Narcotic theft among nurses is a fast-growing issue in health care today. Approximately 10% of the general population is at risk for drug addiction.1 Quite ignored is the other fact: nurses are at higher risk for drug addiction. Some studies show that this may be 50% higher than the general population.1 Unfortunately, these statistics have shown, historically, to only rise. The reaction at the national and state levels has been the development of professional assistance programs for nurses, physicians, pharmacists, and other disciplines. Currently, 37 states offer such assistance programs.2 The goal of assistance programs for healthcare professionals is to return the individual to an optimal level of functioning, and, thus, return them to the workforce. This is crucial to the ever-growing nursing shortage. Historically, the risk of relapse for the impaired nurse is strikingly lower than compared with the general population. In addition, the American Nurses Association (ANA) has released a position statement supportive of offering assistance to the impaired nurse so that the individual can return to workforce when well.
Two years ago, I diverted Percocet from my place of work, over the course of 2 months. I never took the Percocet while at work, and I never withheld Percocet from my patients. After much counseling, and hard work, I understand now that my diversion of Percocet was the result of an ineffective grieving process over the death of my father 1 month before. My father was terminally ill with end-stage metastatic adenocarcinoma, and, of course, I was his primary nurse. The death of my father was the first time I had lost anyone close to me, and I had no experience with any grieving process. Not to mention that the week after he died, I had a tooth extraction and took Percocet (it was prescribed, and I did not abuse it).
I have no history of substance abuse of any kind, and I do not drink alcohol, not even socially. I am a mother of 2 beautiful girls, and the wife of a well-respected paramedic. I have 7 years of experience in a level II trauma center, including the role of charge nurse for 6 years, and ED Clinical Care Coordinator. I was known as a leader in my role, and frequently approached for advice on clinical matters—kind of like the “go-to” super nurse.
Since leaving the emergency department when confronted by my state drug control, my license has been on a 4-year probation, and I am currently in my second year. As I was granted a consent order, my license was never suspended. My narcotic restriction has been lifted, and I can fully function, without any restrictions, as an ED nurse. I am currently Lead Faculty of an LPN program (comparable to a coordinator position), and have obtained my CEN. I have always been an over-achiever, and have found myself in leadership positions, both in the emergency department and in the academic arena. I am also a member of ENA, my state-level ENA, and my state-level nurse's association. I have taken this unfortunate experience and made it a pivotal point in both my career and in my personal life.
I am searching currently for a staff nurse position in emergency nursing, and am having difficulty procuring a position that I know I am highly qualified for. I even have a letter on behalf of my state's Board of Nursing, verifying that I can practice fully, without restrictions, as a nurse in the emergency department. Obviously, the 1 black mark in my history negates every one of my qualifications as an ED nurse. I am frustrated because the ANA, my state nurse's association, and my state Board of Nursing support nurses in recovery, yet facilities will not hire even the most qualified, strongest nurses due to their history of diversion. Nurses with licenses on probation are actually the safest employees, given that the state monitors their urine drug screens weekly throughout their probation.
In summation, I am shouting out to ED nurse managers on behalf of nurses in similar positions to mine. Nurses in recovery are known to be highly educated, well-experienced nurses, which are needed greatly in today's shortage. Hiring new grads in the emergency department is more of a risk than hiring a nurse whose license is on probation. Make an effort to see the nurse's many strengths, rather than their one weakness.
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