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.
Yall are pissing me off. Alcohol is legal but you aint gonna be caring for my grandma after taking shots at the bar. It IS a big deal and she DID do the right thing.
So If I had a beer with dinner, then was working a day or two later, you would refuse that I take care of your grandma because of the IPA I had with dinner yesterday or the day before?
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
You have to be subscribed to the individual, and that's nothing like IG or FB...oh wait, except for the fact that on IG or FB you have to be following the individual! Lol great attempt at an analogy but nope it's still the same concept
No on FB and IG you don't have to be following the person if their profile is public. That's not how snapchat works. SC also at max the story is there for 24 hrs, where FB and IG it's always there unless someone deletes.
Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.
Uh...yes? At least at the level expected for competent patient care.
Perhaps but it really depends upon type and route of administration, experience of user, vulnerability to psychoactive effects, and setting of use.So my point is that someone may be able to function fairly well even if they smoked. It is not always glaringly evident.
Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.
I am on edge and angry because unlike you I actually care a lot about the quality of patient care
HAHAHAHAHA Unlike me? You know nothing about me or the kind of care I give to my patients. I sure hope you aren't this easily angered and hostile with your patients. YIKES!!! Are assumptions also a part of your care???
Waiting until he does something blatantly wrong to a patient is frickin terrible advice!!! Also, I highly doubt she cares if this dude thinks she is an enemy. Bullying because you got caught is a sign of some serious issues.
If you know someone is not sober and taking care of patients, you should probably do something about it. And watching someone eat edibles, well, that's kind of some solid evidence right there
But that's the point ... the OP knew nothing of the kind. The only thing she actually knew was that Jon was indulging in some internet boasting. If you are naive enough to believe everything you see on the internet, you've got no business sneering at anybody else for being "old".
I agree with what seems to be the consensus that the OP had no valid reason - i.e. actual observed-in-person evidence of impairment - to initiate a witch-hunt.
Personally, I have no use for the morality police. What my co-workers do off the job is none of my business.
Lol, this thread. Glad I brought my popcorn tonight.
OP, drugs are not my thing either. I've never tried anything, even pot, and probably never will (unless I accidentally go for some edibles, because brownies). And I can totally identify with being the homebody on my unit; I'm not much for partying, I don't see the point, and I rarely go out with my coworkers. (We totally get along, though.)
HOWEVER.
If they smoke, drink, take illegal (or legal) drugs, stay up all night watching The Walking Dead, or anything else, that is THEIR off-time. I have nothing to say about it since those actions never enter the workplace. They are excellent nurses, which sounds similar to Jon, so there is no reason to be concerned about their leisure activities, EVEN IF I don't get it or find it silly, weird, stinky, whatever.
The fact is, you don't know if there was anything mind-altering in Jon's system, and what rudimentary "assessment" findings you have do not indicate that he was under the influence. If it really concerned you that much (and I'm not necessarily advocating this), why didn't you ask him about it directly instead of going all CSI on him? "Jon, does that text seriously say you're still high? Someone took 4/20 seriously!" If someone was concerned about your ability to take care of your patients, wouldn't you rather they talk to you first than launch a whole investigation behind your back? As awkward as it might be initially, I know I would.
You saw the edibles on his snapchat for goodness' sake[/Quote]
Stupid question... I'm typing on my phone right now. The screen is maybe 2.some"×4.some" Looking at a picture that size or smaller, how in hades do you distinguish a pot brownie from a Betty Crocker brownie??
I am responding to the OP only, without reading any comments first.
OP, last year I developed persistent insomnia that at its peak, ended in me going into a psychosis at the end of a shift, complete with hallucinations. Instead of taking seriously the report I'd made to my manager on two prior shifts stating that I'd been dealing with sleeplessness (and me calling out in between those two shifts), the man assumed I was actually high. I received no medical attention whatsoever. Instead, I received a drug test. My manager received the results before I did, and I was fired before proof of one controlled medication validly prescribed was requested.
That is just the BEGINNING of how my life was ruined by a person assuming I was on drugs. That was more than a year ago, and I am still knee deep in the massive pile of crap that dealt me. All they had to do was get me a doctor.
That's horrible! I am so sorry this happened to you. I sincerely wish you the best in righting this wrong done to you.
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esrun77
80 Posts
I am on edge and angry because unlike you I actually care a lot about the quality of patient care