Nurse Asked to Buy My Vicodin

FlaxMilk

However, I agree that addictions should be medical issues and not criminal issues (meaning that I don't think people should be incarcerated and black-marked for life, not that government should not be involved in any way). People need help and support, and I'd rather have my tax dollars go to that than to them sitting in prisons and relapsing the instant they get out with no support and repeating the cycle all over again. Even if an addicted person spends her whole life fighting the addiction, I'd rather support the struggle than the punishment.

MyOwnSunshine

Haven't read the previous responses...

Are you sure this person was a nurse and not a medical office assistant? Most of the people who pass themselves off as nurses in doctors offices are actually medical office assistants.

If the person was a nurse, you should immediately contact your state board of nursing and file a complaint.

If the person was a medical office assistant, you should immediately contact the doctor who's license she practices under and make them aware, as well as notifying the office manager.

Rowan813

I am a nurse and the only correct choice is to report her. She will be offered help and if she meets all of the requirements set by the state she will be able to work again. There is never an excuse for asking for a meds from a patient. The only way to get her help is to notify the Board of Nursing for your state. It is not too late to notify someone.

WendyTerry420

I agree that the nurse should not have asked. Clearly it made the OP very uncomfortable. Again, I point to the drug war. If it were not illegal to obtain Vicodin without a prescription, then it would have been a perfectly legitimate question. My point is that it used to be perfectly legal in this country to walk into a drug store and make a purchase without any government involvement. It's too bad that prohibition has inserted so much emotion into the situation that it makes people uncomfortable to even talk about it. Before the William Harrison Act, there was actually slightly less drug abuse than there is now. And before the Controlled Substances Act, it was perfectly reasonable for an addict to simply go get help, without fearing the additional law enforcement problems that now come with addiction issues. I submit that if we were to eliminate the law enforcement variable, and allowed addiction to be treated as a medical issue rather than a criminal one, then the black market would be eliminated, attitudes would change, and drug-related violence would disappear. There was *NO* violence associated with drugs before drug prohibition was enacted. And the "war on drugs" is actually just a war on people.

Even if it were legal, it would not have been a legitimate question. I don't get to ask my patients for anything. It's part of the ethical code for most medical and healthcare professionals. You don't take or give gifts (small tokens of affection are ok), you don't solicit. Bartering is strongly discouraged unless you live in a small town where that's the standard practice.

You also don't get to break the law consequence-free because you think the law is stupid. If she was willing to break the law and involve one of her patients, then she also accepted that a consequence is getting reported.

Yes, she did accept the consequences. But at the same time, if everyone would stop reporting "drug crimes," then prosecutions would pretty much cease.

WendyTerry420

However, I agree that addictions should be medical issues and not criminal issues (meaning that I don't think people should be incarcerated and black-marked for life, not that government should not be involved in any way). People need help and support, and I'd rather have my tax dollars go to that than to them sitting in prisons and relapsing the instant they get out with no support and repeating the cycle all over again. Even if an addicted person spends her whole life fighting the addiction, I'd rather support the struggle than the punishment.

:flowerforyou:

I'm glad someone gets it! Adding the criminal element to drug addiction does much more harm than what the drug addiction itself creates.

FlaxMilk

Yes, she did accept the consequences. But at the same time, if everyone would stop reporting "drug crimes," then prosecutions would pretty much cease.

I think you and I are probably arguing different issues here. I'm more worried about her unethical behavior toward her patient, and when I say report, I mean to her professional board, not the police. I also wouldn't want someone undergoing addiction to be treating people medically, but that's an issue for her licensing board, again.

FlaxMilk

:flowerforyou:

I'm glad someone gets it! Adding the criminal element to drug addiction does much more harm than what the drug addiction itself creates.

Back atcha! A lot of the legal system's costs could be reduced by better treatment for people with mental illness and substance abuse, where there's a lot of overlap anyway.

Contrarian

Sold them to her

This.

Cranktastic

Sold them to her

This.

MINE

tumblyweed

My mom is a nurse and has been addicted to prescription meds since I can remember. No one, outside of family, ever knew and wouldn't notice easily because she was well put-together, good at her job and...usually careful. Meh. You need to report her.

You will be doing her, her family and her patients a favor. I'm surprised this one was brazen enough to offer to purchase them. My mom worked with geriatrics and, thanks to her addiction, her patients were never over medicated, but I'm pretty sure she never asked them to share.

Updated to add: I don't think these people are 'bad', but they are in a situation out of their control and need help.

cmriverside

I only read the first two pages, so if someone said this already, I apologize TL;DR.


It is against the law to give or sell any prescription drug to anyone. Especially a controlled substance like Vicodin. It is also against the law to have in your possession any controlled substance that you do not hold a valid prescription for. So both the OP and the nurse would be breaking the law. That is all that needs to be said to the nurse.

I would report her - to her doctor or the licensing board, not the police..

I had a dear friend who was a successful anesthesiologist (sp?) who committed suicide when he was about to go to prison for stealing hospital drugs. Perhaps if someone had stepped in before his addiction became so bad, a lot of peoples' lives would have been different. He left behind three small children, a wife, and a large extended family who will always wonder why.

Please turn her in while it is still possible for her to change her life. Even if she isn't the one wanting the drugs, she's still engaging in illegal behavior that could end badly.

hughtwalker

Wow! I go out for an hour or so to buy a Nexus 7 for my daughter and look what happens! You mean this is for real?!
Gosh! I've been in Practice for 40 years and I've heard of such a thing. I've led a sheltered existence, clearly.

So, maybe the next time a patient asks me to dispose of some surplus medication for them I'd better think twice before helping them.

Would you really have a Health Care Complementary Professional behave this way over there?

I apologise profusely to the original poster for doubting the integrity of this thread - When I went out I was beginning to expect the sound of goat hooves going over the bridge.

mgobluetx12

No need to apologize. It really happened.

To the person that told me the vicodin would end up in our drinking water, I didn't actually flush them, I just told her I did.

I didn't know there was a place I could turn them in and they would go to people who couldn't afford them. I have like 45 left, so I will definitely look into that.

No, her name is not Jackie.

Yes, she is hot.

Yes, I am certain she is a nurse. We're quite friendly since I see her every month and I know she got her BSN from a local school here.

stephc0711

It sounds harsh, but the event needs to be reported. What if not that she's addicted, but she's turning around and selling to others who are. And if she is addicted, she needs help.

sizzle92

Help her out and report her. She has an addiction and needs help. Likely her employer will help her. I work for a very large medical group and if we go to them and tell them we have an addiction and need help, they will help us and not terminate us. I actually caught a coworker who was a good friend to me doing this and I reported her right away. Her husband thanked me over and over for saving her.

HurricaneElaine

Report her.

End of story,


*****************

tigerblood78

depends.......was she hot?

NoAdditives

Report her.

Yep.

3dogsrunning

Wow! I go out for an hour or so to buy a Nexus 7 for my daughter and look what happens! You mean this is for real?!
Gosh! I've been in Practice for 40 years and I've heard of such a thing. I've led a sheltered existence, clearly.

So, maybe the next time a patient asks me to dispose of some surplus medication for them I'd better think twice before helping them.

Would you really have a Health Care Complementary Professional behave this way over there?

I apologise profusely to the original poster for doubting the integrity of this thread - When I went out I was beginning to expect the sound of goat hooves going over the bridge.

Really? Pills are huge where I am. Many people supplement their income here by selling their extra medication. These kind of situations aren't uncommon, although its more those who work in pharmacies. I know of people who specifically took the pharmacy tech course for this reason.

beansprouts

You were wise not to accept any cash for your extra medicine.