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.

[pedicurn, LPN, RN]

Thank you! I learn something new everyday! LOL:)

You are most welcome :)

[TDCHIM]

Well ... this sounds all very odd. Sounds like something a nursing instructor with hardly any proper experience would dream up.

I hope this is not what they are teaching you

I have NEVER EVER seen such an unusual situation where a tightly bonded nursing unit protected such a nurse (and the volunteer comes along and saves the day)...it just doesn't happen.... period.

And if it could happen ....that unit would have multiple issues and the boozed nurse would be the lesser of many of them

I believe this is one where you and I will simply have to agree to disagree. I'd like to point out that the entire unit wouldn't have to be boozing or getting high to want to protect other members of their group.

As I'm hardly a novice to the working world, I'll give you an example culled from a past workplace of mine:

At this workplace, there was a group of women who had worked closely together for a few years. One of them happened to be an alcoholic who would sometimes show up smelling of alcohol. Most of the time she did all right, but there were occasions when her speech would slur or she'd be in that post-drunk slow, draggy haze. The unit supervisor was a part of this clique, and actively shielded the alcoholic from the department manager. It took almost two years for anything to happen; eventually the alcoholic fell asleep at her desk and was discovered by someone from another department in that state. She was confronted by management, confessed to having a problem with alcohol, went through a substance abuse program for several weeks, and returned to the job on the understanding that she was subject to frequent random drug/alcohol tests. The unit supervisor was quickly transferred to another department.

None of the other women in the unit were heavy drinkers or drug users; they had just all worked together for a significant period and were good friends. It took an eyewitness report from outside the unit to finally bring matters to a head. I'm certainly not claiming every workplace is like that, but there are real live places where people cover for each other to such a degree.

I do understand the concern over unjustly accusing someone due to an innocuous substance like mouthwash or hand sanitizer. However, to my mind, the safety of the patient has to win out.

I doubt I'll sway you, but I've said my piece and will now withdraw from the debate.

OP, I wish you the best of luck with this situation.

[pedicurn, LPN, RN]

I believe this is one where you and I will simply have to agree to disagree. I'd like to point out that the entire unit wouldn't have to be boozing or getting high to want to protect other members of their group.

As I'm hardly a novice to the working world, I'll give you an example culled from a past workplace of mine:

At this workplace, there was a group of women who had worked closely together for a few years. One of them happened to be an alcoholic who would sometimes show up smelling of alcohol. Most of the time she did all right, but there were occasions when her speech would slur or she'd be in that post-drunk slow, draggy haze. The unit supervisor was a part of this clique, and actively shielded the alcoholic from the department manager. It took almost two years for anything to happen; eventually the alcoholic fell asleep at her desk and was discovered by someone from another department in that state. She was confronted by management, confessed to having a problem with alcohol, went through a substance abuse program for several weeks, and returned to the job on the understanding that she was subject to frequent random drug/alcohol tests. The unit supervisor was quickly transferred to another department.

None of the other women in the unit were heavy drinkers or drug users; they had just all worked together for a significant period and were good friends. It took an eyewitness report from outside the unit to finally bring matters to a head. I'm certainly not claiming every workplace is like that, but there are real live places where people cover for each other to such a degree.

I do understand the concern over unjustly accusing someone due to an innocuous substance like mouthwash or hand sanitizer. However, to my mind, the safety of the patient has to win out.

I doubt I'll sway you, but I've said my piece and will now withdraw from the debate.

OP, I wish you the best of luck with this situation.

Regarding your example ....I take it this is not about nurses ???

Nurses are mandated to report ...I am not sure these coworkers were mandated to do the same,or have the same type of responsibility nurses have ..... hence one can easily imagine a scenario where this might occur. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if this happened in other industries.

I didn't think you were a novice in the working world ....but you appear to be a student and haven't had the specific experience, or education required to imply that I don't know what I am talking about regarding the field I work in. I am not even sure you are a nursing student ???

Your example of an openly boozed alcoholic with slurred speech lasting two years at work before being reported would not have happened at ANY of the several facilities I have been employed as an RN since 1982.

It is perfectly conceivable that many 'hidden' alcoholics have been in those facilites ....that I do not doubt.

I have always worked in large, busy teaching facilities and interact with a few hundred people every day ....and nearly all of those people are mandated to report .....impossible to survive as an openly boozed nurse

PS. We experienced crusty ones get very irritated when students try to tell us that our views are rubbish. Particularly when they are not even nursing students

[Maria Lenore,RN]

Guess you must be sure its alcohol ,

[nursel56]

I've seen nurses circle the wagons around an impaired co-worker a couple of times, and that really means all of them are dysfunctional. In both cases it was in small facilities without much interaction with new people or subject to scrutiny by a changing group of individuals as you have in the large facilities.

pedicurn -- I think what some people are saying is OK for a non-nurse to report that because non-nurses report suspected impairment in other jobs involving the possibilty that the impaired person might kill a lot of people, such as an air traffic controller or a pilot. If the person working in the airport gift shop gets a face full of booze-breath from the oncoming pilot what should or could she do?

It is a tough call-- false accusations proven false still linger in the minds of many people and I would expect someone to be very careful, too. There is no door to get your reputation back, as the saying goes.

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

Are you sure?

Could be breath freshener spray, gargle, medication. She may have a sore throat and be using medication with an alcohol base.

Is she impaired? If so ...what aspects of her behaviour suggest impairment? Slurred speech? Alteration gait?

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

Over zealous? I don't think she is over zealous. Anyone in the hospital including volunteers have a duty towards patient safety, and if she thinks a nurse is drinking then she should report it. All of the what ifs can be settled afterwards between management and the nurse in question. And she may not even act impaired, if her tolorance is high enough.

Report it.

[twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN]

Nurses are mandated to report ...I am not sure these coworkers were mandated to do the same,or have the same type of responsibility nurses have ..... hence one can easily imagine a scenario where this might occur. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if this happened in other industries.

To me this isn't a mandated reporting issue. Mandated reporting deals with abuse of finances, physical, mental, verbal towards those who cannot help themselves. But if I remember correctly when hired we are all brought through a briefing where we are told it is everyones responsibility towards patient safety, that includes volunteers, housekeeping, dietary, everyone.