I am communicating with more of us as nurses who have issues with prescription medication use, misuse, and abuse which then leads to issues with employment, licensure, and possible criminal investigations.
Don't get hung up on the textbook definitions. You know what you are doing and if you are doing things you are not supposed to do like:
1. Buying legal or illegal drugs from a dealer, friend, or family member;
2. Using a family members meds whether its one time or consistently;
3. Taking waste from work;
4. Documenting 2 pills given to a patient but only giving 1 and pocketing the other for your own consumption;
5. Hoarding prescription medications;
6. Doctor shopping: you have your PCP, dentist, psychiatrist, pain specialist, and a surgeon(s) writing scripts;
7. Having docs or prescribers at work write you scripts and you rationalize why this is okay or works for you with your busy schedule;
8. Writing your own scripts from a pad where you work and having these filled at one or more pharmacies;
9. Substituting at work; and/or
10. Borrowing meds from co-workers and peers.
You have a problem. What is the problem? I don't know but damn it you have a problem or issue and its going to turn into a legal matter and health crisis if you don't get a handle on it NOW.
Take this quiz. http://kbn.ky.gov/conprotect/compliance/drugtest.htm
But the bottom line is you need to seek help to get healthy. You also need to be ready to deal with anything forthcoming legal issues.
There are way too many nurses practicing and providing hands-on nursing care in a variety of settings from ICUs to home care to clinics to LTC to travel nursing who are taking way too many prescription medications. This is what I have learned in my 9 years of license defense and its scary.
Are you safe to practice and provide patient care based on your use, misuse, and/or abuse of prescription medication?
I would highly recommend any nurse who pops prescription meds like Apple flavored Now and Laters http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Now_and_Later prior to work, during work, after work, and/or at bedtime purchase this CD:
Managing Risks When a Nurse Takes Prescribed Medication by my buddy Kim Thomas, BSN, JD. See
http://www.can.affiniscape.com/storelistitem.cfm?itemnumber=13
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