Aa
the continued vicodin hold had now ruined my life
Hello all, I have not posted in a very long time. I am at a serious low tonight. I am on administration leave from my place of work. Yesterday morning I took two norco home from my place of work that were not mine. The incident was discovered, and I did return the pills as I had not realized I had gone home with them in my pocket. I recently have had foot surgery and have to work on my feet all day, a lot of stress in the family right now, horrible headaches, and starting the "change of life" hormones out of wack so to speak. Before this, I have done everything legally to get my vicodin, norco, percocet until recently. I got a nurse practitioner fired for prescribing me percocet last summer as well. With all the madness last summer, dealing with my addiction and getting through everyday life I was able to vacation with my beautiful children and husband and maintain my life. Went back to at the end of the summer, foot doing better but still needing the narcatics. I was sooo happy to have full, wonderful benefits no for the family and things were looking up. As bad as I felt about the Nurse Practicioner who had been fired because of me, I had been able to move on, and so had she. You see, truly I did not know that she was prescribing it to me on the sly. I was truly oblivious to this. I still hold myself accountable because she gave them to me to help me in a so called weaning process. She was trying to help me. Anyway, I will probably be fired for the recent incident at my job with the pills, because of course my urine test will be positive for hydrocodone, for I take it at home everyday. The admimistration knows that I have a prescription, but I do not think it will make a difference. Please respond. Some of you might remember me. It is quite surprising to myself that I have gotten this low. I will be fired, I'm sure of it. My husband makes good money, but I truly am the bread winner for I do make a liitle more, and my type of job caries fantastic benefits for my 4 children. Things were starting to look so good again despite my addiction, and I blew it.
HI im a little late to the party but I have been following your story...personally I dont think
you have anything to worrie about you have a legit script at home...I would bring your bottle with you to the meeting....you can show them you had plenty of your own at home I am friends with a nurse and things like this happen your not the first nurse to forget to give someone there meds...they may do a probation thing but with all the time on the job you have I would think your job is safe...as I tell everyone lift your burdens up to God
pray that those in charge you you favor...God can move a mountain good luck and God bless......Gnarly
you have anything to worrie about you have a legit script at home...I would bring your bottle with you to the meeting....you can show them you had plenty of your own at home I am friends with a nurse and things like this happen your not the first nurse to forget to give someone there meds...they may do a probation thing but with all the time on the job you have I would think your job is safe...as I tell everyone lift your burdens up to God
pray that those in charge you you favor...God can move a mountain good luck and God bless......Gnarly
We have a Pyxys on our floor that we use. We log in and pull up the pt, get the medication out by touch screen on pt then med. I am not sure that the medications get highlighted when too early to give. I think what happened is the pt asked for this particular pain medication again after I had gone home because I did not give it to her. The time is noted on the Pyxys screen of when the med was last given and who gave it. So the following nurse would know who to track down. In this case this nurse, called me left me a message that there was a descrepency on the accudose machine (Pyxys) for a particular pt room. She said I need to call the charge nurse when I get the message. My phone was at home and when I walked in the door my husband asked if I just tried to call him because there was a call from the hospital on my cell phone and that he had not listened to the message. So I listened and drove straight back not really realizing what was ahead of me. I was met by the charge nurse, the pharmacist and the nursing supervisor. We went through the Pyxys "problem" together and my explanation. The nursing supervisor had me follow her to her office and said that she was really sorry but per policy she has to do a drug screen on me because I took narcatics home. I told her then that I will probably test positive because I take it at home daily. Then she told me that there is a policy that people are not usually aware of that you must tell your manager that you are taking a narcatic if 5 hrs before work or less. She said as long as you have a script things can go better for you, but she could tell me nothing else. I am not at all positive about this meeting. Two years ago, I had a med error no one was hurt, and it was not only my fault, and I was not on any pain medication by the way, but it is on my record, and they placed me on probation. I could still work, but if i screwed up in that 6 months that would be it for me. That nursing director was new and not a local person, she actually wanted to just fire me back then. The new administration has fired my manager of 13 years, (she was actually manager for 17 years). None of us know why other than she was our advocate. The new manager is interum, and is not local, does not really know me, so things look really bad. Like I said earlier, approx 40 employees have either been fired or left r/t stress or the new managements no tolerance policies that are very stringent. My co-workers are all stressed out that they will be next for something. There was just a nurse that was put on 3 days leave without pay for not attending the safety education meeting. So it will be a miracle if I still have my job. By the way, I never made it to the pts room as you were asking Vicki. I don't even know what I want out of the meeting. I want my job because I know it well and am good at it. It is very stressful though, and I am not just saying that. I enquired about doing pt care management which is not working on the floor. You visit the pt and attend to their discharge needs, set them up for life after discharge if need be. I haven't heard back. I want my life to be normal, but I don't want it to be ruined in the process of getting it normal. Too devestating for the family. I am so exhausted right now, but I do not want to go to sleep, because tomorrow will come too fast.
Yes...I know all this. Not every facility has a Pyxys,though, and when they do, not all areas of the facility utilize them. But,if they exsist in her facility...how did she get caught? I want her to say! I'm guessing she didn't scan the barcode and if she DID then that's a problem because she had to be in the room and thus diverted the pills from the patient. It's a mess. But,thanks for the explanation. It was sweet of you to take the time.
Hey Vicki,
At hospitals and other patient facilities, they have what are called Pyxys machines or Med Stations. Basically, when you go to give a patient his/her meds, you log into the machine with your unique user ID and password. Then you type in the patients name and a list of the meds the patient is currently taking will pop up on the screen along with frequency, administration route, ect. If it is In the timeframe for the patient to have his/her meds, the med will be highlighted indicating that it is ok to give the patient the med. If it is not highlighted, then you will not be able to even select it as it keeps track of frequency. So after you select the med (norco in this instance) the correct drawer will pop open and in each drawer, there are sealed compartments, and the correct sealed compartment will pop open as well. The screen will ask you to count the pills in the pocket that is opened to make sure the right amount of meds are there. After counting correctly and entering the amount, it will ask you to take out the correct dose (in this case 2 norcos). Then it will ask you to recount the meds to make sure the correct amount is there. When this is complete, it will ask you to shut the compartment and then shut the drawer. At this point, the computer knows what med you have and who you are to give it to. When you enter the patients room, you pull up their profile on the mobile computer stations in the area, and you scan the patients arm band so that it knows you are giving the med to the right patient, and then you scan the barcode on the med (in hospitals, each pill is individually sealed and barcoded). At this point the computers "talk" to each other and verify the right med has been given to the right patient at the right time! And the med will not be allowed to be accessed in the Pyxys machine until it is in the right time frame again (i.e. 4-6 hours or so). This is supposed to keep everyone honest and usually does a good job of doing so. So when the next nurse goes to the Pyxys machine and asks for the patients meds, and it says that they have already been given, then they can "track down" who was supposed to have given the patient their med and it will give the nurses' ID an so on and so forth... Sorry for the long post, but it is the best way to describe how the management knew she had the pills and why they called her house. This is actually quite common for someone to forget the meds in a pocket and go home. I've done it before and as long as you are honest with them and you returned the meds without taking any or taking them out of the individually sealed packets, then I think that you really have nothing to worry about at all, especially that you have a script for what you are on and can prove that. Again sorry for the longness (new word? Or just incorrect grammar?:) of this post. Just thought I could shed some light onto the matter. Good luck!
At hospitals and other patient facilities, they have what are called Pyxys machines or Med Stations. Basically, when you go to give a patient his/her meds, you log into the machine with your unique user ID and password. Then you type in the patients name and a list of the meds the patient is currently taking will pop up on the screen along with frequency, administration route, ect. If it is In the timeframe for the patient to have his/her meds, the med will be highlighted indicating that it is ok to give the patient the med. If it is not highlighted, then you will not be able to even select it as it keeps track of frequency. So after you select the med (norco in this instance) the correct drawer will pop open and in each drawer, there are sealed compartments, and the correct sealed compartment will pop open as well. The screen will ask you to count the pills in the pocket that is opened to make sure the right amount of meds are there. After counting correctly and entering the amount, it will ask you to take out the correct dose (in this case 2 norcos). Then it will ask you to recount the meds to make sure the correct amount is there. When this is complete, it will ask you to shut the compartment and then shut the drawer. At this point, the computer knows what med you have and who you are to give it to. When you enter the patients room, you pull up their profile on the mobile computer stations in the area, and you scan the patients arm band so that it knows you are giving the med to the right patient, and then you scan the barcode on the med (in hospitals, each pill is individually sealed and barcoded). At this point the computers "talk" to each other and verify the right med has been given to the right patient at the right time! And the med will not be allowed to be accessed in the Pyxys machine until it is in the right time frame again (i.e. 4-6 hours or so). This is supposed to keep everyone honest and usually does a good job of doing so. So when the next nurse goes to the Pyxys machine and asks for the patients meds, and it says that they have already been given, then they can "track down" who was supposed to have given the patient their med and it will give the nurses' ID an so on and so forth... Sorry for the long post, but it is the best way to describe how the management knew she had the pills and why they called her house. This is actually quite common for someone to forget the meds in a pocket and go home. I've done it before and as long as you are honest with them and you returned the meds without taking any or taking them out of the individually sealed packets, then I think that you really have nothing to worry about at all, especially that you have a script for what you are on and can prove that. Again sorry for the longness (new word? Or just incorrect grammar?:) of this post. Just thought I could shed some light onto the matter. Good luck!
Also you may want to start a new post to consolidate answers and make it easier to follow for us and you. I have seen you post a couple of places. Have you tried ALAnon meetings, btw?
U cant rely on an addicts word. We learn to lie,manipulate, do wuthever it takes to get wut we are looking for.
He has to be ready for this,if not on day3 he could relapse due to withdrawl discomfort. Its like being in labor for 7 -10 days( so Ive heard).
He needs lots of support. Read my profile lots of advice. He will get better from now on day 3-4 perhaps 5 are the worst depending on how long and how much he has been taking the vics. Also it depends on the pattern was he taking every 4 hours, during the night etc... I am not a professionnal but got some good advice on this site. He has good support as I can see.
Get him to create his own profile, I swear it WILL save him......
Another recomendation is to see a dr in the am to help with the symptoms.
He will be MOODY and just think that its all for a good cause.
Oh yeah make sure theyre are no NARCOs in the house and he will need to take at least a week off work. The Flu is a good cover.
Re post
He has to be ready for this,if not on day3 he could relapse due to withdrawl discomfort. Its like being in labor for 7 -10 days( so Ive heard).
He needs lots of support. Read my profile lots of advice. He will get better from now on day 3-4 perhaps 5 are the worst depending on how long and how much he has been taking the vics. Also it depends on the pattern was he taking every 4 hours, during the night etc... I am not a professionnal but got some good advice on this site. He has good support as I can see.
Get him to create his own profile, I swear it WILL save him......
Another recomendation is to see a dr in the am to help with the symptoms.
He will be MOODY and just think that its all for a good cause.
Oh yeah make sure theyre are no NARCOs in the house and he will need to take at least a week off work. The Flu is a good cover.
Re post
he seems to be in a lot of pain. I'm afraid it could be enough to make him want to use again.
hello, I am trying to help my husband thru vicodin withdrawls. Can anyone tell me how long this lasts and what the normal symptoms are? He is in so much discomfort. It's killing me to see him suffer like this. Is it normal?
I will certainly pray for you and your family. I hope there are not devastating consequences and that you learn from this so it'll be the last time. You can be a great mom, wife and employee without pills, ok? We just think we can't at first!!! : )
In your job profession, does it matter if you have a script and you test positive? I don't understand that part. Good luck tomorrow, btw!
So,what are you going to do tomorrow when you have the meeting? Are you going to quit?
You didn't really say what happened and how the staff knew you had them in the first place. The admin. meeting is standard procedure in most hospitals. You took them home and brought them back. Only YOU know your motives. They cannot prove you are an addict and can't even call you one. It's against the law. They can't prove you stole them with intent. People take meds home by accident all the time. I know I have.
I don't know where you live but do you belong to a nurse's union? That's where I'd be calling.
I agree with Pharma. Choose your job over the pills. It can be done. We all have to work but we don't all need to take pills.
You didn't really say what happened and how the staff knew you had them in the first place. The admin. meeting is standard procedure in most hospitals. You took them home and brought them back. Only YOU know your motives. They cannot prove you are an addict and can't even call you one. It's against the law. They can't prove you stole them with intent. People take meds home by accident all the time. I know I have.
I don't know where you live but do you belong to a nurse's union? That's where I'd be calling.
I agree with Pharma. Choose your job over the pills. It can be done. We all have to work but we don't all need to take pills.
It should be relatively easy to convince management that you did not intend to steal the pills because after all what would you steal 2 pills for when you have your own at home.If you intended to steal them you would have taken more than 2.
HOWEVER...you are in a very vulnerable position because you are taking opiates and are also exposed to them at work.
If you can not afford to lose your job something has to give and if is not your job...it HAS to be the opiates.
You can not continue to work with these drugs and also take them,even with a legitimate prescription because it is too tempting.
I would suggest you quit the opiates and try to get along with otc pain meds or nsaids.
That is certainly a doable thing and you have to make up your mind which is more important to you...the opiates or your job and reputation.
I only say this because I am a pharmacist and realized I had to stop taking opiates before things got worse and I embarrassed myself and my family.
I also rewarded myself with drugs if I worked long shifts.
I made up my mind to stop doing all this and have been clean and guilt free for over a year.
My feet are all deformed from rheumatoid arthritis,but since I stopped the opiates I find the otc pain meds are enough for me.
Good luck and post often.We will help you
HOWEVER...you are in a very vulnerable position because you are taking opiates and are also exposed to them at work.
If you can not afford to lose your job something has to give and if is not your job...it HAS to be the opiates.
You can not continue to work with these drugs and also take them,even with a legitimate prescription because it is too tempting.
I would suggest you quit the opiates and try to get along with otc pain meds or nsaids.
That is certainly a doable thing and you have to make up your mind which is more important to you...the opiates or your job and reputation.
I only say this because I am a pharmacist and realized I had to stop taking opiates before things got worse and I embarrassed myself and my family.
I also rewarded myself with drugs if I worked long shifts.
I made up my mind to stop doing all this and have been clean and guilt free for over a year.
My feet are all deformed from rheumatoid arthritis,but since I stopped the opiates I find the otc pain meds are enough for me.
Good luck and post often.We will help you
Again all of you are amazing. I slept about 3 hours this morning after posting and reading your posts and I am just emotionally drained. I am not feeling withdrawals, and I have so much time inbetween my scrips now that I more than likely have been on a sort of weaning process. I have made mistakes at work. I will not let this incident ruin my life though. I will as you say do whatever I can do to protect my license, and my family from any more emotional strain. The kids do not know of course, but with me being upset they certainly feel that. I don't want to fes up and go to a rehab like this. It doesn't just shame me and my husband and the kids and then I'm better, it will literally ruin our lives. So I thank you for encouraging me to handle the meeting as such. The above mentioned is true for the most part, it shall never happen again. I do need to get out of health care, but it is all I know, and where else does an associate degree RN go. Yes, I have 13 years experience, but still I am limited especially in this job market. I also should not be working nights because it is too demanding on me body. And I take more things to "Keep going". I have thought of all of this, but I have worked at the same place for 12 years. I do not even know how to put together a resume. I was also looking at travel nursing jobs if I make it through this meeting with my license, but I am not one to leave my family for more than one or two nights. Also there is a town about a little over an hour from here that is bigger with a couple hospitals, but the commute with 12 hour shifts. Anyway, yes I am prepared to have them let me go, but that is the worse case senario that I can deal with emotionally. If they force me to rehab, or anything else, I will have as they call it a nervous break down literally. I will become as I am already undone. I do not believe I need that to "recover" from my active addiction. I do need help but not with such devistating consequences. I appreciate all of your encouragement. I would ask you who believe to pray for me and my family. I do not like to lie.....there is so much at stake. I have to go, my baby girl needs me to play with her. I'll be in touch. I am going to try to relax my mind this afternoon. Thank You soooo much, your support is incredible. I would be more of a wreck without each of your posts. You've helped me make it through this 24 hours, and no I am not taking anything right now and haven't. Please watch for me to post, I will need all of you. I probably won't sleep much tonight either.
I agree with jstntime's advice to you here. The admin doesn't know that you have a problem and in fact it shouldn't even be a factor in this case because you did not take the pills for that reason - you do say that they were intended for a pt and that you in fact forgot about them in your pocket. So how would you feel about this if you weren't using at all? It would be a grave injustice to be fired for making an error right? It was just a mistake, an error and the admin should see it just as that. It's merely a coincidence that you are taking pain meds - you have a script, this is not illegal afterall. And not to mention the fact that you did NOT use the pills taken and they were returned immediatley.
I know that you're freaking out and this is a real cause for panic, but please try to remain calm and try to think this through rationally. I also work in the health care field - although I am in Canada. But definately if I were you I would stay strong and fight this - it WAS a mistake after all.
Let it be a wake up call and a way to see that it's now time to quit before all is lost. As health care workers we see first hand the damage that addiction causes people and all those in their lives. Use this knowledge to your advantage. It's time to stop the pills now - Good luck and God Bless.
Chico
I know that you're freaking out and this is a real cause for panic, but please try to remain calm and try to think this through rationally. I also work in the health care field - although I am in Canada. But definately if I were you I would stay strong and fight this - it WAS a mistake after all.
Let it be a wake up call and a way to see that it's now time to quit before all is lost. As health care workers we see first hand the damage that addiction causes people and all those in their lives. Use this knowledge to your advantage. It's time to stop the pills now - Good luck and God Bless.
Chico
Hey! I got your note...
So,you have a meeting about the job tomoorow? Okay. Tell me what you did and I'll tell you what to do. Something is missing from the story...how did they know the count was off and how did they know to call you?? I've walked out of work with all kinds of things in my pockets. We all do. It's the nature of the business. Everything goes in your pockets untill you can "deal with it later". I came home with a set of dentures one day!!!
( long story )!
Vicki
So,you have a meeting about the job tomoorow? Okay. Tell me what you did and I'll tell you what to do. Something is missing from the story...how did they know the count was off and how did they know to call you?? I've walked out of work with all kinds of things in my pockets. We all do. It's the nature of the business. Everything goes in your pockets untill you can "deal with it later". I came home with a set of dentures one day!!!
( long story )!
Vicki
Also remember this. Some places when they have a positive test will send it to a lab to test for levels, so make sure you don't have more than your prescription calls for in your system. Do what you have to do to protect your family this week, then get yourself some help. I don't care if it is NA or what, but you are playing with fire. As an addict, we can't successfully use for long. It will catch up to us. If you get by this at work, you will be watched closely I bet, and one more strike will be all it takes. Not trying to be harsh, but I know what you are going through, trust me. I know you have legit pain, but please try and do this for your family. I am just worried you may have a handle in it now, but it could spiral out of control very quickly. Please keep us updated. I am here if you need to talk.
Oh....and it's ok to be scared or even angry! That is the motivation we need at times!
Ok, as much as I understand this, you have to look out for Y.O.U. I would give anyone here the same advice. The reason I understand is that I live in a town of about 2500 people, was the perfect one and STILL went to rehab several times!!! You have to do what you have to do to keep your life in tact. People will end up respecting you in the end. The ones I know who once thought I was a train wreck now call me to come over or to pick up kids when needed or whatever. I'm active in church. My family loves being around me again. You can get it all back, but you have to start somewhere. I guarantee the nursing board in the state I live in would force you to go to rehab. It will look much better if you do it on your own! (If they know you have a problem)
Honey, you can have all of this work out for you, but you gotta get clean first!!! : )
Honey, you can have all of this work out for you, but you gotta get clean first!!! : )
I would be scared as well, I think anyone would be...and I know it is easy for me to say that maybe this will be a blessing in disguise, but some of the worst times in life end up serving our best interest in the long run. I truly hope this is the case for you. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
I am sorry to hear of all you are going through. Although it is a difficult time, everything happens for a reason and it might be conduscive to your recovery to have a job that is not in the health care industry. Of course, I also understand how important your job is for you and your family...but it is not as important as you are. Do you feel that your addiction is more difficult because you are surrounded with temptation?
As Bob said, I am not sure if I would be honest...I do not want to advocate lying but... the pills are all there and mistakes do happen.
Best of luck to you and try to keep your head up. I hope that everything works out in your favor.
Peace-
As Bob said, I am not sure if I would be honest...I do not want to advocate lying but... the pills are all there and mistakes do happen.
Best of luck to you and try to keep your head up. I hope that everything works out in your favor.
Peace-
Hey there,
I can sure understand your panic over this. Just my opinion but if the administration is that hard to deal with I think telling them the truth will be a guaranteed way to get yourself fired.
Your drug screen will be positive but you have a script for it. You returned the pills, the count was right, we can all get distracted and make mistakes.
I'm all for being honest but seriously, you have a lot riding on this. I'd go in there and lie like a rug.
This should be a wake-up call however way it falls though. Most of us here have done these types of things and the law of averages say that some of us will be caught. I hate reading these stories because I can only imagine how you must be feeling. You are an addict, it doesn't excuse your behavior but it sure explains it.
I really hope this works out for. Proceed carefully with this.
bob
I can sure understand your panic over this. Just my opinion but if the administration is that hard to deal with I think telling them the truth will be a guaranteed way to get yourself fired.
Your drug screen will be positive but you have a script for it. You returned the pills, the count was right, we can all get distracted and make mistakes.
I'm all for being honest but seriously, you have a lot riding on this. I'd go in there and lie like a rug.
This should be a wake-up call however way it falls though. Most of us here have done these types of things and the law of averages say that some of us will be caught. I hate reading these stories because I can only imagine how you must be feeling. You are an addict, it doesn't excuse your behavior but it sure explains it.
I really hope this works out for. Proceed carefully with this.
bob
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