Residents smoking marijuana in ALF

[ameliacorwin]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I was wondering what the protocol is for when you find a resident smoking weed in their room. I'm in Oregon, and it's not legal here to smoke weed without a prescription, and to my knowledge he does not have a green card. I'm not especially eager to turn him in, but I also don't want to get in trouble if it turns out that I knew about the weed and didn't say anything.

Advice? My work is a really shady assisted living facility, and you can't ever predict what is going to happen next.

[toomuchbaloney]

In my view, this is a question for your employer.

That and your own personal and professional opinions of the substance and the laws will lead you to your remedy.

[june2009]

I would speak to my supervisor in this case. I would think that smoking anything is prohibited inside your facility, and if the resident does not have a prescription then they have done something illegal.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

This is where I think not saying anything could come back and bite you in the rear: you look the other way. 2 weeks later, Nurse Suzy catches Mr. Jones sparking a doobie and says "Mr. Jones, you cannot smoke marijuana here. I will have to report you." Then he says, "I don't see the problem. Nurse Ameliacorwin (I hope that is not your real name) has known that I smoke marijuana here for weeks and never said anything." Then Suzy goes and tells your manager on both of you.

[MunoRN, RN]

As a general rule from state to state, BON's expect that nurses report a) all things where reporting is required, and b) all things that pose an eminent threat of harm to patients. In other words, BON's don't expect you to report to any regulatory agency that a patient smokes marijuana while a resident in an ALF.

[ArtClassRN, ADN, RN]

Shoot, residents SOLD weed at the nursing home where I worked.