Wanted to pose this question here for more experienced nurses to answer.
We as orientees were invited out to a pharmaceutical dinner by our manager/master preceptor. We were doing night shift, but they decided to have us show up for dinner at 7 and the plan was to go into work after dinner. A nice deviation from orientation and just sort of a perk they offered us.
Well, it was a very fancy steak dinner place and when we walked in, everyone was offered a glass of red or white wine before dinner by the wait staff. I accepted a glass of red wine, carried it to my table, sipped from it slowly before dinner, didn't even FINISH it, drank water with my meal and had a cup of coffee afterwards. I probably consumed less than 2 oz of wine and had it with an enormous 2 lb steak and potato.
After dinner I was actually wired and alert from the coffee and doing fine. I am totally used to having a glass of wine with dinner, especially with such an upscale meal.
But my manager just totally got on me during a routine meeting going over my weekly evals. I mean -- she was ALL over me, saying HER license was at risk, that I could have been "impaired" from drinking during dinner, etc. and that I should not have accepted it.
I see her point, but I just again, feel like my character has been denigrated. I am a 44 year old mother of 3, the most safe and responsible person on earth -- I wouldn't DREAM of getting buzzed before work, know my limits, etc. It was a glass of wine, not a whisky double for God's sake!!
I told her it would have been better if they had perhaps given us a gentle reminder that it would not be wise to drink since we were expected at work that night -- that THEY invited us to this before a worknight and that wine was available at this event and if they didn't want us to drink, they should have given us a gentle reminder.
I don't know -- again, I just work my behind off at work, do a good job, yet I'm chastised for such a small offense over which nothing happened and no one got hurt. In looking back she was saying something about it at dinner, but was very indirect about it and I just paid no attention to it.
Any thoughts? Was I totally inappropriate to accept a drink before going on shift 2-3 hours later. I guess I was, but was there a better way to handle this on their part?
I haven't been "drunk" in probably over 10 years. I don't get drunk. I hate to even be drunk. I do like my wine with dinner when I go out because it compliments the meal. I suppose I was wrong, but I'm having a hard time dealing with this for some reason.
To me, especially after living in Europe for over 6 years, to drink wine with a meal is like having table water. You just drink it. I guess my values and my ideas are different -- maybe I was being irresponsible and showing poor judgement -- but it's a tough pill to swallow and hard to be scolded over it.
I see nurses come to work severely hung over from the day before, or emotionally distraught from personal problems. I see night nurses who thought it okay to stay up most the day doing errands instead of sleeping. I see nurses coming to work sick.
Amen to this. I had a preceptor one day not too long ago, a traveler, who was so hung over from the night before she had to take a nap at lunch. She was also missing things all day. I think she actually took a shower later that day at work to "wake up."
Me, though -- I usually go to bed about 9 p.m. or so to get my full 8 hrs before a shift.
Would not ever consider going out the night before work -- wouldn't be able to with kids at home, etc. I'd be afraid I wouldn't get up in time.
But, for 2 oz of red wine, I was reprimanded. I still feel it's a matter of individual judgement. If I were some crazy thing who had ordered the drinks at the bar that night, had acted like the whole thing was some party -- instead of ME who was more interested in the presentation on anticoagulants that night, I would have judged me differently. I just think sometimes we need to look at things with common sense.
But, I also understand the bit about us being responsible for ourselves.
The above points have all been well made, but another reason not to have any alcohol (or any other mind affecting substance) before work - your own protection. I went to work one evening, went downstairs on the elevator. Before I came back up housekeeping mopped the floor in front of the elevator (without putting up a sign). I came striding out of the elevator, hit the wet floor and came down on my arms and both knees. When filling out the incident report (to cover me if any injury showed up later), I had to go give a urine specimen (to prove that it wasn't my fault I fell). Even the smallest amount would no doubt have voided any chance I'd have to collect workman's comp to cover any injury.
If you've been out of the workplace for some years (and even more so in healthcare) it takes a while to get in the mindset that they can control so much of your life (right or wrong it's their game, they make the rules). Don't beat yourself up over it, just chalk it up to adjustment.
Amen to this. I had a preceptor one day not too long ago, a traveler, who was so hung over from the night before she had to take a nap at lunch. She was also missing things all day. I think she actually took a shower later that day at work to "wake up."
Now this is someone who I would have repremanded and then sent home as a manager, I wonder what her alcohol levels were on arriving at work.
I think it's in poor form to invite working nurses to lunch to promote sales of drugs which the nurses don't prescribe anyway, and serve them alcohol while promoting the drugs. It's also poor taste of the manager to arrange this, note the OP's consumption, drink some herself (at least that's what I think I read) and then not bring it up again until her evaluation, which has bearing on her raise amount.
Sounds to me like the nurse manager has an axe to grind about something else, and it may be something stupid like she can't stand your shoes, you never know... and so she's found a reason to call to mind that particular incident. She can't say something within a day or so of when it happened, but has to wait and put it on her eval. Wow. The other posters were right, you better watch out for this one. And don't work dayshift with her.
On the other hand, I don't frown on socializing with coworkers. I won't drink prior to a shift, and I don't like it if the coworkers are sloppy drunk and telling everyone in earshot who we are and where we work. That's kind of embarrassing.
If I consumed alcohol, no way would I do so with co-workers in front of my manager, and under no circumstances just prior to reporting for work. Nobody needs to tell me that. But you made the mistake, just don't do it again. They were wrong but you see who was noticed and caught the chewing out. Managers have been known to do things like this to see who will fall for the trap. Then they have something on the people who don't think about the consequences. Always be very aware of your behavior when around your boss, especially when off duty. Don't give them anything they can use for ammunition against you.
While I too, enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, I would never consider taking a drink of any ETOH prior to working. While I feel that a few sips of wine may not impair me either, it's just not worth taking that chance. If another nurse were to smell it on you, or an error were to be made (face it, an error can be made with or without ETOH, but it would be worse with ETHO) it would be disastrous for you and possibly for the patient. If a law suite ensued, the prosecuting lawyer would have a field day with you.
I do understand your point, but it's always best to err on the side of caution.
Yes, the manager was wrong to wait until the eval to bring it up, and to allow the OP to go on shift knowing she'd imbibed.
That said, what keeps catching my attention is that the OP keeps trying to justify it by reminding us that it was "only 2 oz." It doesn't matter how much it was, and I can guarantee you beyond a shadow of a doubt that, had you been reported to the BON, they would not take into account "it was only 2 oz."
The reps were wrong in assuming that everyone was off that evening.
The manager was wrong in arranging the dinner and not reminding everyone.
You and your coworkers of that evening were wrong to imbibe.
The manager was wrong to allow you to work and then bring it up later.
You're not the only one in the wrong, but you WERE wrong.
Specializes in ER and family advanced nursing practice.
You mention that you are a 44 y/o mother. That is exactly why should have known not to drink any amount of alcohol right before a shift. Period. I don't care what they do in the UK, Europe, or where ever. If I was a patient in the UK, and I smelled wine on my nurse or doctors breath there would be a problem. If anything bad had happened your fault or not, the plaintiff's lawyers would have been overjoyed to know. Doing this before a night shift has certain dangers as well. I can't help but wonder how much sleep you got with children and a dinner to prepare for.
How would you react if one of your children were in the hospital and you smelled wine on the breath of one of the nurses/doctors? My wife often has 1 glass of wine with dinner, and no amount of mouth wash/teeth brushing gets rid of that smell. Would you take the chance that they only had "one" drink and told you that they were not impaired?
While I don't necessarily think the manager should have to make announcements about reminding adults about drinking before a shift, she should have said something to you before you actually reported to duty. Her rear end would have been on the line too if something had happened and she knew you were drinking. Not trying to jump all over you, I am sure you weren't impaired, but considering what is at stake, why take chances like that? Live and learn...
You mention that you are a 44 y/o mother. That is exactly why should have known not to drink any amount of alcohol right before a shift. Period. I don't care what they do in the UK, Europe, or where ever. If I was a patient in the UK, and I smelled wine on my nurse or doctors breath there would be a problem.
Can I just clear up this little misconception, nurses in the UK do not drink on or before duty, it is a disciplinary offense and will result in the nurse being sent home and being reprimanded.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Can I just clear up this little misconception, nurses in the UK do not drink on or before duty, it is a disciplinary offense and will result in the nurse being sent home and being reprimanded.
Would also think it would be the same for the doctors also
Would also think it would be the same for the doctors also
Thanks Silverdragon, you are quite right, of course they are subject to the exact same employment rules as the nursing staff as they are employees of the NHS.
Alright already, I think it's time to quit beating up the OP. Also, read her latest posts, not just the first one. She's already admitted she shouldn't have had any wine before work and that it was a mistake.
SoundofMusic
1,016 Posts
Amen to this. I had a preceptor one day not too long ago, a traveler, who was so hung over from the night before she had to take a nap at lunch. She was also missing things all day. I think she actually took a shower later that day at work to "wake up."
Me, though -- I usually go to bed about 9 p.m. or so to get my full 8 hrs before a shift.
Would not ever consider going out the night before work -- wouldn't be able to with kids at home, etc. I'd be afraid I wouldn't get up in time.
But, for 2 oz of red wine, I was reprimanded. I still feel it's a matter of individual judgement. If I were some crazy thing who had ordered the drinks at the bar that night, had acted like the whole thing was some party -- instead of ME who was more interested in the presentation on anticoagulants that night, I would have judged me differently. I just think sometimes we need to look at things with common sense.
But, I also understand the bit about us being responsible for ourselves.
Interesting discussion.