If you are drunk, don't drive!

Nurses General Nursing

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If you are a nurse, and you drive while you are drunk; the Board of Nursing can suspend your nursing license for good!!! This is hard to believe...but it is true!!!!

Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.

Bottom line here Jim is that, by drinking AND driving...something you KNOW you shouldn't do, you are DELIBERATELY and INTENTIONALLY putting other people in harm's way.

You have a CHOICE...do I drink or NOT, do I drive or NOT. No one's making you do it. You are the one with the moot point. We all know and accept the fact that when we drive we could potentially hurt or kill someone...you're right, intent isn't the issue in one sense. BUT WHEN YOU "INTENT"IONALLY break the law, all the rules change.

Why?? Because you shouldn't have done it in the first place, and deep down somewhere that none of us talks about at parties...you already knew that.

Why? Because even at the .08 limit for BAC, you are ELEVEN TIMES more likely to be injured or injure someone else in an accident...and the stats get worse from there. Laws in this case were made to protect people from their own stupidity and the stupidity of others.

And yes, a DUI is absolutely considered a deliberate act against another human being. Stupidity has it's consequences, and they should be severe.

Have a good night.

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Specializes in Pedi-Care unit /nsg home/ home health.

As

a nurse could you live with yourself, if you caused an accident drunk?

By the way the Texas Board of Nursing---is addressing nursing work hours, simular to truckers, proposal only mine you in January 2007 Texas Board of Nursing Bulletin.

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Specializes in High Risk In Patient OB/GYN.
As

a nurse could you live with yourself, if you caused an accident drunk?

As a human, I couldn't. My license has NOTHING to do with it.
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I don't drink but once or twice a year and i very much oppose drinking and driving and support tougher laws.

But i once did drive under the influence. (one drink, in my 110 lb frame) and i'm pretty sure it saved me and my 3 friends lives.

Camping trip....in the boonies....no phones....our camp is raided by three vagabonds with Media, crazy stories and very aggressive behavior (Ex. beating the crap out of our car while freakin' foaming at the mouth.

I have a way of attracting freaks and perverts. I should write a book...anyway

we grabbed some stuff and got the **** out of there. I wasn't really in the mood to be murder. I call this the ax murder clause.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
The distinction between being deliberate or not is made by the "intent".

I agree that when one gets into a car drunk, the intent is to get from point A to point B, not to kill someone. This is why when they are procescuted they are not charged with first degree murder. Nonetheless they are charged with a crime. When a drunk gets behind a wheel to drive they are knowingly committing a crime, thus "intent" is present and should be punished. The intent is "despite the fact that it's against the law, I'm going to do it anyway." It's not an innocent act.

It is debatable wether this is the business of the BON or not, and I'm not convinced it is. But I don't minimize the crime, or the intent to commit one, when I'm deciding whether or not it is the business of the BON's or not.

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I agree that when one gets into a car drunk, the intent is to get from point A to point B, not to kill someone. This is why when they are procescuted they are not charged with first degree murder. Nonetheless they are charged with a crime. When a drunk gets behind a wheel to drive they are knowingly committing a crime, thus "intent" is present and should be punished. The intent is "despite the fact that it's against the law, I'm going to do it anyway." It's not an innocent act.

It is debatable wether this is the business of the BON or not, and I'm not convinced it is. But I don't minimize the crime, or the intent to commit one, when I'm deciding whether or not it is the business of the BON's or not.

Me too . . . . .

steph

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The "debate"...the way I understand it is whether or not a person should be subject to possibly losing their license if they are convicted of drinking or driving.

I have to laugh at the vagueness of the accusations made by one poster with regard to statements made by other posters that he doesn't agree with. It is my opinion he attacks comments made....just to draw ire.Just my observation.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion.....Isn't America great??

I stand by my statement...be responsible for your choices....period.

Have a great day!!

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Specializes in Tele, Renal, ICU, CIU, ER, Home Health..

This is completely off topic.

I've been reading this title for a while and everytime I see it I think, "If you drink, don't drive...do the watermellon crawl".

You know, that country song. Never mind, I need some sleep!!

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Bottom line here Jim is that, by drinking AND driving...something you KNOW you shouldn't do, you are DELIBERATELY and INTENTIONALLY putting other people in harm's way.

You have a CHOICE...do I drink or NOT, do I drive or NOT. No one's making you do it. You are the one with the moot point. We all know and accept the fact that when we drive we could potentially hurt or kill someone...you're right, intent isn't the issue in one sense. BUT WHEN YOU "INTENT"IONALLY break the law, all the rules change.

Why?? Because you shouldn't have done it in the first place, and deep down somewhere that none of us talks about at parties...you already knew that.

Why? Because even at the .08 limit for BAC, you are ELEVEN TIMES more likely to be injured or injure someone else in an accident...and the stats get worse from there. Laws in this case were made to protect people from their own stupidity and the stupidity of others.

And yes, a DUI is absolutely considered a deliberate act against another human being. Stupidity has it's consequences, and they should be severe.

Have a good night.

Drinking and driving carries no more intent at putting other's in harms way than driving sober. Drinking then driving is deliberate, no question but connecting the two...well let's just say people who drink then drive don't do it with the intent of injuring or killing someone.

Can you point me to a case where someone charged with a DUI was convicted of a deliberate attempt at harming someone? Like Ann, you have a poor grasp of the legal term "intent".

A DUI where the drunk kills someone isn't charged with murder. Murder is intent to kill, homicide is not.

The point of this debate isn't the pitfalls of drinking and driving but is whether or not the BON has anything to say/do about it when it has no bearing on the performance of the job.

I am not abdicating drinking and driving and for the record the only time I drink and drive is when I have a beer or two with dinner out.

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, CVICU, Trauma.
Drinking and driving carries no more intent at putting other's in harms way than driving sober. Drinking then driving is deliberate, no question but connecting the two...well let's just say people who drink then drive don't do it with the intent of injuring or killing someone.

Can you point me to a case where someone charged with a DUI was convicted of a deliberate attempt at harming someone? Like Ann, you have a poor grasp of the legal term "intent".

A DUI where the drunk kills someone isn't charged with murder. Murder is intent to kill, homicide is not.

The point of this debate isn't the pitfalls of drinking and driving but is whether or not the BON has anything to say/do about it when it has no bearing on the performance of the job.

I am not abdicating drinking and driving and for the record the only time I drink and drive is when I have a beer or two with dinner out.

Let me tell you a story about "a beer or two with dinner out". I'll make it short. My godson served in the military for 4 years, including 1 year in Iraq. Two weeks after he was discharged with honors he had dinner with a friend. He only had 2 beers. When driving home, they were run off the road by a semi truck. The car spun and was T-boned on the passenger side. His friend was killed instantly. This beautiful boy who dreamed of a career in law enforcement for the government is now in prison. His dream career is now gone forever. He is doing very well, his attitude is positive and I am so very proud of him. He accepts full responsibility for what happened, even though the accident itself was not his fault. His reaction times were slowed.

My grasp is just fine, thank you.

I believe the BON does have the right. That's my opinion. I'm not asking you to agree with me.

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Let me tell you a story about "a beer or two with dinner out". I'll make it short. My godson served in the military for 4 years, including 1 year in Iraq. Two weeks after he was discharged with honors he had dinner with a friend. He only had 2 beers. When driving home, they were run off the road by a semi truck. The car spun and was T-boned on the passenger side. His friend was killed instantly. This beautiful boy who dreamed of a career in law enforcement for the government is now in prison. His dream career is now gone forever. He is doing very well, his attitude is positive and I am so very proud of him. He accepts full responsibility for what happened, even though the accident itself was not his fault. His reaction times were slowed.

My grasp is just fine, thank you.

I believe the BON does have the right. That's my opinion. I'm not asking you to agree with me.

I understand your passion about driving when you have had alcohol to drink.

There are not enough details in your story to convince me alcohol had anythng to do with this tradgedy.

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I understand your passion about driving when you have had alcohol to drink.

There are not enough details in your story to convince me alcohol had anythng to do with this tradgedy.

My impression of her offering her story was that her godson had nothing much to do with the accident but because he had been drinking, he was penalized.

Hence the admonition to not even have "a beer or two" and then drive - even if an accident is not your fault, if you are found to have imbibed . . .then you may just end up in jail.

Of course, he has to live with the death of his friend too.

steph

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