So, she does drugs... (advice please)

[christinaquilter]

Don't you hate it when you get info you don't really want? A co-worker (and fellow nurse) felt the need to relate a story to me about the last time she got high (prob. to feel me out.) And has odd phone conversations at work with her friends from outside work...

So, she does drugs, but she doesn't apear to be impared at work. Do I have any obligations to report this? And WHO would I report it to? My Don is on probation for (an old) drug offence herself (Not feeling al ot of support there.) Also, I really don't want to come off as a "snitch". Also, like everywhere, were short on staff and at work (at least) she's a workable warm body. What to do?

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

This can be a heated topic with many differing opinions. We need to respect each other's opinions though we may not agree with them. Have a nice day.

[here_kitty]

I don't feel that it is my job to do any investigation. It is my job, however, to protect patients. If I believe that any patients may be harmed as a result of a nurse who claims to use drugs, it is my duty to report that, whether I have evidence or not. It could be that a case is being built and all that is needed is information like this.

[Vyktorija]

i don't know if you're talking about an addict, but this is certainly addict behavior. addicts want to get caught. it produces chaos in their life and a feeling that no one loves them which oddly enough creates an equilibrium for them. the outside situation of misery matches their secret inside situation of self-loathing and that doesn't feel so crazy anymore.:cheers:

it sounds like she's trying to get caught... at least sabatoge her situation there because she's unhappy (short staff, etc.) if you guys are close, maybe a reality check of...."be careful what you're wishing for, you might get it" is in order.

if you aren't that close, just remind her the walls have ears and they like to stir the pot! claim "tmi" and tell her next time you hear her talking about that, you're going to make her pee in a cup. you have a hard enough time "staying pure and innocent" without knowing where to get stuff!

good luck!

[K205]

Yes! Wonderfully worded! :bow:

"Don't tell me things I might feel legally and ethically bound to report."

That should stop any further references to it cold.

~faith,

Timothy.

[zacarias, ASN, RN]

Actually if a patient said they killed someone, I don't believe I should call the police unless they ask me to or something. (can someone verify this for me?) It's like if a patient comes in and is a drug dealer, do I report him? No...

Hospitals are safe havens. We are there to treat patients, not arrest them. Of course if we believe someone is going to murder someone, then we can call the police. Oh and of course GSW require the police to be called.

[gr8rnpjt, RN]

Actually if a patient said they killed someone, I don't believe I should call the police unless they ask me to or something. (can someone verify this for me?) It's like if a patient comes in and is a drug dealer, do I report him? No...

Hospitals are safe havens. We are there to treat patients, not arrest them. Of course if we believe someone is going to murder someone, then we can call the police. Oh and of course GSW require the police to be called.

??????

[macanes, BSN, MSN, DNP, CRNA]

You are legally bound to report this.

Why? No, seriously, why is she "legally" bound?

[twinmomoftwins]

Welllll....I think, based from a recent experience, it might be worth a little surreptitious investigation of other staff members...Has "Janie" seemed odd lately, sick , sleepy, slow etc. lately. Esp. to change of shift staff - if you do verbal reports. A nurse, who recreationally uses on her own time, may, under stress (and who doesn't have stress at work??!!) start to use at work, prior to work, "Just this once" and even dip into the "narcs". With easy access to narcotics on a med-surg unit, anything is possible, and who suffers...the patients! While she may have it under control now...that may not always be the case. In the particular case I'm familiar with, several staff noticed a "sleepy nurse",one who commented "oh, I'm not myself lately", left the unit frequently for "respiratory tx" and "I have the runs..don't know what I ate" It wasn't until a discrepancy investigation that she got the axe, and we all finally put the pieces together. YIKES!

[bopps]

Okay, so maybe not legally bound, but what about ethically? Really how would any of us feel if a pt. got hurt because his R.N accidently harmed him because she was sniffing/shooting/smoking whatever. Come on is there any question how we would feel? So why is there even a question about what should be done? You can quietly report it and be done with it. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill but by all means do listen to the quiet voice inside of you telling you,"this isn't quite right".......

[michellebsn]

NOT unless it put patients at risk or co-workers. After all if it is marijuana and she/he does it on their own time on days off and doesn't affect the job...it's their business. This is the criteria that shopuld be used.If they have a drug problem then it should be obvious to co-workers if it is causing uneccesary risks. We already are facing massive limitations on personal freedoms etc. . no-one seems to care if another nurse or a doc drinks on days off as long as they are sober at work. Without good reason, if they are good at their job and don't come to work high....its not anyones business. Too many seem to embrace the BIG BROTHER mentality of 1984 these days.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

I would stay out of it UNLESS I had any reason to believe that patient safety was an issue. If she is competent at work then I don't want to be involved. If she shows signs of impairment at work I would have to report the nurse. I would also tell this nurse that I did not want to hear about it ever again. I would also keep my distance from this nurse as much as possible in the future.

[southern_rn_brat]

Why? No, seriously, why is she "legally" bound?

Because that is what I was told by a member of the Tennessee Board of Nursing. She told me that we are legally bound by our nurse practice act to report any nurse that is using drugs. The way she explained it to me was that if we have an honest suspicion that a nurse is using that we have to report it. What if you know someone is using and you dont report it and they cause a patient harm and you could have prevented it.

I dont know what law or whatever to quote to you but I can also tell you that when I was in drug treatment and now that I am in a nurse support group, the facilitator of the group AND my Tennesee Peer Assistance Program case manager say the same thing.