North Kansas City Hospital and Meritas Health float nurse Erin Pavlicek, BSN, RN, reviews discharge orders with each of her patients before they leave the hospital. She emphasizes the risks of driving under the influence of prescription medications.
“I've always been mindful of being a safe driver,” Pavlicek said. “Patients are going to have to drive. It's something many people do every day. I make it a practice to tell my patients not to take their medications and get behind the wheel.”
Pavlicek ensures her patients understand narcotics, opiates and benzodiazepines can impair their ability to drive. The Kansas City Police Department celebrated those efforts with a special presentation on Feb 10.
A Well-Deserved Honor
Erin Pavlicek, BSN, RN, receives
accolades for her work educating
patients on medication side effects.
The KCPD DUI Section partners with the Missouri Department of Transportation and Mothers Against Drunk Driving to recognize community members like Pavlicek for aiding DUI prevention efforts.
“We are proud to present a MoDOT challenge coin to Erin,” said Matthew François, KCPD DUI Section officer. “We are thankful for her help in keeping impaired drivers off Missouri roadways. Erin is making a difference.”
Flanked by team members in the hospital’s oncology unit, Pavlicek accepted the coin and a letter of appreciation from the KCPD Traffic Division. Her smile was visible through her protective mask.
“I was shocked,” Pavlicek said. “A part of me thought, ‘I do this every day.’ I am incredibly grateful and very humbled.”
Education Is Key
Pavlicek knows drivers often underestimate their levels of impairment. “From working in emergency trauma, I know many people on the road are altered by a substance,” Pavlicek said. “Patients do not understand the risks of prescription medications. They have it in their minds that because it's prescribed, it must be OK. I try my best to make sure my patients know if they’re taking something, they cannot be behind the wheel.”
Making a Difference
DUI arrest rates in Kansas City, MO, spiked over the last three years. Arrests totaled 1,046 in 2020, up 95% from the previous year. That number rose to 1,271 in 2021.
NKCH and MH leadership acknowledge the importance of Pavlicek’s efforts as those numbers continue to climb.
“Erin is very deserving of this honor,” said Sarah Oakley, NKCH and MH vice president and chief nursing officer. “By educating her patient on the potential dangers of driving under the influence of medications, she took responsibility to care both for her patient and our community.”
