ERDoc Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 I walk into work the other day and find out that due to the national drug shortage, we are out of dilaudid and probably will be until August. I then began to do the dance of joy.
Kiwiology Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 (edited) Never used it, know very little about it, I think the UK is using hydromorphone ... I don't understand these drugs shortages, we buy drugs from the same drug companies and they do not have any shortages Hmm, dinner time valiums will quell such logical thinking mmm num nums Edited June 30, 2012 by Kiwiology
DwayneEMTP Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 Completely wrong. You're supposed to be a selfless, loving practitioner of the healing arts.... But yeah man, I completely get it... :-)
Kaisu Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 You are going to have soooooo much fun. I almost envy you. Maybe once word gets around, EMS will get a break too....
island emt Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 It is interesting that the drugs we are running short of like dilaudid, Versed, fentanyl, morphine,diazepam,and last but not least Epinephrine. It makes for interest times when you need sedation. We are getting different strengths and doseages in different types of packaging than we normally have supplied. Way too easy to have a medication issue. We now double check and have someone else verify right drug @ right doesage brfore giving.
Arctickat Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 I am disgusted with the pleasure you are taking in being unable to relieve the pain and torment your patient is in. You are supposed to be an advocate for your patient and do your best by him. Dancing a little dance because you no longer have to treat your patient appropriately is unprofessional, selfish, and cruel. Instead, you should be trying to find alternatives to care for the needs of your client.
Eydawn Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 I think this may push us towards non-pharmacologic and alternative pain interventions... we have to think outside the box here. I'm concerned about adequate pain control on my floor, with post-op orthopedic surgery... my floor is known for its pain control, so I'm sure we'll figure something out. I bet we'll see a lot more neuraxial analgesia used (oh Jesus, great, more Q1x8 postop vitals, FML...) but there's risks with that too... Are you dancing for joy because you don't dig Dilaudid? Because you think it'll cut down on seekers? Or some other, weird, Doc-ish reason? I also am not sure if Arctikat is being highly sarcastic, or letting you have it! ?? Anyone care to clue me in? Wendy CO EMT-B RN-ADN Student
Just Plain Ruff Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 i think the dance of joy which i have seen done is when the ER doc has to go tell the patient who NOTHING BUT dilaupid works for me doc. that dance is the dance that the ER doc has to do when he tells the patient that the hospital is out of dilaupid. Ive seen that dance. Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2
ERDoc Posted July 1, 2012 Author Posted July 1, 2012 I think Arctic may be a little dilaudidipenic as are most of the patients that will not be happy with this and have allergies to Morphine, fentanyl (both of which we still have), toradol, motrin, aspirin, and any other non-dilaudid pain medicine. One of my partners had the pleasure of dealing with one of these people the other day and took great pride in saying, "There is nothing we can do for you. Go home and call your doctor." The patient then said that he can have morphine, because he doesn't really have an allergy to it, it just makes him itch a little. The response went something like, "I'm not giving you a medication that you have said you are allergic to, especially when you also say you are allergic to benadryl, you know, the medicine that I would need to use if you did have an allergic reaction." These people are now going to see the issue they have created for themselves by lying to all of their providers.
Arctickat Posted July 1, 2012 Posted July 1, 2012 So, you're also taking pleasure in denying a drug addict that which he is addicted to? That is beyond cruel. These people need the benefit of a little dilaudid to get them through those dry spells when they can't get in touch with their drug dealers, You know, mainstream pharma isn't the only organisation suffering a drug shortage. It's getting harder and harder to find the stuff on the street. That's why someone goes out and concocts a new drug out of whatever is under the kitchen sink. I don't know about you, but I'd far prefer a run of the mill dilaudid overdose over the new brew that is the fad of the day. Give the guy what he wants and you won't have to treat him later for whatever poisons he's taken tonight.
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