Published
Ok, strictly speaking, if they are over 21 I wouldn't throw it out without their consent. I would give it (with their permission) to a family member to "take home". Not sure what my hospital's policy is about having alcohol in the hospital. I suspect it either has to be put in the safe or thrown away. If there's a policy to throw it away, I would do that. From a strict ethical standpoint, I think it's their property.
We give it to security, who dumps it out. Often the police bring guys in, they dump it out too. Don't need people getting drunk in the ER or on the floors; we are already treated as a hotel with frequent demands for food/blankets/juice/whatever. Its a safety issue.
Don't give back partial bottles of pills to the ODs either. People aren't allowed to keep meds at bedside without a doctor's order (are catelogued and sent to pharmacy if not sent home).
I take the alcohol away and lock it up and then inform the patient that he may ask for it when he/she is discharged. I put it on the belonging list and indicate that it was stored separating from the main belongings. Almost 99% of the time the patient sobers up and is discharged from the ER and has no recollection of the conversation and never asks for the alcohol back. I usually wait for about an hour after discharge and then dump it out.
No order, no bottle. Should be no different than any other substance. I do not agree with giving it back upon discharge. If the guy drinks the booze you gave him & then commits a crime (such as manslaughter by driving drunk), I would be afraid of a liability issue. I would not want to be any part of that. Bars and other establishments have been sued for over-serving. I think it is irresponsible to hand over a bottle of liquor to a KNOWN drinker and/or substance abuser.
ERnurse2001
6 Posts
Your patient is in your hospital department because they are either drunk (ER) or admitted for DT's (floor). You or a co-worker find a bottle of alcohol in your patients belongings. Do you:
A) Keep it with the patient's belongings. It is their property and you have no right to dictate what happens to it other than to treat it like any of their other belongings.
B) Empty whatever is left in the bottle and throw it away. Your patient obviously has an alcohol problem and it is your responsibility to see to it that they abstain whether they like it or not.
Would love your input!