Drunk and high students at clinical

[PerkyNurse55]

Hey so I'm having a bit of a moral dilemma. So basically, today was our last day of clinical for the semester and everyone but my friend and I were either drunk or high when they came into clinical today. The clinical instructor we have is kind of oblivious to everything and didn't notice. The issue I'm having is that this is at least the 2nd time they have done this and I've heard that people in other groups have also been having this issue. I'm upset because the clinical instructor did nothing about it and their behavior is both irresponsible and dangerous.

I want to email one of the chairs of our school to just give them a heads up, without any names, that this is going on, but I'm afraid of what might happen. I'm not doing so hot with my grades and I'm worried they might be affected by this. I'm just upset because these girls are going to get passed along with better grades then me, when they are coming to clinical intoxicated.

I don't know what to do. Help.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

If you had better grades, would you not care?

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Honestly, I was just so freaked to see people show up like that to clinical that I didn't know what to do. I'm new at this whole nursing thing so I just had no clue as to what to do. I hope the nurses on the unit noticed. This isn't sour grapes, but you have to admit, passing the kids who are drunk at clinical and failing the ones who aren't is a little messed up. I hope something is done. Those girls were a mess all day and we were on a Labor and Delivery and postpartum unit. They were holding other people's babies! I guess I know to go right to my instructor next time

It's getting better and better! Something smells off, sorry. Even my 9 year old would be able to tell you that 80% of a group is impaired. You really want us to believe that an entire L&D unit of staff, parents and visitors PLUS your CI had no clue what was up?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

If you had better grades, would you not care?

THIS!!

[kalycat, BSN, RN]

It is very obvious when a smoker or drinker walks into a booze free smoke free environment. .

This is the thing that really hit home for me.

I just finished school, and I don't have a particularly sensitive nose, but some of the patients I encountered who had guests that were smokers/and or drinkers could stink up the delivery room so badly I would have to step out to catch my breath. (Asthma) I personally have no issue with other more "graphic" odors, and in fact would hope for a few of those in the given situation. Drunks reek. And the leftovers from yesterday's binge session reek worse.

My CIs made it clear first semester that some rotations would be early morning and you had better not drink the night before....no matter what. If you had any trace of alcohol or smoke on you, even if you were "sober", you were sent home. This happened to at least one individual, and our instructors weren't exactly walking around sniffing us.

Secondly, if stuff wasn't covered explicitly in our hand book, we were told that it would be handled per the code of practice for our State. At least in my State, if you suspect a nurse of being impaired, you must intervene, one way or another. Chain of command is always best.

OP, I'm sorry that things suck right now. Nursing school isn't easy. It isn't meant to be. At my pinning one of instructors talked to us about how they intentionally apply pressure, and then ask you to THINK, all the while increasing that pressure and the complexity of the skills and thinking required. From the Socratic Method to the NCLEX, it's not easy. As many have stated, it sounds like the time to intervene has passed. The best thing you can do at this point is try to identify where you're stumbling with your own performance, and be honest with yourself. Sometimes meditation helps me work out my struggles and look at myself objectively. Wishing you the best possible outcome to the situation overall.

[QuietRiot]

If you didn't tell when there was an imminent threat to patient safety, what is the point of telling now?

Your sudden onset of ethics is hilarious.