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

[styRN]

Just to clarify, I never stated that I believed the smell of alcohol to be enough evidence to conclude a person has been consuming alcohol.

When I spoke of evidence-based suspisions, I perhaps more clearly should have stated that a nurse should utilize their best judgement and assessment skills to safely be able to suspect or conclude. There are certainly many indicators of drug/alcohol abuse that any nurse should be confident in assessing for.

[TazziRN, RN]

Just because the nurse did not act impaired, doesn't mean she wasn't impaired. People who are chemically dependent can have quite a bit on board before it actually impairs them, while non-dependent people who use the same amount would be knocked out under the table. What's even scarier is the person who needs a certain amount of chemical in order to function at all.

Yes, this nurse could be completely innocent. I would much rather go to the boss and let her investigate and be wrong than not say anything and have a pt harmed. By going to the NM, the OP can remain anonymous.