What do you do when you come across a...

[Despareux]

nurse whose breath smells of alcohol? I have only worked with her twice and both times she has smelled like alcohol.

I'm thinking that maybe she has a hangover or it's her medications. I don't want to get her in trouble when there is no trouble.

[cookienay]

While I am sure that Ebony means well, taking the route she suggests may be against your hospital P&P. I know my facility's policy strictly prohibits you approaching the person directly. THat is why you have managers/supervisors. If you are a volunteer, I would advise you to speak with your direct supervisor regarding this matter. It is then up to them to determine if there is indeed an issue with them being impaired. Also, you could look up the policy and follow it to the letter. Just because someone does not appear to be intoxicated does not mean that they are not.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

to my knowledge, alcohol is odorless.....

[CNL2B]

to my knowledge, alcohol is odorless.....

LOL. Do you drink? I'm thinking you don't. Haven't you ever had a drunk patient? Yes, the distinct smell of a distillery is .... odorless. No, I don't think so. Drunk people smell like booze, even into the next day when they have been sober for hours. Sometimes if you really tie one on, it seems to seep out your pores.

After looking over these posts, I'd have to say a couple posts up was probably the best advice -- said volunteer should go to her supervisor and report her suspicions for follow up, and drop it there. There is a lot of potential drama with trying to figure out who this person's direct supervisor is and then contacting them that could be avoided by just going to her own boss. (Times like these are when I love my managers .... staying out of that stuff is a good thing.)

[AlynnSN]

Remember that some mouthwashes contain alcohol. I would not report unless there were signs of intoxication.

Waiting until signs of intoxication show up might put patients at risk in the meantime.

[AlynnSN]

You mentioned that you are a volunteer. I don't think you are mandated to report this ...why are you thinking it's your responsibility to do this? A little over zealous perhaps

Well that's kind of rude! That's great we have CONCERNED volunteers! Obviously OP is suspicious the nurse's breath smells like alcohol. Preventing something from happening before it possibly does is the only thing OP is trying to do. Overzealous is not fitting in this situation.

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

Mouthwash will also give the smell. The point is it's not your problem. Tell a nursing supervisor and let them handle it. That way everybody wins.

[sharpeimom]

as has been stated above, the op is not a mandated reporter.

also:

1. for years i used a fluoride-based dental rinse that had a surprising amount of etoh in it,since it

was designed for young children. i had a routine employment-related ua and the etoh from that

rx rinse showed up. i know it was the rinse because i absolutely do not drink. my husband used to

tell me when i used it, that i "smelled like booze." so i never used it before work.

2. one of the inhalers my asthmatic mom used (i forget which one it was) made her breath smell as

though she had been drinking.

moral?

don't assume.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

Don't assume she's drinking, or don't assume she's NOT?

[morte, LPN, LVN]

LOL. Do you drink? I'm thinking you don't. Haven't you ever had a drunk patient? Yes, the distinct smell of a distillery is .... odorless. No, I don't think so. Drunk people smell like booze, even into the next day when they have been sober for hours. Sometimes if you really tie one on, it seems to seep out your pores.

After looking over these posts, I'd have to say a couple posts up was probably the best advice -- said volunteer should go to her supervisor and report her suspicions for follow up, and drop it there. There is a lot of potential drama with trying to figure out who this person's direct supervisor is and then contacting them that could be avoided by just going to her own boss. (Times like these are when I love my managers .... staying out of that stuff is a good thing.)

what you are smelling is not the ETOH......but either the the other stuff taken with it, ie, the grape in wine etc, or the results of the metabolism......and yes, i have been known to imbibe on occasion, lol

[KaroSnowQueen, RN]

Almost all booze has a smell, beer, whiskey,mixed drinks, they ALL have an ETOH odor to them. But so do many mouthwashes and some medications. The OP should go to her supervisor and report it to her, and let her deal with it. The nurse might be a drinker, or she may just be afraid of halitosis!

[sharpeimom]

don't assume she's drinking, or don't assume she's not?

don't assume either way.

i wasn't making a moral judgement when i said i absolutely do not drink. i had an alcoholic grandfather and several alcoholic aunts and uncles plus a couple of cousins.

while neither parent was alcoholic, i still carry the genes and that's no place where i ever want to go!

[Lilli-Anna]

to my knowledge, alcohol is odorless.....

Yea, right!