I WOULDN'T TAKE ANY CHANCES AND WOULD GO STRAIGHT TO YOUR ADVISOR AND ASK WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD BE. IF THAT SCARES YOU, THEN YOU COULD ALWAYS MAKE AN ANONYMOUS PHONE CALL OR HAVE SOMEONE DO IT FOR YOU AND ASK ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS TO SOMEONE WHO TRULY KNOWS THE ANSWERS. IT IS NOT WORTH LOSING ALL THOSE HOURS OF HARD WORK YOU PUT IN TO BECOME A NURSE. THERE ARE NON-NARCOTIC PAIN MEDICATIONS THAT MAY WORK FOR YOU AND THEN YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY. I DO NOT WANT TO GIVE YOU ANY WRONG ADVICE SO I HOPE YOU WILL TALK TO THE PERSON THAT WILL GIVE YOU THE RIGHT ANSWERS. GOOD LUCK AND KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORT ON THIS BOARD.

I tell no one at work, for fear of the knee-jerk "addict" reaction it will get. If I have a drug test, I show them the medication and it's done.

I heard all kind of possible ramifications here-legal, employment, etc....but what about ethical? You know your body better than anyone else, and you know what you need for pain control, but we have all taken our ethics courses, haven't we? (Nurses, doctors, medical professionals, I mean) If you have never gone before your state's board of nursing for any violation, let me tell you, you don't want to go before them for narcotics of ANY kiind; they don't care if there is a nursing shortage, your license could be at the least put on probation and if you have had prior violations, suspended. Just please consider all the possible consequences, most importantly your patients' care and safety. BTW, just a bit of FYI: I became hooked on the pills, added a bit of alcohol to feed my addiction, lost my license. Now over 12 years recovered and work as a substance abuse counselor. Not every nurse will go through this, but at the NA and AA meetings there are nurses galore....all trying to get their license back. Each state is different. Good luck.

just love those 12-steppin, holier-than-thou, judgmental groupies.. Glad to let you know just how bad off you are - while they're 12-steppin to glory seeing their ghost in everyone they meet. Certainly, everyone is just like them - addicted! Good golly Vanyel - you are a disgrace to the nursing profession - get out before NA, AA, GA finds you.

Yeah, 12-steppin can be very worthwhile, reflective, a first "step" on the road to recovery, and ADDICTIVE!!! What a trip to put on someone by placing them in your predicament. Reply #18: your off-message post implies that Vanyel is an addict who should know her "ethics."

By simply posting her anxiety on this blog - she is seeking advise - not your judgment. By posting here she is taking responsibility for her actions - something 12-steppers have a hard time doing. One day at a time, right? Everything's in God's hands and all that BS. Obviously, I've been there and feel strongly that such self-help groups are near-rubbish. Incidentally, there are plenty of addicts on this site. Many if not all are in real pain with real maladies that high-powered, narcotic drugs become life-savers. Your post would've been very informative had you discarded your "abuse counselor" code of ethics.

Kindness, compassion and knowledge of others can greatly empower anyone.

I work everyday as a quote "professional" and I take narcotics everyday. I understand your concern, but if you were an epileptic would they fire you for taking your medication? I think not. It is the same thing. Society isn't ready to accept us yet. But I believe and hope that eventually they will, and then we won't have to worry about the "ethics" involved. Take Care, binet

This is an apology to Vanyel.

I "assumed" that you were female as I've only met one or two male nurses. I am ashamed that I did not take the time to read about you.

However, I stand by my post regarding reply #18. Posters such as #18 - and, yes I'm still venting here - could've easily informed all of us that she encountered disiplinary action when she was a nurse and lost her license due to personal, abusive activity. Obviously - she could have stressed her opinions that the nursing board is very strict when it comes to narcotic usage - legal or not. She could've shown some empathy with your situation by suggesting you consider reevaluating your intentions and perhaps not continuing as a PA (I'm guessing that's a career goal?). That would've been strong enough - instead we were all treated to a mama lecture on the ethics of drug-abusing nurses.

Keep strong Vanyel - there is plenty of positive support for you on this site!!

Againn, thank you all for your posts. I know you all mean well and i appreciate all the advice and concern.

I am about to graduate with my NP (nurse practitioner) and have been an RN for 16 years. I have never had an issue with my license. I do not drink and have never done drugs. I use narcotics for post op pain, and now, at times, for chronic pain. I do not work while taking them. I am concerned about the future mostly, as my body continues to deteriorate and I can foresee a time when I need to take strong pain meds on a regular basis. That is what worries me.

It is a sad thing that people with serious chronic pain issues have such a difficult time getting appropriate treatment. Any good pain doctor will tell you that narcotics are necessary, and though these drugs are easily abused, patients with serious pain issues do not usually become addicted. Tolerance and some level of physical dependency develop, but that just means if the pain ever goes away you have to taper off the drugs. I don't know about you others, but I get no high from these drugs and mostly don't want to take them. I only cave in when the pain is so bad I just can't stand it anymore. I see you joy in taking the drugs. If the only way I can function is to take them though, it seems a tradeoff one must make if one wants to keep functioning. I wish the world would understand that. I think some other drugs can cause far worse impairment of people than narcotics being used for chronic pain.

Ok, no more ranting. Again, thanks for all the advice and your experiences. I do appreciate it.

Vanyel

Vanyel: Thanks for the update re: NP status. As I'm not part of the medical culture - I only took a guess as Physicians Assistants (PA) in Nevada are allowed to prescribe narcotic meds. I dont believe that Nurse Practitioners have the same status here - perhaps - Ill research later.

I'm not sure I understand your comment that I (or others) take "joy" in taking these medications. I'll admit that joy for me is spelled r-e-l-i-e-f. Im also happy that such chemicals exist. I am concerned about long-term use. Ive discussed this with my doctor and formulas exist to wean you off when you and/or your body is ready. Frankly, in my case, I dont see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Your situation as I understand it is a concern. I would fret as well. I have certain security clearances from the FBI for my employment. While I personally do not work directly in any top secret endeavors - I work with people that do. Obviously, I cant go any further except to say if something is coded improperly - it can cause a domino effect. While my department head is aware - as far as I know - thats it. Hence, if needed, I take the narcotics as needed on the job and off.

Anyway continued good times await you. All the best

I'm reaching that point were I will need to start taking pain meds during work. My sister takes morphine and vicodin then goes to work and is able to function. I think it should be allowed as long as you are able to function properly at work. Pain meds affect everyone differently. So its important to know what works for you. :)

Thank you vanyel for this topic. I am a substitute educational assistant and i have gone to work maybe twice this year. Mostly because I am afraid to go to work not just on my meds even though they help my pain to a point but being on my feet seven hours I can hardly walk. I have burned my arms just cooking in my home. I scared my neices last summer on a trip to washington state. The head of human resources at the schools told me not to even go to work if I was in pain or on my medicaitons. They have a very strict policy about drugs in the workplace even if it is something you need to work. But even though I am scared to go to work my husband says I need to go he knows that I miss it and loved working with children he even said I would get just as excited as my kinders. I was an EA in 2007 and I was abused by the teacher I worked with a month before a knee injury I had she gave me a perfect score and said I was spectacular at my job. After the injury and a light duty order Iwas just the most horrible thing to be in that room. So it turned into a big ugly thing. She had been through 4 other EA's before and guess what I ended up just having my contract paid out and she stioo has her job.

I would love to be working but both times I went I had a really hard time with it. Im also afraid that if I do not work these nest two weeks of school I wont have a chance at another job with the schools.

I wish you luck in all that you do. I wish that workplaces would understand that we need to work heck half of us cannot even get disability lots of hugs

Meagan

sfiver,
The joy in the drugs I was talking about was in reference to what drug abusers seem to get from narcotics. It does not refer to people i pain that need the medication. As you said, for us the joy is relief. ALl of us know that we don't use the drugs for fun.

Meagan,
I feel for you in our situation, and fear I will soon be in the same place. I too work on my feet, currently as an ER nurse, and am running for 12 hours straight when I work. It kills me. I have to come home and bury my joints in ice and take meds and hope to god I can get up the next day. Its absurd and I really need to find a different job. Thus my school endeavor - I graduate in June and hope to have a new job by fall. I hope I can make it that far. My joints are so bad at this point I won't even walk my dogs because of the pain. Its all I can do to get to work, and my clinical rotations for school. I really fear disability is looming. And it would be a lot easier if I could take meds to work. I do take non narcotic meds but they don't work near as well. I have to wonder how much the constant pain effects my judgement and work performance. It just sucks no matter how you look at it. I think these policies that say absolutely no drugs in the workplace are just plain impractical and impossible. As someone said, everyone reacts differently to these drugs, and you need to know how impaired they make you - but many people can take them and still function perfectly well. I wish the world would understand that.

Vanyel