How do you deal with a student that is brought in by Admin to "check to see if they are under the influence"?
I've had this happen 3 times in the past 2 weeks. I do my head to toe nursing assessment and interview the student and report my findings to admin.
What I don't understand is that they look at me for a definitive answer whether YES or NO they are under the influence, and get irate if I'm unable to provide that definite answer. Only 1 time was I able to confirm via my findings and the Student openly admitting to drinking and being drunk.
I do not have any special tools (eg brethalyzer), and am not trained to give a field sobriety test... Sometimes I tell them, "This is not the TV show COPS, I can only use my nursing assessment and nursing skills".
With our SOR on campus, I don't get asked to assess most of the time. We went through a training with the Sheriffs department a while back that was helpful, but I only had to use it a couple of times.
I was remembering one of the first times I was asked to come check some one. I was soooo nervous. All I really did was take the vital signs. I remember the cop in the room saying, "I can tell by your numbers, you're under the influence." I had no clue and immediately went to my friend Google to find out. I think in that instance, they had actually been caught outside the ag shop doing something.
Other times, I have had them admit to me that they were under the influence.
I am not sure I would be prepared to screen all 2400 of them for substance abuse risk. Not denying that it's a valid question. Just wondering...how....
I am not sure I would be prepared to screen all 2400 of them for substance abuse risk. Not denying that it's a valid question. Just wondering...how....
SBIRT is the screening the screening tool and as I am in MA, I have to implement it at the 7th and 9th grade level myself this school year. For me, that means screening about 200 students (thankfully not 2400!), but that is addition to the rest of the screenings I have to do for grades 7-12 and I'm an army of 1. After my training on it, I think it could add 3-5 minutes per student as they suggest to group it with another screening (such as postural, which I do in the spring).
Thankfully the nurse that works with the lower grades at my school is getting trained to also be able to screen next week so she can help me out.
Yes please! I would love any additional resources - I can PM you if that easier.
May I get a copy of the tool that you use for assessing impairment at the HS level?
On 2/6/2018 at 7:52 AM, BeckyESRN said:
I think I've offered this up before, but we have a pretty through assessment tool that we use in my district. I'd be happy to share if anyone wants it!
This toolkit was developed to assist Massachusetts healthcare providers and organizations in implementing regular Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) for unhealthy alcohol and drug use in clinics and practices.
Is it safe to assume your school doesn't have an SRO? If you do, that would be the go to person for these issues, seeing as how they ARE trained in field sobriety type tests. If not, I think you're doing the best you can with what you're given.
My SRO is usually the one that brings them to my office right around the time the first bell rings and all my other little darlings are suddenly too sick to make it to class ?
JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN
3,035 Posts
This is perfect - thank you!