Re: A little off topic

[Holly Sox, RN, RAC-C]

I think my opinion would depend upon which benzo was prescribed, the reason for it, and the physician's opinion. I know that in South Carolina, one requirement for renewing or keeping one's nursing license is being "mentally and physically fit to perform" the job. The board will investigate claims of someone being mentally unfit or unstable and unable to perform the duties. Additionally, in SC, if a nurse is involuntarily committed to any mental health facility, s/he is required to submit a statement from a physician that s/he is mentally fit to perform as a nurse.   If a nurse is having free-floating anxiety and has something like ativan ordered prn, I would have no compunctions about this person working, as long as s/he was mentally alert and capable of working the assigned shift.  However, if someone were having disabling panic attacks, and taking big doses of Klonopin or Xanax, or if this nurse were popping whatever prescribed benzo left and right without regard for the prescription instructions, then I would have a big problem with that.   It's interesting that you bring this up... I was instrumental in a nurse being relieved of her position quite recently.  In the course of doing an assessment, I found a nurse's note that made no sense whatsoever.  I mean, this was written word salad, with an RN signature.  When I brought it to the ADON's attention, she began to find more and more documentation by this nurse that was either illegible, nonsensical or both.  When the nurse got wind of the situation, she was then caught rewriting entire pages of notes, signing other names and then feeding the originals into the shredder.   Her explanation was that the medications she was taking (including a benzo) made her sleepy.  Her physician refused to write a statement that she was capable of performing with her medications and declined to change any of her meds, so she was allowed to resign. I don't know what is going to happen with the board of nursing investigation.   However, I have a very, very good friend, who is also an MDS Coordinator, who has a fairly significant mental health history. She takes a couple of medications that would be considered high powered psychoactive drugs. And she is as competent and reliable as anyone I have ever worked with.   So, my point is, I think there are no blanket judgments that can be made. You have to look at the individual situation, nurse performance, etc. to make a decision.   Holly Sox  ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, October 31, 2003 7:18 PM Subject: A little off topic   What do others think about a nurse administering medication and rendering treatments while under the influence of his/her prescribed benzodiazapine medication. This discussion came up today and there were different thoughts on this. I wondered what others thought about this issue. My opinion was that you should not perform in this type of position while taking this type of medication as if can affect mental alertness. Others stated that due to the stressful world we live in and the stressful nature of nursing and that since the medication is prescribed they saw no problem with this. Is this a moral issue a legal issue - neither or both? Perhaps my opinion is too harsh but I wanted to hear what other's thoughts were on this issue. Jeanne