[MCOH-EH] Illicit Drug use by patients/families

[Jeremy Biggs]

Hello all,
I was looped in this week to a meeting with our nursing leadership, security and others on how to handle when a patient or visitor is caught smoking methamphetamine in their room.  Not the legal side, that is not for me.  But the possible harm to employee side. 
I have my thoughts on acute exposure, like when they are actively smoking and immediately following it. 
However, they are concerned with the possible long term exposure of surface contamination, linen processing etc.
I have to remind them a bit that we are not talking about an exposure to a "meth house" like we deal with in our first responders, but still I do not want to negate their concerns completely.  I have spoken to a toxicologist at the Utah Poison Control center and he agrees the contamination in the room would be minimal. He referenced: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1016/j.jchas.2008.02.004
As I am working with the group, I thought I would see if anyone else has already done the mental lifting on what to consider and things. If you have any additional references to use in formulating a policy etc.
Thanks
Jeremy Biggs MD MSPH FACOEM

Associate ProfessorDivision Chief, Occupational and Environmental HealthUniversity of Utah, Department of Family and Preventive MedicineRocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental HealthMedical Director of the University Hospital and University CampusEmployee ClinicsMedical Director of Occupational Medicine and Health, EHSUniversity Health, PPE Medical Director801-581-4800

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