RE: on-call and alcohol/etiquette at social function

[DuckFan23]

Okay. Here's a different scenario for ya.

So I was in a situation today where my company had a going away party for one of the NPs that is leaving and moving on to another job. This is very corporate-and we are all eith NPs or PAs that cover/managed nursing home resident's care-we are essentially telecommuters, on-call from 8-5 in between rounding at the care homes. This party was located at a local brewery well known for it's brews-I arrived and while my clinical manager does not have an active load of patients (though she is there for us to consult on with guiding patient care), she was drinking a light beer, as were a few of my NP colleagues (on-call till 5pm). I got to thinking-is this acceptable? Is one beer acceptable? I am a brand new employee, so I am not sure what the etiquette here is, since this was a social gathering, during work time (?). What would you have done? THis started at 3pm-6pm. Thoughts? It just got me thinking.......interested if anyone else has run into these things and wondered about etiquette.

[jaznia15]

I didn't face a situation such as this with an APN but I remember when I was a CNA at a LTC facility and the administration had went out for their own christmas party. They weren't really due to come back to work and I was working nigh shift at the time. At about 8pm one of the head LPNs who worked in adminstration stopped by with his girlfriend (another LPN at the facility and quite sure she was the driver). He was clearly intoxicated and really did not need to stop by. It was very unprofessional but at this particular facility, administration could get away with murder. He was never reprimanded for his behavior. I'd hate to think that an APN would function in such a way. If the party is from 3 to 6 and people were off call at 5 then like a previous poster said enjoy yourself and pop a brew at 5:01. I'd hate to have to think that a person I was trusting with any family members whether in an acute facility or long term was drinking while on the job whether one beer or not.

[CherylRNBSN]

JUST. NOT. WORTH. IT.