Nurse Arrested For DUI, Sober But Exhausted After 12 hr COVID Shift

[Julie]

Quote

“It was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. it was like a part of me was missing,” Slayton said.  

Single mom and nurse Katie Slayton was arrested for driving under the influence as well as felony child neglect because her son was in the car. Her son went to foster care for 9 weeks.  This happened after she worked a grueling 12 hour shift in the COVID-19 ward.

Nurse arrested for DUI, son put in foster care after sober single mom works a long grueling shift helping COVID patients

What kinds of personal sacrifices have you had to endure for your job?

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

3 hours ago, HiddenAngels said:

ha ha ha, why because of nerves?  Me too probably

LOL, no Im so uncoordinated thst I would fall on my face if I had to Stand on 1 foot for longer than 2 seconds...

[Silver_Rik, ASN, RN]

On 7/2/2022 at 8:19 AM, toomuchbaloney said:

She doesn't have a right to privacy for health diagnosis... the SCOTUS just decided that can be applied in this situation too. 

I personally hate the Dobbs ruling; but your analysis is incorrect. Her health diagnosis privacy is protected by federal law- HIPAA - the SCOTUS decision did nothing to change that. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Please note that the topic being discussed here is the arrest of a nurse for suspicion of DUI after a grueling 12 hour shift. Please take comments on other topics to a thread on that topic (there is one in the news forum and several in the politics Breakroom club) or start a new topic. Any further off topic posts will be removed. 

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Moderator note: Numerous off topic posts have been relocated to this thread. Please stick to the topic here and utilize appropriate threads for other topics. Thread reopened.

[katies]

So I must defend myself.  The tired was referring to why I thought the daycare worker may have described me as "off."  The reason I was shaking had nothing to do with exhaustion, it had to do with the police taking my son away, you was clearly scared and wanted me,  without my consent.  You can see what happened prior to the test as well me showing the officer that my hand is shaking and asking about my son here... 

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=QLBqxpjeXPw

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=kimPkzg_GmM

[HiddenAngels]

I'm sorry this happened to you.  Most of us are.

[Jeckrn1, ADN, BSN]

This is why you never do a field sobriety test including breath test (not a breathalyzer) they can not take your license for refusing it.  But never refuse a breathalyzer or blood test if you are arrested.  
Most of us at the end of a long trying shift will fail a field sobriety test.

 

[katies]

Thank you I agree and I would have waited to drive a bit had they let me go.  But the shaking was police induced.  They took my son from the scene forcefully, IMO, and without my consent. And I realized if I don't pass this test, I might not take him home tonight.  That's why I started shaking... I wasn't doing that before the cop took upon herself to act like she was in charge of me son... and he's yelling "no" and "put me down."  I just went into fight or flight... It's my son... they may as well have pointed a gun at my head and said balance on one leg. 

[ValarieRN08]

Dear Colleagues,

How many of us have left exhausted? I am not here to judge but to find compassion. If you think Adderall is bad look at the nurse next to you because they may be taking higher doses of psych meds. As a admission nurse for surgical day I see a lot.  As my Union Director told me that could be you someday as we witnessed many terminations for nurses that fell off the wagon or coming in after partying late night still drowsy in the am. She had to get her child from daycare maybe she is a single mom. Lets not rush to judgement but ask how can we help our colleagues out. Blessings, peace and safety to all.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

There was a recent thread on drowsy drowning on this board as well and many of us have had experiences with situations that could have led to similar outcomes. I know there have been times that I left work feeling absolutely awake and alert. However, I have nearly an hour commute and tiredness can hit with NO warning. A few weeks ago I found that I had driven the right side of my car over the rumble strips. I'm SO fortunate that it wasn't to the left lane, into another car, into a guard rail, or off the road completely! 

And if I had smaller children and had just picked one up from daycare I could totally see how this could happen. I'm so sorry for this nurse and the fact that her child was taken away! We as nurses often push ourselves, extra hours and extra shifts, and sometimes it can cause unintended consequences. I wish I had an answer but as long as shift work, short staffing, and extra shifts happen, there is the possibility that these situations will arise. 

[katies]

ADD is not uncommon among nurses in my experience.  We're not 9-5 people.  We like to be up and moving... we tend not to like administrative work.  Being able to shift attention frequently can actually be a benefit in nursing.  And while I know there are cases of abuse... Many of us don't do that.  We're not trying to get high... we're just trying to focus the way normal people can.  Because even though people with ADD are usually intelligent, at times it can feel debilitating.  ADD is a struggle for a lot of people... not some excuse to get drugs.  And in my experience nurses with ADD often do well with 12 hours shifts and bedside nursing.  Because this job is not cut out for everyone... and it's safer for us to drive and work our shifts when medicated in a therapeutic range.

This is evidence based... people with ADD tend to better professionally when they are medicated.. not when they self medicate, but under a doctor's supervision.  Those who thrive in this job, deserve to be supported by other nurses.. ADD or not. 

[katies]

And field sobriety have a high margin of error.. Both people with ADD and healthcare can be mistaken for being impaired.. You add the two together and bad things can happen.  I learned from this police are not as well trained as you might think.. they're trained for the "normal" person who works a 9-5 job... they have no idea what they're doing when it comes to health care workers during a pandemic or people diagnosed with ADD... as well people with psychological issues... which the police officer admitted to my attorney.. she's not trained in that.. just the standard signs of intoxication... and if you show those... for any reason whatsoever... that's grounds for your arrest. That's probable cause.  And that should worrisome to all of us.