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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

drug seeker 101

Sometimes I am amazed at how stupid drug seekers are. In an effort to educate them, I offer Drug Seeker 101: an ER nurses guide to what not to do when seeking drugs..

1) You came in the door just fine and then by the time you get to the desk you are limping like the hunchback of Notre Dame: RED FLAG.

2) You say you are allergic to: tramadol, NSAIDs, tylenol: RED FLAG

3) You say your pain is 10/10 and your BP is 100/60,  HR 62: RED FLAG

4) You are too polite: yes sir, yes ma'am: RED FLAG

5) You say you just got here from out of town, you can't get an appointment for a couple of weeks, your meds got stolen/lost: RED FLAG

6) You kneel, lay on the floor, lay on the bench out in the waiting room: RED FLAG

7) You say you were seen at another hospital and "they didn't do anything": RED FLAG

8) You have been here a couple of times recently, received narcotics and never followed up: RED FLAG

9) Your relative says you need a stretcher and have to be lifted out of the car, but somehow you made it into the car at home: RED FLAG

10) We know your name without having to ask: RED FLAG


There will be a quiz later...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

This comment is late, but I think doctor's are somewhat responsible for this too. I can think of two personal instances. One I had scalding burns from an exploding radiator. They were pretty bad but not extensive. I just wanted the cream. In addition, they give me scripts for Vicodin and Percocet. I hand them back to the nurse and explain that my bourbon will suffice and they make sure I take the scripts "just in case". Ok fine.

Then years later I develop a kidney stone. Granted this was one of the most painful events ever and triage kind of blew me off and I asked if I could just get some Toradol as I did not want any narcotics if I didn't have to. The rebound headaches bothered me too much. Once they heard that, they took me serious and went and got approval for a shot of Toradol and they tried to give me Norco. I refused the Norco and got through it fine. Of course a script for narcotics was given and went unfilled.

Yet, if I get a bad toothache, I turn into a 4 y/o little girl. That is the only time I will take a Vicodin, but try to get them and you are screwed. Why didn't I go to the dentist sooner? I tried, but their oral surgeon won't work on patients on warfarin and the ones that do have such a CYA process to be treated it becomes so frustrating you give up until it becomes an emergency.

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