Beer on a patient's dinner tray?

dolphin1946 · Jun 26, 2008

This isn't a joke. Last night a nurse was talking about her patient getting beer on their dinner tray so she wouldn't leave AMA. The patient had a hx of ETOH abuse.
Other nurses replied that their patients have gotten beer in the hospital.
This totally confused me. Does this really happen??

Hello Jared---I've been an L.P.N. for 42 years and i've seen this numerous times for alcoholic patients. Sometimes a beer with each meal works better than giving them valium or librium. The patient is usually in for other medical issues. Acute hospitals are not for detoxing patients...thats for chemical dependancy facilities. It all boils down to how the doctor wants to handle the patients etoh issues.

Warpster · Jun 26, 2008

Ask yourself why that patient is in the hospital.

If that patient has not requested detox and if that patient is in to have a health problem addressed, then you're duty bound to keep that patient safe, even when that means supplying his/her drug of choice to avoid withdrawal.

You can't force other people to adhere to your moral standards unless you are willing to imprison them. They have to decide such things for themselves.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2008

I would love to see this order or something like it used more in our LTC. A little glass of wine would be great with dinner. Instead is is an ativan or ambien at hs??

RN1982 · Jun 26, 2008

Nothing better than a shot of whiskey in a cup of coffee.

leslie :-D · Jun 26, 2008

Nothing better than a shot of whiskey in a cup of coffee.

will you be my nurse?:loveya:

leslie

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Jun 26, 2008

what does beer have to do with ethics anyway? Being drunk,maybe. Should we eliminate food because some people are fat? Elimiate sex because some people are prostitutes or pedophiles?

Keepstanding, ASN, RN · Jun 26, 2008

I see no problem with it, as long as it does not cause a problem. Beside's....it's an order.

JaredCNA, CNA · Jun 26, 2008

Thanks everyone for all the replies.

I've only been working in the nursing profession for about 2 years now, so I'm not used to seeing this sort of thing. Of course, I work orthopedics and most of the patients are on high doses of narcs which would interact with the EtOH, so that is probably why.

Last night, I was floated to the cardiac floor and they had a med/surg patient in with FUO, and in fact, he had an order for "Pt's beer of choice, 12 oz can TID PRN, to be supplied by family for s/sx of DT's." I was pulling all of the expired meds out of the med room fridge and I noticed a six-pack of Sam Adams with the patient's label on it. It was the strangest thing.

Like I said, I didn't really mean to call this an "ethical issue." That is my mistake. I agree that it is a good thing because I've seen a pt or two die from DT's and others who already seemed like they were dead as they lay there. It is a horrible thing.

I think docs should order it more often.

yeSICU · Jun 26, 2008

Had a pt that got Grey Goose Q6hr down his PEG. It was so fun grabbing a fifth of Vodka out of the Pyxis... reminded me of my college years...lol... Except we couldn't afford the top shelf stuff... Five O'clock anyone?*wine

pagandeva2000, LPN · Jun 26, 2008

This is new to me! Well, I do know that DTs are nothing to play with.

GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN · Jun 27, 2008

I've seen it, and years ago certain urologists use to prescribe it post op for male uro procedures, always made them pee!!!

chenoaspirit, ASN, RN · Jun 27, 2008

I have never seen that on my floor. Our patients get Ativan or Phenobarb to deal with the DT's. Sometimes I wish they would give them a beer! DT's are horrible for the patient AND the staff caring for them. Ive had pt's in 4-pt restraints. They recover, get discharged, then end up back on our floor to go thru it all over again. Its a sad cycle. Here also, if a pt has hx of ETOH abuse, but are there for a different reason, they still get dried out and end up staying for weeks. But anyway, I have never seen a beer on a food tray.