[CindyMarijeanne]

I have a friend and co-worker who recently was caught using nacotics from our hospital during work hours. This occurred on the weekend so the people that were working that day let her go home and notified our boss. Does anyone know what will happen to her? She had started attending AA meetings 3 days prior to this occurrence due to the narcotic addiction. That is the only help she has sought out. She is an excellent nurse and it saddens me to see this. Any advise?

[nursinghumor]

Getting caught in the narcotics is not a good thing.

They could offer her an employee assistance program if they have one, if she was fully compliant with their program, they may let it lie. If she was caught again or tested positive for a drug screen, the next step is the State Board.

They could fire her and report the incident directly to the state board of nursing for investigation. They'll either revoke her license or offer a probationary program with required meetings, drug testing etc.

It depends on her employer. If you look at stats from your state board of nursing, the bulk of revocations are due to substance abuse.

Usually revoking a license is the last resort. They will usually offer probation if this is her initial complaint.

Let us know how it works out.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.nursinga2z.com

[hppygr8ful]

Most likely the hospital has or will refer her to the Board of nursing. If your state has a diversion program. She may be allowed that option as a means to save her license. That's what I did. My hospital gave me ten days to self-refer or they would turn me in. I didn't divert drugs and I was never impaired on the job. Nor was a caught at anything. I tried to kill myself and ended up in the er of the hospital where I worked. Going into diversion is the best thing I ever did. I forced me to not only stay focused on sobriety but to work with a therapist and psychologist to get at the issues that contibuted to my addiction. I have been sober for 10 months now and couldn't be happier. I have just been approved to go back to work and got a job within 3 days as a psych facility that does detox and rehab (go figure). Today life is good! I have to complete diversion but so what. Diversion is not our recover - it's just the way that we pay the consequences and take responsibility for our disease.

Peace

[TracyR]

God bless you all, and keep your head up. Please remember WHO your higher power IS!!!! You might want to add to your arsenal of programs, the "Celebrate Recovery" program which was started by the same guy who started the "Purpose Driven Life" movement... go to http://www.celebraterecovery.com ,

God Bless you all!

Tracy