prescription usage by pharmacists and students

[BZDQNA]

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I have a question for the members of this site. An answer could be greatly comforting to me. I am a third year pharmacy student, with a dilemma. I am prescribed Klonopin to take PRN from a psychiatrist. I do not want to report this to my school, or future employer. Can the pharmacy school take action against me for using a legally prescribed benzodiazepine? Can an employer fire a pharmacist for using a legally prescribed C4 substance, for appropriate medicinal purposes (anxiety)?

Please advise. Thanks all.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

No, of course not.

It is prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose. I have ADD and take Adderall every day.

 

[rph3664]

If you are using a drug legitimately, the answer is no, and if they did, they would be sitting on a big fat lawsuit.

 

[Sparda29]

I have a question for the members of this site. An answer could be greatly comforting to me. I am a third year pharmacy student, with a dilemma. I am prescribed Klonopin to take PRN from a psychiatrist. I do not want to report this to my school, or future employer. Can the pharmacy school take action against me for using a legally prescribed benzodiazepine? Can an employer fire a pharmacist for using a legally prescribed C4 substance, for appropriate medicinal purposes (anxiety)?

Please advise. Thanks all.

You don't have to report it, pharmacy school or employer can't take any actions against you if it was a legitimate prescription.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

As long as you are using it legally (and aren't taking it so that you're impaired at school or work), there's no reason to report it to anyone. Your health information is private, just like anyone else's.

People take benzos for flight anxiety and to help get through dental treatments. People take Vicodin after surgeries. These are all legit reasons for taking controlled substances, and I'm sure many of your classmates and fellow pharmacists have done these.

Perhaps you feel differently because of the stigma of having a mental health issue? You'd probably be surprised how many of your classmates and fellow pharmacy students battle anxiety, depression, etc. School's stressful, and pharmacists can have demanding jobs, too. It's better that you're doing something about it and getting treated.

By the way, for anxiety, are you taking anything else besides a benzodiazepene? Are you going through counseling to help with the anxiety? You're a third-year, so you probably know that benzos are usually short-term, but an anti-anxiety med and counseling are better for long-term treatment. Still, even with another med and counseling, there's no reason to feel bad for using an occasional benzo to help with an anxiety attack.

 

[ronkoshy]

...

 

[All4MyDaughter]

You cannot go to work "high as a kite" whether you have a legal RX or not. I'm pretty sure most workplaces do not permit this. If you need pain (or other) medication to the point it impairs your ability to work, you need to be on short term disability.

 

[FarscapeGirl]

easy answer: don't report it

if its prescribed to you, you cannot get in trouble for it. you can be prescribed medical marijuana and go to work high as a kite and they can't do anything to you..

but still, don't report it. no one needs to know other than yourself and your doctor

Umm... working high as a kite regardless if the drug is prescribed to you or not is not a good idea. If you're high from a legal or illegal drug, you're impaired and should not be practicing pharmacy. And you will probably face action from the Board of Pharmacy.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Umm... working high as a kite regardless if the drug is prescribed to you or not is not a good idea. If you're high from a legal or illegal drug, you're impaired and should not be practicing pharmacy. And you will probably face action from the Board of Pharmacy.

Yep. Someone working "high as a kite" who injures or kills a patient will indeed face legal ramifications... probably civil and criminal. Plus it's just wrong.

 

[eeyore spice]

Have you taken pharmacy law yet?

Because the answer's an obvious no, you don't have to tell them jack squat about your health, aside from any accommodations you might need for a disability.

 

[hogpharmer]

What about a pre-employment drug screening? You would have to disclose what meds you are on in case there are any positives.

 

[charfdorn]

Have you taken pharmacy law yet?

Because the answer's an obvious no, you don't have to tell them jack squat about your health, aside from any accommodations you might need for a disability.

I'm a little surprised you can get to the third year and not know this, unless the OP is in a 0+6...

What about a pre-employment drug screening? You would have to disclose what meds you are on in case there are any positives.

Employers test for benzos?

 

[FarscapeGirl]

Pre-employment screenings may be an issue, but usually they're done at another site, and I don't know if they disclose to the employer something you can verify you're on.

Side note, just FYI: airline pilots are restricted from using certain drugs at all (like gabapentin, even if used for neuropathy). Others, like Percocet, they have to make sure they're cleared from their system before they fly. Still, I've never heard of such a thing for medical professionals!

 

[owlegrad]

easy answer: don't report it

if its prescribed to you, you cannot get in trouble for it. you can be prescribed medical marijuana and go to work high as a kite and they can't do anything to you..

but still, don't report it. no one needs to know other than yourself and your doctor

Where do people get ideas like this? Crazy.

 

[pharm B]

I'd agree with everyone above. You could even be on certain drugs while you're in the military, you just have to indicate what they are during a urinalysis so that any positives are explained.

 

[Sparda29]

What about a pre-employment drug screening? You would have to disclose what meds you are on in case there are any positives.

Nope. I was taking Morphine like a day before my pre-employment drug screening. I didn't mention it, and they never asked me about it.

 

[Hansel]

It is no brainer you should not practice pharmacy under the influence, just like you should not drive under the influence. It is against the pharmacy law. If you work under the influence you are taking risk of medication error and you could lose job and license. However I hear people work as tech, intern, rph,RN, MD, DMD etc while drunk and while on controlled substances, at their own risks.