This particular RN (I'll name him Jon) has been working for our unit for two years. We work in a MedSurg unit at a county hospital. Apparently, we DONT do drug tests at all.
Our morning was going fine, we both took report in the same area and had our breaks at the same time. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary (aside from saying "I'm sleepy/tired," but we all say it). Jon did one discharge and completed one admit. He helped me start an IV for one of my patients and cosigned my insulin.
It wasn't until lunch I noticed Jon's phone Snapchat(?) of him consuming edibles. I also saw Jon's text messages saying "he was still high this morning."
I immediately went to the charge nurse and reported my discovery. Our charge nurse was in disbelief and found it difficult to believe. We confronted Jon and he denied everything.
Our charge nurse discreetly followed up on his patients, and they reported nothing but excellent nursing care. We checked his charting and everything was within policy. We also checked all his pyxis pulls and there were no discrepancies. Lastly, we privately spoke to an MD that Jon was speaking to in the morning who also reported that his behavior was completely normal.
I apologized to Jon as there were no evidence of him being high towards the end of the shift. As we were leaving the hospital, one of Jon's friends (from another unit), came up to him and ask him about his 4/20. I saw Jon winked and nodded. I got upset and just left.
The next day, I reported it to the charge. She said to leave it alone since there wasn't any proof and no patients were harmed. I am not sure what else to do at this point.
@ Kooky Korky, 4/20 has become an informal sort of 'holiday' for pot smokers. The idea is they all light up on 4/20 (more so than usual.) Edibles are food laced with marijuana AKA Alice B. Toklas brownies.
In California the pot smokers were really excited this year given it was legalized November 2016...well, excited for pot smokers, they were not getting off the couch to have smoke-outs that I'm aware of.
Actually, they were definitely getting off the couch this year to have smoke outs. Myself, a friend, and her 3 and 7 year old went to Cal Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park not thinking about the date and there was a huge smoke out there. We realized it when leaving the museum because it took us over an hour to get out of the parking garage where a lot of those indulging parked and were still partaking.
I think OP is pulling our leg. This must be a joke. What I get from his/her post is how "4/20" doesn't affect one's performance or thought process. Anyone else?
That is just horrible. I'd be willing to bet their accusers don't even have a scintilla of remorse over their destructive claims that turned out to be false.
You are right. They don't. This nurse had been there for over 20 years. It was a very dark time and we all went through group counseling, had healing ceremonies (it was on an Indian reservation), smudges, etc. The accuser had a personal grudge and look what it caused.
You must be a TREAT to work with! There is absolutely no excuse for your behavior. What you did is indefensible, as I would hope you could see from all the replies. Sadly, instead of learning from this I think you're the type that will continue to insist that your actions are correct and that so many people here simply don't know what they're talking about. Part of being a grown up and a professional is leaving this childishness and tattletale mentality behind.
You know, it really sounds like a lot of these commenters would turn a blind eye to a coworker being high unless they were currently hurting a patient. Best to let that behavior go unnoticed and unquestioned until they finally do hurt someone, eh?
Telling someone to not go through a coworkers phone is one thing (if that's what she did) but a lot of these posts undermine the importance of not using drugs while caring for patients. Yikes.
You know, it really sounds like a lot of these commenters would turn a blind eye to a coworker being high unless they were currently hurting a patient. Best to let that behavior go unnoticed and unquestioned until they finally do hurt someone, eh?
Telling someone to not go through a coworkers phone is one thing (if that's what she did) but a lot of these posts undermine the importance of not using drugs while caring for patients. Yikes.
So where is it stated that Jon showed any s/s of being high on the job?
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
You know, it really sounds like a lot of these commenters would turn a blind eye to a coworker being high unless they were currently hurting a patient. Best to let that behavior go unnoticed and unquestioned until they finally do hurt someone, eh?
Telling someone to not go through a coworkers phone is one thing (if that's what she did) but a lot of these posts undermine the importance of not using drugs while caring for patients. Yikes.
Well, I can't agree with this post, for the reason that, even if the investigation procedure as described by the OP went down exactly as reported by the OP, you can find zero observable evidence that supports her claim, and her curious reluctance to abandon her personal effort to harm her coworker's reputation.
I would guess most of those commenters are practicing in a state that has mandatory reporting laws. You may conclude that the commenters don't care about the importance of not using drugs while caring for patients, but self-interest generally kicks in when the situation warrants.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Once AGAIN: no one suggests turning a "blind eye" or ignoring what is seen by the OP. NO ONE says not to report. What they ARE saying is, it's not her place to carry on an investigation or go ONE STEP further than that.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I think OP has gotten the point...
Deep breaths, people.
Perhaps. Who knows; she has not been back. I am addressing the people who say we are advising the OP not report or simply turn a blind eye to the situation.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
You know, it really sounds like a lot of these commenters would turn a blind eye to a coworker being high unless they were currently hurting a patient. Best to let that behavior go unnoticed and unquestioned until they finally do hurt someone, eh?
Telling someone to not go through a coworkers phone is one thing (if that's what she did) but a lot of these posts undermine the importance of not using drugs while caring for patients. Yikes.
I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that anyone would advise turning a blind eye to an impaired co-worker. If you have evidence that someone is impaired, tell the charge nurse. But tell the charge nurse the facts only, and not the conclusions you've drawn. ("Jon is slurring his speech, stumbling and he seems somewhat disoriented" not "Jon is high." For all you know, Jon could be hypo- or hyper-glycemic, having a stroke or took too much allergy medication.) Once you've alerted the charge nurse, forget it. It's not your business to investigate, and it's not your business to know what came of an investigation.
You can destroy someone's career, reputation and livelihood by going on a witch hunt with minimal information and NO evidence that someone is actually "high". I have a lot of difficulty with someone who could do that. I wouldn't want to work with you.
Reebles
89 Posts
Actually, they were definitely getting off the couch this year to have smoke outs. Myself, a friend, and her 3 and 7 year old went to Cal Academy of Sciences at Golden Gate Park not thinking about the date and there was a huge smoke out there. We realized it when leaving the museum because it took us over an hour to get out of the parking garage where a lot of those indulging parked and were still partaking.