Rapport with pts

1999nurse · Jun 29, 2021

I work in a detox. We have already established when I started, that we don't give our personal info to patients on the unit. Some techs we have are in recovery, and I don't know what they do. they may see former clients at meetings, but we as nurses should keep professional boundaries. I don't know about driving him anywhere. I'd rather drive someone than see them get a DWI or hurt someone. An uber or other solution could be reasonable. If I saw a former client out drinking, I would personally try to not get involved.

I don't know the whole story, but that's my opinion

wolf9653 · Nov 6, 2021

On 6/23/2021 at 6:31 PM, GS ED RN said:

Hello all -

I am sorry if this is not the right platform - but I figured this was how I could reach the most experts. I fiercely admire the patience/dedication it takes to work with patients with addiction as a disease. My friend was in rehab for alcohol addiction. Sounds like he may have established an inappropriate relationship with one rehab nurse and the other was a tech.... he had their phone numbers...they texted ...he was swinging by the rehab to pick up sober event tickets and he got one of them a coffee- like I am sorry but WHAT????

it gets better....my friend relapsed less than 5 days after discharge - he relapsed HARD... he went to a casino/bar where this staff was hanging out, they proceeded to drive him to a hotel-(he wouldnt provide them with his home address so they could take them there) so he wouldnt drink and drive. Couldnt they have called the facility to ask for his address/emergency contact--- shouldn't they have called an ambulance or IDK.... Rehab nurses please tell me what you would do if you saw your pt intoxicated/relapsing? I need your perspective.

Hi, I have mental health, dual dx, rehab and detox experience. We have a very challenging, and sometimes dangerous setting. There have been cases of stalking and assaults of nurses. Our patients can be amongst the most manipulative. One speck of personal information passed amongst the patients can be added to until too much as is known. Like I had one ask if the jeep was my car. He was fishing in the dark, trying to find out which car is mine. Some of them are or are affiliated with gang members. Bottom line, give no personal information whatsoever. Most likely your facility prohibits this type of conduct. And it is important to have firm boundaries. If I coincidently saw a patient in an outside setting, I would keep it short and professional. If I believed they had too much to drink I would discuss with the bartender, the responsibility here is with the server. He/she should call a cab. I doubt the facility would release the information under HIPPA laws. I cannot comment on a social worker or peer support person. If I were attending a support group, I would also minimize my contact with the person, respect their anonymity, and hope they respected mine.