Use of Drugs among EMS workers..

[THE_DITCH_DOCTOR]

Also on a side note I have firend who is an EMTB is an alchoholic as well as substance abuser, but until I can find hard evidence to prove the substance abuse theres really nothing for me to report, although said EMTB supposedly used purex to purify the urine during a drug test. Its a tough situation, not exactly sure, but one day eithe she'll end up taking her own life or she'll get caught doing it and lose everything.

-alco

By the way how is your "friend" doing with her ETOH abuse issues?

[Medic2588]

I had a coworker caught using Valium, Morphine, and Versed from the narc bags. He was falsifying administration records and tampering with the vials so it would either look like an accident or just routine administration of the medications. He was actually caught stoned on duty.

He was offered rehab for the drugs, but fired for the falsification of records. I completely agree with the punishment. Its inhuman for me to not support him getting better, even though I couldn't stand the guy in general. But his abusing put me in a bad spot several times... once I had to try to convince the department's pharmacy that I really had no idea why 5 of my 5 vials of Valium were open at the beginning of my shift.

Devin

[TheCountryMedic]

Definately suspened and if found guilty..yeah fire the person..sounds tough, but theres no place for thiefs in our profession. we got enough to deal with, besides someone stealing.

[Savoy6]

Check your state laws- for us, if he enters a guilty plea-his service has to get a waiver for him to be around controlled substances. Unfortunately this may be out of the hands of an employer. Now drug court is for users, not dealers or manufacturers. Depending on the charge, you might have DEA and federal drug laws and at least, your state agency that has oversight of controlled substance.

It sounds good to have rehab and all that, but that is a deal that attorneys usually try to make.

This is a widespread problem. It's not just about addiction, it's about ethics and value systems.

You might be amazed how many use, steal, divert, empty and replace with saline depriving patients of needed medications, use rig stocks for personal use. We have a meth problem too. Number one per capita for labs.

It's not as easy as a four question survey