?

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Is there any way to start a non profit / charity type legal organization to help nurses deal with a board of nursing? I would start one if I could but if several of them started one I would go for that. Independent one

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Specializes in ED, Transplant.
On 11/28/2019 at 8:24 AM, Question2go said:

My question is... even if you drink on a semi regular basis just to have a good time or you take a pain pill for relief or smoke a joint. Does that really classify you as an addict?

You’re an addict if you lack the ability to say no to these. I’m an addict because even though I told myself I was not going to take drugs when I went to work, when presented with the opportunity, I could not say no.

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Specializes in ED RN and Case Manager.
On 11/28/2019 at 8:24 AM, Question2go said:

But does “one” drink actually make them addicted beyond repair and constitute ten years inpatient? 

Can you clarify what you meant by 10 years inpatient?

And RN0904 gives a great example. Each day I would tell myself that this would be “the last time” that I would take narcotics. However, it NEVER was. I couldn’t stop on my own. It took my employer intervening (a blessing) & terminating my employment for me to crawl to the BON’s ATD program and ask for help. Losing my license was my version of hitting rock bottom. Just the fact that someone else finally knew my “secret” was enough for me to finally get help. I didn’t have to go inpatient but spent 7 weeks attending IOP then another 9 months attending weekly Health Professional meetings (in addition to AA/NA meetings).

Now I’m sober & back working at the same employer that terminated me.

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Specializes in Med/surg/ortho.

Your an addict if you cannot stop taking drugs or drinking despite adverse consequences. The addict continues to use to the point where it takes over Or affects their life. They keep using drugs or alcohol even tho they know it will cause them problems. One example, a nurse who diverts medication knows she will get caught or knows it’s wrong but still diverts despite that. That’s the difference.

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The only opinion that matters with respect to being addicted to anything is the person who is using. Only they can decide if they have a problem and what they are willing to do about it. All of these programs that label people are kinda useless. In fact they rarely serve the truly addicted because most of those poor folks cannot begin to comply with the rules and regulations that go with monitoring and they are quickly discarded. Monitoring has nothing to do with recovery and every thing to do with retribution and making a bunch of money for the folks in the rehab industry

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I was wondering that also. I was put in the monitoring program after failing one test for thc. I have been a nurse for 20 years and have passed all tests other than this one. I very rarely would fail one. I recently started a new job and now already unemployed again due to this. I also heard that your liscense will always have a discipline mark on it. The rest of my career as a nurse I will be treated like an addict.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Women's Health, LTC.
4 hours ago, Tracy653 said:

I also heard that your liscense will always have a discipline mark on it. The rest of my career as a nurse I will be treated like an addict.

That depends on your state and the rules of a diversion program versus board order. If you have not already gotten an attorney, do so now. Let them guide you.

I have a friend that got caught diverting, reported to CANDO (AZ) and once it was completed, nothing shows on her license. She has been an excellent nurse for 20 years now with nothing more than a memory of what it was.

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