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

[Tara Dockery]

Jeremy, my experience in the past was we had a patient smoking marijuana in the hospital bed, brought in by the visitor. We told them that this was not allowed in the hospital facility because we follow the federal laws over state laws. We also let them know that the visitors were going to be restricted since they brought in the facility and that we did not allow any fire producing materials in the hospital (they lit the joint with a lighter) so that was an extra violation, and that all guests would need to check in with the  nurses desk in order to make sure this didn't happen.

there was a big fit about the "medical Marijuana card" but that is not for our state, and we told him the chances of his healing were better if he would not smoke and smoking cessation education was given. I believe as a result of this his visitor did not end up returning to visit  and the patient complied until their discharge.

I hope you have better luck with the situation at hand for your facility.

Tara Dockery
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From: MCOH-EH <mcoh-eh-bounces at mylist.net> on behalf of Jeremy Biggs via MCOH-EH <mcoh-eh at mylist.net>
Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2023 12:30 PM
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Cc: Jeremy Biggs <jerbiggs at yahoo.com>
Subject: [MCOH-EH] Illicit Drug use by patients/families


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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 Professor
Division Chief, Occupational and Environmental Health
University of Utah, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine
Rocky Mountain Center for Occupational and Environmental Health
Medical Director of the University Hospital and University Campus Employee Clinics
Medical Director of Occupational Medicine and Health, EHS
University Health, PPE Medical Director
801-581-4800
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