My coworker was high and got away with it

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Happy 4/20 I guess?

This particular RN (I'll name him Jon) has been working for our unit for two years. We work in a MedSurg unit at a county hospital. Apparently, we DONT do drug tests at all.

Our morning was going fine, we both took report in the same area and had our breaks at the same time. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary (aside from saying "I'm sleepy/tired," but we all say it). Jon did one discharge and completed one admit. He helped me start an IV for one of my patients and cosigned my insulin.

It wasn't until lunch I noticed Jon's phone Snapchat(?) of him consuming edibles. I also saw Jon's text messages saying "he was still high this morning."

I immediately went to the charge nurse and reported my discovery. Our charge nurse was in disbelief and found it difficult to believe. We confronted Jon and he denied everything.

Our charge nurse discreetly followed up on his patients, and they reported nothing but excellent nursing care. We checked his charting and everything was within policy. We also checked all his pyxis pulls and there were no discrepancies. Lastly, we privately spoke to an MD that Jon was speaking to in the morning who also reported that his behavior was completely normal.

I apologized to Jon as there were no evidence of him being high towards the end of the shift. As we were leaving the hospital, one of Jon's friends (from another unit), came up to him and ask him about his 4/20. I saw Jon winked and nodded. I got upset and just left.

The next day, I reported it to the charge. She said to leave it alone since there wasn't any proof and no patients were harmed. I am not sure what else to do at this point.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Happy 4/20 I guess?

This particular RN (I'll name him Jon) has been working for our unit for two years. We work in a MedSurg unit at a county hospital. Apparently, we DONT do drug tests at all.

Our morning was going fine, we both took report in the same area and had our breaks at the same time. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary (aside from saying "I'm sleepy/tired," but we all say it). Jon did one discharge and completed one admit. He helped me start an IV for one of my patients and cosigned my insulin.

It wasn't until lunch I noticed Jon's phone Snapchat(?) of him consuming edibles.

I also saw Jon's text messages saying "he was still high this morning."

I immediately went to the charge nurse and reported my discovery. Our charge nurse was in disbelief and found it difficult to believe. We confronted Jon and he denied everything.

Our charge nurse discreetly followed up on his patients, and they reported nothing but excellent nursing care. We checked his charting and everything was within policy. We also checked all his pyxis pulls and there were no discrepancies. Lastly, we privately spoke to an MD that Jon was speaking to in the morning who also reported that his behavior was completely normal.

I apologized to Jon as there were no evidence of him being high towards the end of the shift. As we were leaving the hospital, one of Jon's friends (from another unit), came up to him and ask him about his 4/20. I saw Jon winked and nodded. I got upset and just left.

The next day, I reported it to the charge. She said to leave it alone since there wasn't any proof and no patients were harmed. I am not sure what else to do at this point.

Maybe the edibles were food.

Maybe he was high on life.

Does your hospital routinely involve the informant (you) participating in a Sherlock Holmes style investigation, interviewing multiple people, scrutinizing their med documentation, unbeknownst to the nurse who's phone you snooped into and finishing up in 1 day yet does not do a drug screen AT ALL?

All of these things are, to me, highly peculiar.

Last, your title suggests some kind of underlying hostility. Despite the total absence of evidence for a claim of impairment you state the coworker "was high and got away with it".

I really hope this isn't what it appears to be. Things will not be good for you if you persist.

Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
I wonder if this was a joke on his part (the Snapchat/text stuff). I have some inside jokes with my close friends that, if taken out of context, render me someone who should not be allowed in public at all..

^ This. My private texts would be INCREDIBLY worrisome to some, taken out of context, especially since a lot of my friends and I are writers and, "I want to make Krystof suffer but not kill him" does sound pretty worrisome until you realize that Krystof is a fictional character and this is a crucial plot point my friend was trying to use me as a medical advisor on. :)

If you're snooping, it's really on you. You have legitimate reason to be concerned if his practice was impaired, but you have zero evidence of that and, in fact, his care was apparently excellent...

Specializes in Emergency.

Mind your own business

Specializes in IMCU.

What a pity the charge nurse didn't handle this differently too. Launching an investigation of that nature on such a flimsy reed of "evidence" is very damaging for anyone. It has allowed not only the accused nurse's reputation to be tarnished but yours and his/hers (the charge nurse's).

Poorly done all around.

DV

I'm not sure why you felt the need to tell the charge nurse the next day, but honestly I would have just let it go. You brought it to the charge nurse's attention, so I'm sure they'll pay more attention to what he does for his next few shifts.

I know what you're going through. My co workers talk about still being drunk when they come to work, smell like weed, and sleep on the job... and my work does nothing about it. Very frustrating

So, your coworker helped you out multiple times during the shift and received nothing but compliments from his patients?

No good deed goes unpunished, eh? í ½í¸†

Sorry I should clarify a few things

1. Jon is known to be the party go-er in our unit. All my unit does, is talk about partying and going for 4/20.

2. I have snapchat on my phone I saw him physically eating edibles on story.

3. I showed the charge nurse, but she doesn't fully understand edibles. I would assume he deleted it after I confronted him.

Sorry I should clarify a few things

1. Jon is known to be the party go-er in our unit. All my unit does, is talk about partying and going for 4/20.

2. I have snapchat on my phone I saw him physically eating edibles on story.

3. I showed the charge nurse, but she doesn't fully understand edibles. I would assume he deleted it after I confronted him.

By going against what you say is the unit culture, you are only putting yourself in the target range of others. Again, best to mind your own business and leave others to their own concerns. If it does not involve imminent patient safety for the other nurse's patients, it does not need your involvement.

What should be best handled? I don't think I can live with my conscious knowing about my coworker's habits if (God forbid) something happens to our patients.

I think you did the right thing. If that is the norm for your unit, I wouldn't want to be a part of it

Then, by all means, continue to ride herd on the personal behavior of your coworkers. No detriment to your own patients, we're sure. Less attention to your patients, more attention to other employees. Maybe management can create a new job title for this activity.

+ Add a Comment