i injured my back at work two years ago, so have the usual (it seems) hassles with worker's compensation delaying my treatments and trying not to pay me. I've all ready been to court twice to fight for my benefits and won both times (thank goodness). I will probably be there again soon because they are sending me for another IME (independent medical exam) this week. That is actually an exam where a doctor employed by the insurance company does a cursory exam then says whatever it is the insurance company wants him to say. My lawyer says that they generally keep tormenting people until they give up or settle the case. Unfortunately all this is costing me part of my decreased income, plus adding to the stress.
Anyway..that's not my point.
I'd like to hear from nurses who have chronic pain. I've pretty much done everything I can to get better and its just not going to happen. The next step is starting on a long acting morphine to at least control my pain. I will still need to be "light duty" at work although for me this means I usually have a normal assignment and just have to get people to help with anything I can't handle. Its hard because sometimes I feel like I'm put in unsafe situations when a delay (like waiting for help to come) can result in a worse outcome for the patient. I'm trying to deal with this, too. My pain management doc is keeping me off work at present while he tries to adjust my medication to keep me comfortable but lucid. I checked all ready with my state board of nursing and they don't have any rules prohibiting my working. Neither does my hospital.
They are both vague though..kind of putting everything back on me..while the board "does not take a position BEFORE any given situation..each nurse needs to take responsibility for their own practice and make the decision to not work if impaired". This was pretty much the answer I got. In other words, CATCH 22! Once they clear me to work, I really won't have a choice, since I need the money. I just wonder, other than obviously being mentally vague, will I know? That's kind of like intoxicated people feeling like they're fine to drive because their judgement is impaired isn't it? Certainly I will do everything I can to make sure I am not impaired and work..for my safety as well as my patients well being. I question, though, what if I make a mistake, will it be automatically blamed on my being on medication and used against me? I don't want to lose my license certainly.
I'd just like to hear from anyone who has been in this situation, how you handled it, or anyone who know anything about this. Please include what state you're from, since that might make a difference. Thanks!
Hi, I worked for many years while taking narcotics -Vicodin and then Morphine to be specific. When you have intense pain, morphine or any other drug does not make you "high' or impared if the dose is equavilent to the amount of pain you are having. I drive and worked until I was disabled by the social securiy disablility adm. Now I don't have to worry about the work issue. If I had to quit when I began having pain, I would not have been able to support myself or get SSD at that time. I would have been homeless. I always disclosed the drugs I was taking and when asked to "pee" for my job I just listed the drug I was taking and provided a MD RX and the positive test result was not given to my employeer. This was in Arizona. No one at work was aware that I was taking pain medication. I worked as a nurse for 36 yrs. and I never did anything at work based on whether I would get sued or not. I just gave my patients the best care I could. I have been deposed by lawyers several times (when I worked as a wound nurse), and never once did I not defend my position,( &that of my facitlity) sucessfully. If you work with good ethics and keep knowledable in the field, most nurses have nothing to fear. I must say that I am grateful to be out of the nursing field as it seems to have become a totally money oriented professsion, and the compassionate part of it seems not to be taught in our nursing schools any more. I have several friends who are older nurses who are finding it hard to stay in the nursing profession with the "new" nurse mentation. They can hire 2-3 nurses at starting wages as opposed to having to pay seasoned nurses with 25-30 yrs experience who '"command" a higher wage. This is so wrong. The years of experience are so valuable. Anyway don't work in extreme pain and end up with an MI or a CVA due to the pain. Your life is more valuable than that.
fridayannelpn1974
40 Posts
Hi, I worked for many years while taking narcotics -Vicodin and then Morphine to be specific. When you have intense pain, morphine or any other drug does not make you "high' or impared if the dose is equavilent to the amount of pain you are having. I drive and worked until I was disabled by the social securiy disablility adm. Now I don't have to worry about the work issue. If I had to quit when I began having pain, I would not have been able to support myself or get SSD at that time. I would have been homeless. I always disclosed the drugs I was taking and when asked to "pee" for my job I just listed the drug I was taking and provided a MD RX and the positive test result was not given to my employeer. This was in Arizona. No one at work was aware that I was taking pain medication. I worked as a nurse for 36 yrs. and I never did anything at work based on whether I would get sued or not. I just gave my patients the best care I could. I have been deposed by lawyers several times (when I worked as a wound nurse), and never once did I not defend my position,( &that of my facitlity) sucessfully. If you work with good ethics and keep knowledable in the field, most nurses have nothing to fear. I must say that I am grateful to be out of the nursing field as it seems to have become a totally money oriented professsion, and the compassionate part of it seems not to be taught in our nursing schools any more. I have several friends who are older nurses who are finding it hard to stay in the nursing profession with the "new" nurse mentation. They can hire 2-3 nurses at starting wages as opposed to having to pay seasoned nurses with 25-30 yrs experience who '"command" a higher wage. This is so wrong. The years of experience are so valuable. Anyway don't work in extreme pain and end up with an MI or a CVA due to the pain. Your life is more valuable than that.