Venting about BON involvement in DUI

Nurses Recovery

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:banghead:I am writing this because I am irritated that in the nursing field if you receive a DUI during your off duty time it can (and usually will) seriously affect your career. I have a colleague who has been nursing for over 40 years, they have never put patients in danger, and have never been intoxicated on shift. Yet this person receives a DUI and the BON immediately treats this person as if they are the scum of the earth. This is only one example of several that I could share. Nursing seems to be the only job, outside of the military, where if you get a DUI in your off time it directly affects your career. With the changes in state DUI laws and the greater enforcement of those laws this is a serious issue. I feel that the members of the BON are out to crucify people for making human mistakes. I understand that we can't have intoxicated nurse's on the floor taking care of patients but if it doesn't involve patient care/safety the BON should keep their #$%#ed nose out of nurses' business. I am afraid to go out and have 1 beer/glass of wine because I'm worried that if I get stopped for some trivial traffic violation I will wind up losing my nursing license. Back to my colleague, the BON put restrictions on their license, required the monthly random UA's and when the lab failed to file their paperwork in time, REVOKED my colleague's license. With the nursing shortage, this practice seems to be one more case of the system shooting itsself in the foot. :banghead: This is my opinion and I wanted to see how others felt on the subject. And please spare me the "Morals" speech because it has nothing to do with morals.

Ok oK.. I see your point.. I will admit yes I have a dui.. but in contrast to your stories I guess I see it from a different point.. yes it can be bad but not always.. In absolute honesty I went to a birthday party, had 3 drinks and was caught at an ID check.. I had not drank anything for 2.5 years plus.. I am not a drinker but I did on that night.. was weary of driving, but felt no buzz.. I thought I was ok.. I served in the military for 11 years I know alcohol abuse (I thought when I see it). Maybe Not.. but should we strangle each other when it is the only form our own media promotes as ok.. everyone is not an alcoholic that needs intervention, some just made a one time mistake.. guess I am on the one time mistake group.. I have not drank before or after for over a year.. each way but it has killed my life... no one was hurt.. just an id check.. I'm not saying it can't indicate a deeper problem.. but a blakent policy isnt right.. yes it's wrong, yes I agree with you.. but not all cases are the same.

Ok oK.. I will admit yes I have a dui.. had 3 drinks and was caught at an ID check.. I had not drank anything for 2.5 years plus..

no drinks for 2.5 years?...but you got caught that night.

was weary of driving, but felt no buzz..

you don't have to be buzzed to be impaired.

but should we strangle each other when it is the only form our own media promotes as ok..

The media isn't always right...

everyone is not an alcoholic that needs intervention

So very true...

guess I am on the one time mistake group..

A very costly one at that don't you think?

each way but it has killed my life... no one was hurt..

Well that's not true is it? You have been...you made a very very bad decision, because you broke the law as written..if ya gonna play...ya gotta pay!

just an id check..

Just a good ol' fashioned Id check, gee it could have been worse how about "just" a traffic ticket or "just" a fender bender or "just"....."just"....."just"....

sorry for my sarcasm just my:twocents:

Mark

just just just.... yeah.. I would have never NEVER have put myself in that situation if I had known where I really was at.. I always thought that drunk driving was the drunk college guy at the bar that could hardly walk.. I DID not know how little in your system could cause that.. I'm not fighting the system, I agree with it but I just feel sorry for me or those that didn't clearly understand the limits and got stung.. If I had felt any ANY alcohol effects on me I would not have driven.. I like I have said before agree that multiple dui's are different from one dui.. ( Did you know that over 65% of guys over 35 have one DUI ) Give someone some room to make a mistake.. are you perfect? at least one mistake.. it can happen and does not show who that person is for life.. yes sometimes it can highlight something.. but not always.. does this determine that someone is not reliable for health care? I do NOT think so.. Can you tell me that you have never EVER made a mistake on any patient... any patient, any diagnosis, anything? Really are you that perfect.. since your first day in health care you have always been correct? If you can't answer yes then do not reply.. I'm not trying to forgive everything, just to understand one moment does not define a person.. it took many moments to get you where you are.. and no single individual one should bring you down.

I DID not know how little in your system could cause that.. I'm not fighting the system, I agree with it but I just feel sorry for me or those that didn't clearly understand the limits and got stung..

Ignorance of the law is not an excuse. You wrote the test just like everyone else. You know that drinking and driving is wrong.

You've been caught once, you won't do it again will you? Then the system works...at least for you.

Specializes in ICU.

In 1996 my 26 year old sister was left a widow when her husband decided to drive home from a "get together". He killed himself and his best friend in the seat next to him. His friend was unrecognizable.

My sister was left a widow with a 4 year old little boy and no money because the $200k life insurance policy was denied. He was committing a felony when he died.

Need I really say any more about my stance on drunk driving.

I have also made mistakes in my life. I've paid for them. I'll never put myself in that situation again because I have control over what goes in my mouth.. unless someone ties me down and forces alcohol down my throat and the puts a gun to my head and tells me to go driving.. lol I doubt that will happen.

Life is way too good to get drunk/high. It's fun being sober.

Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
Can you tell me that you have never EVER made a mistake on any patient... any patient, any diagnosis, anything? Really are you that perfect.. since your first day in health care you have always been correct? If you can't answer yes then do not reply..

No one is perfect. Not one.

We've all made mistakes dealing with patients.

But, the difference here is "making mistakes within the letter of the Law" and "making mistakes secondary to breaking the Law".

DUI=breaking the Law whether one is cognizant of how the Law is applied to drinking and driving or not. As one member pointed out, "ignorance of the Law is not an excuse".

Yes, a blanket policy is correct. You are lucky that you did not hurt someone else. You say you had not had a drink for some time before this DUI, well if I drank 3 alcoholic drinks I would be extremely drunk. Put a little Xanax on board and you are completely beyond impaired.

I believe that yes, the BON might go a bit overboard in the requirements for drug and alcohol abuse like having to pay numerous fines when you cannot work. But, if it saves one life than that cancels all negatives about the policy.

Sorry... driving after drinking is just not OK. Even with one glass of wine your reaction time is materially diminished. The Scandinavians have it right. By all means go out have fun but leave the car at home -- I have yet to find someone admit they are not OK to drive after they have been drinking. Don't take the chance.

I still don't know why it isn't automatic revocation of the driving license here when you drive drunk

Specializes in Er/ICU/Med-Surg/Home health.

When a nurse gets a DUI, this raises huge red flags about the nurses lack of self control regarding addictive and mind altering substances. The nursing board is not there to protect the nurse - their purpose is to protect the public. We all know that addictions usually escalate. She may not be coming to work drunk now, but how long before she does. I think the board should be watching her closely and maybe this will be the wake up call for her to take a serious look at where her life is headed. No way did her license get revoked due to paperwork.!! If it was, she needs to get a lawyer.

Specializes in CTICU.

Why do people constantly refer to things like a DUI as "a mistake"? Breaking the law is not a "mistake" - it's a conscious choice. It only becomes a "mistake" when you get caught.

. Nursing seems to be the only job, outside of the military, where if you get a DUI in your off time it directly affects your career.

As others have already pointed out - this is not true. There are many careers where this directly effects your job. My husband has a commercial license in California and if he gets a DUI - BIG TROUBLE. You lose your license for awhile AND you cannot be insured. The DMV is also an agency that protects the public - like the BON.

I too have lost a friend to a chronic drunk driver - back in the early 80's - when the laws against driving while intoxicated were pretty lax.

It does show a lack of good judgment. Which does make people wonder about your nursing judgment.

steph

Specializes in ICU.

Remember when poor little Paris Hilton got her DUI in Cali? They acted like it was a crime to humanity for her to be sent to jail for a week. Give me a break!! Her family and friends were on tv talking about how it was just a traffic ticket and she didn't do anything wrong, she should just be able to pay a fine and be done with it.

Well,, in an instant she could have killed someone, or worse killed several people. People don't think about this sometimes when they're driving drunk,, or they get a DUI,, they think they just got caught. Better to get caught than to live the rest of your life with the guilt of killing others because you didn't get caught.

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