Held to a higher standard

[kool-aide, RN]

Hello everyone,

Did anyone notice that once you became a nurse you somehow always are held to a higher standard than any other person? With all this ebola crap it's just making it more and more apparent. Please share your thoughts

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

We are held to a higher standard for good reason....however, we are not the martyrs that some might expect.

As for facebook, if you use it wisely, facebook can be very effective. Facebook connects me to friends worldwide. Work is not a topic I discuss on FB, so there are no issues.

What is the good reason?

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

What is the good reason we're held to a higher standard? People's lives are at stake.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

I have a friend who was a rockstar top notch RN at a Level one open heart unit. Never an issue with care or anything else.

I would trust him over any other nurse in that institution. Best coworker a girl could have.

Random testing pos UDS for cannnabis. His career almost destroyed by the BON. It was ridiculous.

I just have little empathy for those who choose to indulge in illegal substances. And I don't give a hoot about the "well it should be" camp. In most places it's not and if you choose to light up, be prepared for the fallout

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

What is the good reason we're held to a higher standard? People's lives are at stake.

That does not compute.

Why would a DUI or smoking a joint 30 days prior effect my ability to "SAVE" all those lives?

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Wouldn't necessarily affect your ability to "save" lives, however, whether we like it or not, nurses character is often judged by our public image. This will always come into question because of the level of responsibility nurses have.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Held to a higher standard in nursing/healthcare, yes, but for instance a local news source shared a story online talking about how an alcoholic died in jail of a ruptured peptic ulcer. A coworker of mine commented and said that's not particularly newsworthy, drinkers often have peptic ulcers. Then someone on Facebook threatened to complain to the hospital over my coworkers comment because "nurses should be caring and compassionate." Frustrating

Your coworker should know better than to comment on the story -- FaceBook can kill careers.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

As long as no one's coming to work under the influence, I don't see what the problem is. So a test shows an employee may have smoked pot six days ago... so what? How is that any different from the nurse who went to the bar and got drunk on her weekend off?