Giving alcohol to a resident

Trauma Columnist · Dec 25, 2012

I guess I would wonder what your role is in this case? Do you give only MD-ordered meds or can you assist with any needs/wants that the residents have? What does your supervisor say?

fournee, LPN · Dec 26, 2012

We have 95 residents, only 32 of them are on nursing services, meaning they come see us for meds/accuchecks/ bp checks. This resident is not one of them, the CNA's remind her to take her meds which are for HTN and Dementia. We can give PRN meds to all residents such as Tylenol, Immodium or Malox.I am a LPN and my supervisor, who is not a nurse, says 'it's alright'.

sharpeimom · Dec 26, 2012

The resident has probably had her brandy (or brandies) every day for decades and might well go into the DTs

without her nightly "beverage" which you do not want. The ALF is her home now and if she were still in her old home, you know darned well she'd be having her nightly nip.

I had a beloved family friend who had what as far as anyone knew was an occasional drink when she went out to dinner with friends. She honestly thought she had only an "occasional drink" and that was what she reported to the surgeon before she had a mastectomy. Post op on the third day, the DTs began and she had a seizure and died. Everyone, including her internist, was stunned! If only the MDs or nurses had investigated more thoroughly through questioning, she might have lived several years longer.

What about checking your P&P manual for ideas or talking with the other nurses? She is 21 afterall and I have a feeling her brandy has helped her sleep for decades. Ask your supervisor if it's OK for you to check with her doctor if you're really uneasy.

AimBSN · Dec 26, 2012

I work in ltc and we need an order for alcohol and we sign off for it when we give it. Not sure how your facility does things though.

Daisy_08, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2012

In ltc I would say get an order.However in AL I would have no problem giving it. Your helping her to function and live as independently as possible. I would think your DOC would only care becuses they would want to charge for the service

PalmHarborMom · Dec 26, 2012

One would think that if a nurse is the person that gives her the alcohol, then it needs to be documented. The patient is not able to control the urge to drink more than the one drink per night. The doctor needs to be informed. Also, has the son made arrangements for how often he will bring another bottle? Documenting when she receives the drink also prevents someone from saying that there is alcohol missing. No one wants that finger pointed at them.

Just my thoughts...

tyvin, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2012

Let the doc know about it...it's a drug after all. Of course if they are documenting on this person then the drinking needs to be documented as well. Remember; if it isn't documented it didn't happen. I would documenting every time I gave the liquid; time, amount, etc...

I don't know anything about assisted living places, but I would presume that it would need to be documented. In a LTC place I worked many of the residents drank wine after dinner. They all had orders and it was fine. Geezes I hope I never end up someplace where I couldn't have a drink when I wanted. You also need to cover your **** in case there's an accident.

fasnv · Dec 26, 2012

Check the policy

Ntheboat2 · Dec 26, 2012

She is paying to live there and be assisted. Unless it's some kind of detox facility or Christian living place that has a no alcohol policy then I don't see a problem with assisting her to live as she pleases. I know if I were over 21 and paying good money to live somewhere, I'd be highly ticked off if someone told me I wasn't allowed to have an alcoholic beverage because of their personal belief system. I think it would be in everyone's best interest to have the doctor be made aware of it. I don't know how that might work out as far as the facility being responsible for supplying the alcohol if there's an order for it though. I'm sure there's a way to get it approved so that everyone is on the same page and the lady can have her "totty."

joanna73, BSN, RN · Dec 26, 2012

A few of our residents drink alcohol. We have no issue with this. Ask the MD to write an order for this, and keep the alcohol locked up. When one of my residents requests a shot, it's already recorded under "PRN" on their MAR. I sign the shot as you would a medication, ensuring that the shot has been given either before or after their evening meds (usually before). Aside from someone who might be an alcoholic (which our residents who have alcohol are not), if they want a drink, they get a drink. Similarly, when I worked acute care, we also gave alcohol to patients who were detoxing. I worked an inner city hospital then. Better to do that than watch someone climb the walls for a drink.

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · Dec 26, 2012

I agree. Check the Policy and make sure you have an order. It is their home so there shouldn't be a problem with it unless it is against your belief system.