impaired RN...where to now

[mullRN]

My wife and I are both Ohio RN's, we have a wonderful relationship, and have worked together for the past 18 years in a level I ICU. I was shocked and appalled when she was accussed of being impaired on the job, and even more so when the (urine)results came back positive....I never knew....

We are woking through the relationship part..ok...so far, we are verey much in love, and I will stand beside her through thick and thin....so no issue there...

My question is this, where to now...what is the procedure, she (my wife)tells me it is only the second time she has ever done this, that it was a small amount of IV narc's, and it was 2ndary to unrelenting tooth pain (she has had problems getting in to see our dentist...I know the pain is real.)

It is very recent, and I am just wondering...

1) Will the Board of Nursing contact her, or does she contact them?

2) Is there any chance of her saving her license, and practicing in the ICU again?

3) Is a Tx program maddatory, and if so...where do we find one?

4) Does Ohio notify other States, or can she practice in other States??

She is very remorseful, and I believe it is something that has only occurred since this tooth ache began....we have always been happy, zero maritial problems, I am sure if it was ongoing I would have noticed a behavior or personality change....but nothing like that has occurred.

Please respond...I am having panic attacks!!!

[AmandaWIRN]

She should notify the board right away- it will look better for her if she goes to them rather than waiting for them to come to her. Not sure if she will be able to practice in the ICU again- depends on what type of restrictions the BON places on her license...

She is going to have a hard time getting a license to practice in another state for a while- all states require her to reveal whether or not there is any disciplinary action against her current license, and I doubt another state will issue her a license while there is an ongoing investigation for drug diversion...

She should also voluntarily go to a treatment program- her taking the initiative to do this before being "forced" to by the BON will also be better for her.

You should seek family counseling as well. Make sure that you are not being co-dependent and making excuses for her. Having tooth pain does not justify stealing narcotics and using on the job. She needs to take responsibility for what she has done, and you making excuses for her or saying it's not a big deal because she only did it twice is not going to help her. Sorry, if that sounds harsh, but what she did is a big deal, and she needs to be held accountable for it....

[mullRN]

Amanda,

Thank you for your quick response. You are 100% correct about no excusas. There is no excuse for using...especially on the job while giving Pt care.

[hppygr8ful]

Amanda,

Thank you for your quick response. You are 100% correct about no excusas. There is no excuse for using...especially on the job while giving Pt care.

It's a very big leap for a person who does not have a substance abuse problem to go from no problem to diverting IV narcotics for a toothache. I'm not saying the toothach didn't exist - I'm sure it did. But nurses more than anyone know how easy it is to get a scrpit for painkillers. If she couldn't get a dental appointment she could have gone to any walk-in clinic. As a nurse in recovery I can tell you that we are great at hiding our disease from the people we love. It's not difficult because Our loved ones often hide from what they don't want to believe. No matter - there is no excuse for working impaired nor is there any excuse for diverting.

As for your wife's career - she will have to face the Board and it gets ugly before it gets better. Chances are she will be remanded to inpatient treatment this will not be presented as a choice. She will be suspended from pactice for 6 months to a year while she comepletes. She will have to submit to random body fluid testing for 3 to 5 years and will after to remain 100% abstainant of all mind-altering substance including alcohol for 3 to 5 years. When she is allowed to return to work. It will be in non-patient care then she will gradually be allowed to move back into her currently level of nuring provided there is no relapse she will eventually get through this as so many of us have. There will be daily AA/NA meetings, travel restrictions etc.... It's a total pian in many ways - but It did save my life and for that I will always be eturnally grateful. I have now been sober almost 4 years. All of this may seem like overkill if there is no substance abuse prpblem but I will tell you that the Board of Nuring doesn't care! Their only concern is to protectthe public from impaired nurses. The best thing you wife can do is get into treatment and turn herself into the Board. It will look better for her in the eyes of the pwoers that be. It won't go away and if there is a substance problem it will only get worse. Read through the Nurses in Recovery Board for more insight.

Peace and Namaste

Hppy