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Alcoholic Nurse, Did I do the Right Thing? Poll

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Originally posted by: eakers
Originally posted by: RaynorWolfcastle
did you speak with the guy first? Speaking with management is the right thing to do, if you've spoken to the concerned parties first

He shouldn't have to in this case. What if the guy goes nuts and threaten to kill him if he gets fired? The Nurse KNOWS they are not supposed to be drinking, so they shouldnt be surprised if some one ratted him out.
 
Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I didn't talk with the guy, it's not my place, it's not the law & generally counter-productive.

Absolutely right. I shudder to think the number of patients he treated while under the influence.
 
You were in the right on this one. He obviously has a problem, and in no way, shape, or form should have anything to do with other people's health at this point. He can't even keep his own life straight, why should he be entrusted with other people's?
 
Originally posted by: amnesiac 2.0
Can the morons who voted "narc bastard" please at least state your reasons for voting why?

There's no excuse to show up intoxicated to any job, ever.
This goes double for such jobs where people's lives are YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

How would you like it if a family member was in the hospital and died because the nurse was drunk and administered the wrong medicine/procedure?

The help in hospitals is scary enough without them coming in to work tossed. :|
I was thinking the same thing. At the time I voted, 10 people had selected that choice. I guess they're too big of cowards to step in here and defend their reasons for voting. Showing up intoxicated for any position - even if you work in a liquor store or are a bartender should be grounds for immediate dismissal.

If you're a nurse, doctor, police officer, firefighter - or any other profession where the lives of others could often be in your hands, you need every bit of sane brain power that you have to carry out the task. Being intoxicated where you can't think clearly to properly handle a situation is not a good mix.

 
Just another thought ...

Additionally, people with addictions might end up wanting to get caught. Maybe this nurse didn't feel that they had the will-power to overcome their disease - or, to ask for assistance in getting to the bottom of the issues. They probably wanted to get caught - so now they can be forced into getting proper treatment.
 
He's slowly killing himself. If it won't be him, it will be some innocent person. For my self,i would haven turned his sorry ass in.
 
Originally posted by: Squisher
You should sleep well tonight knowing that you did the right thing.


Hey, it's these though decisions that show our true colors.

Agreed. Kudos!

I do have to ask one question tho. If he's been coming in like this for 2 years - why did you wait so long to take that next step? I'm just curious - but I am glad that you did the right thing and turned him in! Here's hoping he's shown the error of his ways!
 
Ya did the right thing. Congratulations for stepping up to the plate of responsibility and dealing with a problem and averting a disaster. My hat's off to ya.
 
I agree you did the right thing but only because of his profession. If someone's life didn't hang in the balance then i would say otherwise but a drunk ER nurse is totally unacceptable.
 
just wondering, did you tell your boss, that if he wouldn't do anything, that you would go the the boss' boss? I think that's kinda important, but yeah, you did the right thing 🙂
 
I found it difficult to reply in the poll as worded: <<"Yes, you had no choice, it's a public safety issue.">> Actually you DID have a choice - public safety issue or not, to remain SILENT - but you did make the RIGHT one to speak out.

EDIT: . . . so . . . why'd you wait 2 years? 😀
 
I wonder if there is any documentation of you reporting this to your boss.
Sounds like he needs to be CANNED immediatley, this sort of thing is a MAJOR lawsuit waiting to happen.
His superiors would like to know about his negligence also I'm sure.
 
Oops, wrong thread. lol! I hate when that happens. Here is the response I was 'supposed' to have pasted:
I finally e-mailed my boss's boss & her supervisor, turning him in for drinking today. I'm obligated to report this kind of stuff by my licensing agency & have been concerned about the liability & possible danger to patients.

I sort of feel bad, but feel like I didn't have much of a choice.
Its understandible that you feel bad, but look at it this way, you have actually given this guy an opportunity to save his license, his career, and perhaps even his life.

You know that hospitals and state licensing boards usually don't persecute nurses or other medical personnel with substance abuse problems, they almost always recommend treatment and counseling for the first offense. But that employee must demonstrate a willingness to admit their problem and a desire to change, even if it is only to save their jobs. However, had he been allowed to continue unti he made a potentially dangerous mistake that was due to his substance abuse problem, hospitals and licensing boards are not as forgiving when you've actually harmed someone.

You have dealt him a more favorable hand, its up to him to play it right. This isn't an option he would have been given had he harmed someone.
 
You should have complined to the goverment two years ago when you first noticed he was drunk on the job. Assuming he is fired he will easly be able to find a new job and still put people lives at risk.
 
I am sure that you did the right thing. I would probably have done the same, although I hope not to have to be in the same situation.

For a healthcare worker to be drunk on duty, is unacceptable. Similarly, I believe it is also unacceptable for your superiors to fail to act, and maintain their duty of care to the patients at the hospital.

Perhaps, the only thing I would have done differently would have been to tell the appropriate professional body (College of nursing), about their member's unprofessional conduct. These organisations have a lot of power, and will not back down or push it under the carpet if they are told of misconduct. They have the power to cancel professional registration, or to temporarily suspend it pending professional treatment.

To give an example of how seriously misconduct may be treated by such a body: a nurse was pulled over for speeding, and told the officer that she was a nurse as part of a speech to try and avoid a speeding conviction. The police officer contacted the college of nursing. They investigated, and found her guilty of bringing the profession into disrepute - her membership was revoked, and she was not able to work as a nurse thereafter.
 
You did a very right thing. Last thing a hostpital needs is nurse that's half plowed from the night before calling in the wrong order and administering it. Or swapping the IV bags around and giving the wrong thing, or the whole other slew of very bad things that could go wrong.

Maybe getting fired will slap him the face and help him get his act together. I doubt it, but that's not your problem. Your job is to provide the best service possible to the people under your care. If someone on your crew isn't doing that, it's your duty to fix it.

You did your job.
 
Originally posted by: apoppin
I found it difficult to reply in the poll as worded: <<"Yes, you had no choice, it's a public safety issue.">> Actually you DID have a choice - public safety issue or not, to remain SILENT - but you did make the RIGHT one to speak out.

EDIT: . . . so . . . why'd you wait 2 years? 😀

I didn't wait 2 years, I told my boss repeatedly, & was ignored, I found out that lots of my co-workers have complained too, so the "narc bastards" are covered.

 
You did the right thing.

Drunk medical professionals have no business taking care of people who are sick.

I'm interested in seeing the opinion of 911paramedic on this. Someone should PM him this thread.
 
You did the right thing. You might feel bad for your coworker now, but you'll feel better knowing you prevented possible medical errors.
 
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