If you suspect your nurse coworker of being a drinker, what do you do?

[nitesky83]

Let's say you can smell it on her breath

[SCRN1]

I think the nurse manager should know about it. How safe can someone under the influence be with patients? JMHO.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

There are other reasons that could reasonably explain why someone would have 'alcoholic'-smelling breath. My mother, who absolutely doesn't drink alcohol, used to have that smell on her breath when she was first diagnosed with diabetes. It was the ketones that caused that ongoing smell.

If you still suspect the coworker of being an alcoholic, I would confront him or her with your suspicions before alerting the nurse manager. Some coworkers will be grateful that you went to them first with your concerns and attempt to make a change. I once told a coworker that he had beer on his breath and he responded by saying, "Thanks, I won't do it again." I never smelled it on him again.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Bump it up the chain of command.

[chuck1234]

Let's say you can smell it on her breath

You must report it to the Nurse Manager!!!

[AfloydRN, BSN, RN]

Our nurse manager was informed via the hospital hotline and pulled that RN off the floor and made her take a UDS and etoh level and was then offered rehab or termination. She chose rehab and still works for the same hospital.

[TazziRN, RN]

If you confront the nurse and she just stops coming to work with alcoholic breath, it doesn't fix the problem. And if she chooses not to listen and you go to the NM, you won't be able to be anonymous. You need to go up the chain of command and bypass the nurse entirely. She needs help and this is the only way she'll get it. Been there.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Any alcoholic can drink mouthwash, and that would solve the bad breath problem.

[KellNY, RN]

I agree with TheCommuter--there could be another reason. I take something called "Rescue Remedy". I love the stuff-works great for me many times, but I end up smelling like I just downed a fifth of whiskey.

[Schatzi RN CEN]

I would speak to her and depending on her reaction would either follow up with a supervisor, or direct her (in this State) to the Nebraska Licensee Assistance Program. http://www.lapne.org This organization can help her if indeed she has a abuse problem. I would hope that most states have a program such as this that is there to help health care professionals that have problems with substance abuse.

[Gennaver, MSN]

There are other reasons that could reasonably explain why someone would have 'alcoholic'-smelling breath. My mother, who absolutely doesn't drink alcohol, used to have that smell on her breath when she was first diagnosed with diabetes. It was the ketones that caused that ongoing smell.

...

Hello Commuter,

Coincidentally I took a "national" standardizing test yesterday and you are nearly right, it is the acetones her body is blowing off that give that alcoholic smell.

Reason I am so sure is that I chose "ketone" on my practice quiz and found out I was wrong, chose Acetone on the actual quiz and...tada!

Gen

p.s. to the op I would imagine that further close observations would be in order before reporting her to the nurse, and depending upon your relationship with this nurse, even outright asking her first if her "libations are still in her system and if she needs to report off right now or else risk her patients and her license?" In different words of course!

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

Hello Commuter,

Coincidentally I took a "national" standardizing test yesterday and you are nearly right, it is the acetones her body is blowing off that give that alcoholic smell.

Reason I am so sure is that I chose "ketone" on my practice quiz and found out I was wrong, chose Acetone on the actual quiz and...tada!

Gen

p.s. to the op I would imagine that further close observations would be in order before reporting her to the nurse, and depending upon your relationship with this nurse, even outright asking her first if her "libations are still in her system and if she needs to report off right now or else risk her patients and her license?" In different words of course!

Ditto Ditto Ditto!!

You may very well be misjudging and by immediately reporting without the facts result in this nurse losing her livelyhood. Believe me the system doesnt work for the nurse but the protection of the public. She can have a negative screen and deny drinking and it can still come back to bite her. If you are wrong would you want this on your mind? I sure wouldnt. Monitor and be sure of your accusations first. Smelling something and actually being "impaired" are 2 very different things. If you definitely see signs of impairment then yes say something if not then I would keep my mouth shut.