Re: Opioids While Working In Healthcare?
From: Angie (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri Sep 24 11:14:05 2004
I don't work in the healthcare industry but I do work full time and take
MS Contin daily. It doesn't impair my physical or mental capabilities
and allows me to work on most of my pain days. Before I started the MS
Contin I was taking Vicodin or Percocet and it did make me somewhat
loopy. It wasn't too bad though, I could still function and think
clearly.. I was just in a better mood! Most of my coworkers and
supervisors know about my medication and it doesn't seem to be a big
deal. I looked in our employment contract and it did address
prescription medication. All it said was they might request a note from
your doctor stating that you can still drive and work while on the
medication.
Anyway I hope that helped!
--
Angie
At Fri, 24 Sep 2004, anonymous wrote:
>
>Thanks for the input. I'm currently taking a healthcare training
>program and the emphasis on ethics brought the question to mind,
>especially in the context of reporting coworkers who may seem impaired,
>as they could be a danger to patients. That started me really worrying
>about those three days per month! I suppose alternatively I could try to
>schedule non-menstrual weekends to cover the weekdays when I happened to
>be in terrible pain.
>
>At Thu, 23 Sep 2004, Candace wrote:
>>
>>I wouldn't see a problem with it as long as you are honest. I was
>>working in a peds office and I told the doctor this is what they put me
>>on and why. I took it right in front of him the correct dosage and I
>>got right to work.
>>
>>Another time I was working in an internal medicene and family practice
>>office. I was having really bad side pains. I had the doctor I worked
>>for (she didn't offer insurance so she treated her employees) check me
>>out. She felt around and then she did a urine! I had blood and old
>>blood (bilirubin) in my urine.. She thought I had a kidney stone. She
>>put me on Darvocet (the pink ones can't remember doseage atm).. She
>>sent me for a KUB (Kidney Uretur Bladder) test. Came back that I had a
>>kidney stone! I worked while I was on the medication up until the test
>>and then some after. (The stone scraped my uretur!)... As long as your
>>honest and show that it's a legetimate prescription and that you do
>>infact take the proper dose. Your employer should have no problems with
>>it. As long as nothing happens like Lea mentioned!
>>
>>Hope this helps heh
>>
>>At Thu, 23 Sep 2004, Lea wrote:
>>>
>>>If a person is prescribed a particular medication and takes it
>>>accordingly and the dosage is properly regulated there should be no
>>>problems with impairment. That is why prescriptions are written and why
>>>there are dosage guidelines. 10 mg to a petite woman will have a far
>>>different effect than 10mg to a football player.
>>>
>>>It's only common sense for anyone taking a NEW medication (as in,
>>>they've never taken it before) that carries cautions about driving, etc.
>>>they should try it out for a few days to see how they react to it.
>>>
>>>If you are taking strong narcotic medications and you notice or are made
>>>aware of, slurred speech, lethargy, problems with concentration, etc.
>>>then you should speak with your doctor about adjusting your dosage.
>>>
>>>The problems with legalities and ethics mostly come from an incendent as
>>>a result of A) intentional misuse of the drugs or B) not recognizing the
>>>symptoms of over-dosing (intentionally or unintentionally or C) you are
>>>a public figure and have stepped on the toes of people with differing
>>>opinions and they are looking for a way to sully your reputation.
>>>
>>>That having been said, it would be a safe assumption that individual
>>>hospitals, treatment centers and private physician practices may have
>>>their own policy set about such things and it is your responsibility as
>>>an employee to know what that policy is or as the employer, to enforce
>>>it.
>>>
>>>At Thu, 23 Sep 2004, anonymous wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Can anyone speak to the caregiver's use of medications such as codeine
>>>>and other opioids while doing a healthcare job that involves working
>>>>with patients? I am strictly talking about legitimate use, i.e., if one
>>>>has to take this type of medication for endo pain in order to be able to
>>>>function at work a couple of days per month. I am not referring to
>>>>problem drug use or addiction. What I'm most interested in hearing
>>>>about is if there is an ethical and/or legal problem with this. Is it
>>>>better just to stay home those days? Thanks.
>>>
>>>--
>>>Lea Harth, Managing Editor/Project Manager
>>>MediSpecialty.com
>>>http://www.obgyn.net
>>>http://www.endometriosiszone.org
>>>http://www.firstvisitivf.org
>>>http://www.firstvisit.org
>>>http://www.us.firstvisitifv.org
>>>http://www.gonadotropin.org
>>>http://www.ivstunneller.com
>>>http://www.agingmale2004.com
>>>http://www.gonadotropin.org
>>>http://www.oblink.com
>>>
>>--
>>Candace
>>
>>Wishing for pain free days for all!
>>
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