If you are drunk, don't drive!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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 High Risk In Patient OB/GYN.

My marital status most certainly is relevant, because it means I obviously "sinned" and therefore violated that little purity clause. (And some would say that tattoos are an impure violation of the flesh as well). My point was, you can't take something as vague as the Nightengale Pledge and apply it here, but not there, to situation X, but not situation Y.

Many of us never took the pledge, either way. Present company included.

And I didn't feel targeted, but thanks.

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well there you go, if you didnt take the pledge, and I dont doubt that many havent then my opinoin should have little affect on you.

My concern was for the nurses who have.

I too have a tatoo. its on my back and I like it very much....Do I feel "Unpure" no I dont. I have two sons, and my first was out of wedlock. I dont look down on anyone situation, nor do I feel that because anyone takes an oath that the have to be perfect.

no one is perfect..... Im far from it. but if there is something that I can do to cognizibly be that better person I would.

I do believe that if anyone should take the oath that they are or should be held to it.

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more and more I realize that were are taking the topic from drinknig and driving to something else.... and Im sure Chuck1234 would appreciate if we stopped.

If youd like to futher discuss Medical Ethics please feel free to contact me privatly.

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Specializes in High Risk In Patient OB/GYN.

Discuss medical ethics? I'm mearly pointing out (quite on topic, I might ad), that an oath taken as a part of nursing tradition has NO bearing on legal issues (ie-having your license revoked for breaking the law by drunk driving).

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Specializes in Lie detection.
discuss medical ethics? i'm mearly pointing out (quite on topic, i might ad), that an oath taken as a part of nursing tradition has no bearing on legal issues (ie-having your license revoked for breaking the law by drunk driving).

and to me you make perfect sense:wink2: . but then again, i am a sinning, swearing stand up to the docs sometimes nurse too!:D

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I can speak of this on a personal level. My ex husband was killed 2 years ago by a drunk driver in broad daylight. His wife was pregnant at the time and there are 3 beautiful children robbed. Drinking and Driving is unacceptable regardless of profession.

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Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Discuss medical ethics? I'm mearly pointing out (quite on topic, I might ad), that an oath taken as a part of nursing tradition has NO bearing on legal issues (ie-having your license revoked for breaking the law by drunk driving).

While I am sure that there are MDs that disregard the Hippocratic

oath, it is still part of their history and why they are considered required to uphold a higher ethical standard. This is the same with nurses and the Nightengale pledge. This is why the licensing requirements are harder, and why Boards that deal with healthcare professionals are stricter.

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Specializes in Global Health Informatics, MNCH.
Yah.

Well how about if a peds nurse loses a pt and goes down to the local watering hole with other nurses and has a couple and on the way home gets a DUI?

Well how about if a peds nurse loses a pt and goes down to the local watering hole with other nurses and has a couple and on the way home kills my daughter. She was having a bad day huh? Let's just let the vehicular homicide thing slide.

As for the argument that it didn't occur while the person was working...well if I pediatrician is molesting his child at home that's not happening at work but quite frankly, I still don't want my kids going to him. I think the difference in peoples attitudes here is that some people view a DUI as a mistake anyone can make and as long as no one gets hurt it's not a big deal while others view any DUI as attempted homicide.

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Specializes in SRNA.
Drinking and Driving is unacceptable regardless of profession.

That's all well and good but it is no excuse for unfair treatment. In most professions, you don't loose your livelihood because of a DUI. I know many nurses enjoy the idea of punishing nurses ad nauseum, but this is not only unfair, it is unjust. This is clearly abuse of power.

-S

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Specializes in ICU/CCU, CVICU, Trauma.
That's all well and good but it is no excuse for unfair treatment. In most professions, you don't loose your livelihood because of a DUI. I know many nurses enjoy the idea of punishing nurses ad nauseum, but this is not only unfair, it is unjust. This is clearly abuse of power.

-S

Please tell me you are not serious. The consequences of drinking & driving are not unjust. It is not "punishing" nurses. It is not "unfair treatment". If I am a patient I would want someone to show an "abuse of power" in order to ensure that I get safe patient care. I do not want anyone taking care of me or my loved ones that shows the irresponsibility of putting lives in danger outside of their workplace.

Ann

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That's all well and good but it is no excuse for unfair treatment. In most professions, you don't loose your livelihood because of a DUI. I know many nurses enjoy the idea of punishing nurses ad nauseum, but this is not only unfair, it is unjust. This is clearly abuse of power.

-S

Actually, there are many professions that you will be fired if you are convicted of a DUI. (ie law enforcement, truck drivers, etc.)

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Specializes in SRNA.
Please tell me you are not serious. The consequences of drinking & driving are not unjust. It is not "punishing" nurses. It is not "unfair treatment". If I am a patient I would want someone to show an "abuse of power" in order to ensure that I get safe patient care. I do not want anyone taking care of me or my loved ones that shows the irresponsibility of putting lives in danger outside of their workplace.

Ann

Of course I am serious. It is completely absurd to me to think that the same people who issue licenses are in any position to carry out such judgments. There are people that do this - the courts. The first irony is that such "morality clauses" are immoral. The second irony is that the same people that are so specific about what actions you can and cannot take under a license feel so free to abuse power in this way.

-S

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