Providers Who Use Prescription Drugs

[bunnyslippers]

This has nothing to do with fear of addiction.

It has everything to do with *impaired function*

My daughter had brain surgery last January (for the second time ). When she woke up she had a bird at my husband saying she hated him because he killed her unicorn.....in the days that followed on her pain meds she swore she saw dinosaurs out her windows and thought all her food was made out of "towels" because that's what it tasted like.

Legitimate condition, legitimate prescription meds, she wasn't on them but a week and surely wasn't addicted, still equated to impaired function.


Many people who are incredibly impaired on prescription drugs cannot see their impairment and can put on a 20 minute show in a doctor's office to pass as lucid.....I'm wondering in regards to them - how are doctors supposed to always know there is a problem?

I hope you know I'm not targeting your situation specifically when I speak but am considering the issue as a whole and am wondering, without disclosure to parents, how you weed out those individuals who do pose a risk to the children in their care?

How can you be sure that the people who care for children aren't drinking vodka in their orange juice? Or watching **** all day while the kids play? Or taking naps? I think there is ALWAYS a risk. That is why there is protocol in place from licensing.

I am not taking it personally (well, maybe a little ). I just think personal issues need to remain personal, if that is how the provider chooses to conduct her own personal business.

[Blackcat31]

I'm with you.....until I think of Marilyn, Elvis, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson...heck even my much beloved Derek Boogaard

All under the care of a doctor that wrote them prescriptions for legitimate conditions and monitored their health statuses.

All were by many accounts messed the heck up, so who was right? The people that saw them first hand in everyday life or the doctor that saw their patient for 20 minutes time?

All of them are dead. Most are notorious for their behaviors related to their prescription drugs.

I can unfortunately name several others in my own life who have met similar ends or who are on the same path. All would tell me "But my doctor....!!!!"

Fine. Do what you will with your own life......but when it comes to those individuals having responsibility over little ones? I believe there needs to be more than just "but my doctor says...."


If I told my friends and family that I disclosed my anxiety disorders they'd think it ridiculous....unless it was impacting my life in a way I perhaps I wasn't more aware of.

Yeah but the difference there is most of those doctor's lost their license to practice because somewhere along the way their need for fame and/or fortune superceded their oath to do what is medically, ethically and morally right.

[Willow]

How can you be sure that the people who care for children aren't drinking vodka in their orange juice? Or watching **** all day while the kids play? Or taking naps? I think there is ALWAYS a risk. That is why there is protocol in place from licensing.

I am not taking it personally (well, maybe a little ). I just think personal issues need to remain personal, if that is how the provider chooses to conduct her own personal business.

You're not comparing apple's to apple's there.

If your doctor prescribed you vodka and orange juice or **** do you think parents should be notified, is what we're discussing here.

[Blackcat31]

What I'm reading here is as long as a doctor signs off saying you are fine to work, drive, take care of children that is all it takes and no one else needs to know.

Yet, when a doctor signs off a child and says that they are fine to attend childcare, its throughly questioned to the point saying they just to that so the child can be put back into care, and it is up to the provider to determine if the child can come back.

Why shouldn't a parent/employer/passenger have that same right-to determine if they feel right/safe placing that child with the provider, hiring that employee, or riding in that car? Why shouldn't a person be able to make that choice for themselves. Why shouldn't they know there is an underlying medical condition/the person takes medication and have the choice for themselves in what ever the situation it is.

Funny, when its a childcare situation-everyone gets up in arms about a note from the doctor but when its about themselves/relatives its fine.


*****Willow, we were posting at the same time! Our minds must have been linked.

Because licensing does NOT legally require the provider to disclose this information to clients

but as the law writer of MY business, the law (my policies) state the provider (me) has a right to exclude a child if I feel they shouldn't be in care.

That is comparing apples to oranges.

If licensing laws said I HAD to take a child into care because a doctor's said so, then I would have to do it but licensing laws say I get to decide what is best for me.

Licensing laws do NOT state that providers MUST disclose prescription drug use to parents.

I am arguing what the laws (licensing regulations) state we must do.

NOT what we should morally and/or ethically do.

[Willow]

Yeah but the difference there is most of those doctor's lost their license to practice because somewhere along the way their need for fame and/or fortune superceded their oath to do what is medically, ethically and morally right.

Not all, and only AFTER the fact. Even then most fought to keep their licenses arguing they personally did nothing wrong.

So parents should be kept in the dark *unless or until* someone dies??



I am arguing ethics here because we all know the legalities of this business are often so far off the right track they're often on another continent entirely....

[Blackcat31]

Not all, and only AFTER the fact. Even then most fought to keep their licenses arguing they personally did nothing wrong.

But parents are supposed to put all their eggs into that one basket?

...or choose to stay home and care for their own child. For some the risks and liabilities of putting your child in daycare are far to great to take on....

hence the reason most of us are here

fwiw~ like I said above in another post, I probably have personal feelings about this but I am looking at it from a legal standpoint and if the law doesn't say you HAVE to disclose, I wouldn't.

If the law said we HAVE to then I would.

Neither of those changes my PERSONAL opinion as a mother or as a provider.

[Willow]

I can agree with you there BC

[canadiancare]

There are several places where as a mum I would want to know but as a caregiver I would hesitate to disclose in an interview situation.

If I was I'll and would possibly miss a lot of time I'd like to think I would be open with potential parents but in reality I would probably play the "not obligated to share" card.

Hypocritical, I know.

[JenNJ]

As a provider, I would disclose.

As a parent, I would not leave my child/ren with any adult on pain management meds. We have family memebrs who are on them and don't leave our kids with them alone. We require another responsible, unmedicated adult there with them.

At least 2 family members are under "close" supervision of a doctor while on these meds and they both abuse them. So, for me, because of my personal experience with pain meds, I would not be comfortable with that at all.

Honestly, I wouldn't want my kids in a daycare that had them stored there anyway. The kids can easily get a hold of a patch in the trashcan or find a stray pill. It's not like an Advil or Tylenol. These meds can easily kill a kid in a few hours.

[lolaland]

I have 3 different opinions on this matter:

1 – I think daycare providers are too entitled to privacy and therefor you should only share with parents what is demanded by law and what you feel comfortable sharing.

2 – I would never leave my child with a solo provider that was under chronic pain medication.

3 – If I myself needed daily pain medication to perform in life, I would NEVER open a daycare!

[Country Kids]

Question:

Providers don't have to disclose to parents if they are on meds. Providers feel they have that right per licensing not to tell parents.

Providers then say though: they wouldn't leave their child with a provider that is on prescription pain meds. How are you going to know if they don't disclose this to you?

See how it turns into a situation that can go sour very quickly. If a provider doesn't disclose this to the parents, then say something would happen, do the parents even have a case because legally the provider doesn't have to say anything.

How is a parent to make that choice if they aren't even given the chance to know their provider takes medication for something?

[lolaland]

Question:

Providers don't have to disclose to parents if they are on meds. Providers feel they have that right per licensing not to tell parents.

Providers then say though: they wouldn't leave their child with a provider that is on prescription pain meds. How are you going to know if they don't disclose this to you?

See how it turns into a situation that can go sour very quickly. If a provider doesn't disclose this to the parents, then say something would happen, do the parents even have a case because legally the provider doesn't have to say anything.

How is a parent to make that choice if they aren't even given the chance to know their provider takes medication for something?

I think that this is one of the many examples of how the parent's rights/needs/wants and the provider's rights/needs/wants are a conflict!!

[Blackcat31]

How is a parent to make that choice if they aren't even given the chance to know their provider takes medication for something?

Parents have to simply trust that the provider is following the laws (of his/her state).

That is a risk they are choosing to take by placing their child in care.


For example:

How do your DC parents KNOW you aren't drinking mimosa's during the day while caring for their child?

They don't. But they trust that you aren't because the laws (licensing) says you can't.

[Country Kids]

I think that this is one of the many examples of how the parent's rights/needs/wants and the provider's rights/needs/wants are a conflict!!

Worded perfectly-

I think a provider should always put the parent foot on also and think if this was me as a parent what would I want to happen and what would I feel comfortable with.

If we don't want our children with a provider that is on medication how can we say that we should not let parents know.

Yes, licensing says we don't have to but what happened to ethics/morals which are sometimes just as important as the licensing/law.

[lolaland]

I think a provider should always put the parent foot on also and think if this was me as a parent what would I want to happen and what would I feel comfortable with.

I agree... and that's one of the reasons why I gave my #3 opinion - "If I myself needed daily pain medication to perform in life, I would NEVER open a daycare!".