MR

Today, I had to make the most painful decision of my nursing career; I had to tell my director that my friend and coworker has been coming to work drunk. I feel so bad that it had to come to this but the safety and care of the patients come first. I was told that she will get all the help that they can give her but she had been warned before about this behavior... I have possibly lost my friend forever and my heart is so heavy.. I cried like a big baby over it but the safety of my patients has to come first.

annpea wrote:Today, I had to make the most painful decision of my nursing career; I had to tell my director that my friend and coworker has been coming to work drunk. I feel so bad that it had to come to this but the safety and care of the patients come first. I was told that she will get all the help that they can give her but she had been warned before about this behavior... I have possibly lost my friend forever and my heart is so heavy.. I cried like a big baby over it but the safety of my patients has to come first.

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Pardon my language, but fuck the friend thing. When a person is drunk and is putting other's lives in danger friend or not something needs to be said...

As a nurse also, you did the right thing of course. As for your friendship, once she gets the help she obviously needs, and if she can truly realize the good you did for her and the patients, your friendship will hopefully weather that in the end. I wish you the best for that.

S2M wrote:

annpea wrote:Today, I had to make the most painful decision of my nursing career; I had to tell my director that my friend and coworker has been coming to work drunk. I feel so bad that it had to come to this but the safety and care of the patients come first. I was told that she will get all the help that they can give her but she had been warned before about this behavior... I have possibly lost my friend forever and my heart is so heavy.. I cried like a big baby over it but the safety of my patients has to come first.

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Pardon my language, but fuck the friend thing. When a person is drunk and is putting other's lives in danger friend or not something needs to be said...

You are right, I had to do something our patients put their trust in us to care for them, sometimes we're all they have as a frontline defense from more hurt or harm.

Just kidding. You did the right thing.

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quote="Melissa"]As a nurse also, you did the right thing of course. As for your friendship, once she gets the help she obviously needs, and if she can truly realize the good you did for her and the patients, your friendship will hopefully weather that in the end. I wish you the best for that.

[/quote] I, hope so, God I hope she understand that I love her and want her to get her life back on track. That this is not to hurt but to help her.

You co worker will thank you eventually - this might cause them to hit rock bottom and realise that they need help with their drinking problem . Once the haze of the alcohol passes from their head and they get their self control back, they will thank you

Gin and Tonic Sky wrote:You co worker will thank you eventually - this might cause them to hit rock bottom and realise that they need help with their drinking problem . Once the haze of the alcohol passes from their head and they get their self control back, they will thank you

Matt's right. You did the right thing, and when she gets back on track, she will probably eventually thank you for it. But until she has hit "her" rock bottom, she probably won't do anything about it. You've probably helped her in more ways than one.

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quote="Gin and Tonic Sky"]You co worker will thank you eventually - this might cause them to hit rock bottom and realise that they need help with their drinking problem . Once the haze of the alcohol passes from their head and they get their self control back, they will thank you

[/quote] I pray that, that will happen... I won't worry about the thank you I just want her whole again.

Deb wrote:

Gin and Tonic Sky wrote:You co worker will thank you eventually - this might cause them to hit rock bottom and realise that they need help with their drinking problem . Once the haze of the alcohol passes from their head and they get their self control back, they will thank you

Matt's right. You did the right thing, and when she gets back on track, she will probably eventually thank you for it. But until she has hit "her" rock bottom, she probably won't do anything about it. You've probably helped her in more ways than one.

I hope so, she is a wonderful person who has suffered a lot of cruelty in her life but still she has a heart as big as the whole outdoors, we all love her and want the best for her.

May I ask, how do you manage to fuck up every quote !? Stevew2 had this same problem the first 2 years , but he is a pro now...well in the quoting department.

I, don't know B, just good at it I guess.

annpea wrote:Today, I had to make the most painful decision of my nursing career; I had to tell my director that my friend and coworker has been coming to work drunk. I feel so bad that it had to come to this but the safety and care of the patients come first. I was told that she will get all the help that they can give her but she had been warned before about this behavior... I have possibly lost my friend forever and my heart is so heavy.. I cried like a big baby over it but the safety of my patients has to come first.

You did the right thing for sure! I've had to do the same thing twice in my career (and a third time unintentionally-long story) and it was not fun-except it was reporting other nurses for taking narcotics-and both were my very good friends, but standing by doing nothing is dangerous to everyone.

BTW-both of these nurses are still my very good friends-there was period of time where they didn't speak to me but eventually things got better and we talk all the time now and we just never bring it up.

Behshad wrote:May I ask, how do you manage to fuck up every quote !? Stevew2 had this same problem the first 2 years , but he is a pro now...well in the quoting department.

Dude is a pro at getting vacations. He is on his 13th one now I believe.

Oh about the drunk nurse? I am willing to bet that if she asks for help voluntarily, rather than gets caught working hammered, she'll get help and keep her job. As long as she goes to them first. That is the key. Hell, she'll be given great care I am sure.

Oh and Beshad, Absolute is like Ford..cheap and it sucks.

Rockindeano wrote:

Behshad wrote:May I ask, how do you manage to fuck up every quote !? Stevew2 had this same problem the first 2 years , but he is a pro now...well in the quoting department.

Dude is a pro at getting vacations. He is on his 13th one now I believe.

Oh about the drunk nurse? I am willing to bet that if she asks for help voluntarily, rather than gets caught working hammered, she'll get help and keep her job. As long as she goes to them first. That is the key. Hell, she'll be given great care I am sure.

Oh and Beshad, Absolute is like Ford..cheap and it sucks.

wow! Good thing for him he drinks Absolut then!

You did the BEST THING any friend could do for another FRIEND.

You should feel very "at peace" with your decision.

It's hard I realize but, you did the right thing on so many levels...

I concur with everyone else that you did the right thing but what makes me curious is how come no one else noticed that this person was intoxicated?

...and consider that one of the most important steps in AA is honesty and truthfulness. if she is able to work the steps she will realize you really didn't have any other choice and did what should be done. in a strange twist you are probably the best friend she will ever have.

Marabelle wrote:...and consider that one of the most important steps in AA is honesty and truthfulness. if she is able to work the steps she will realize you really didn't have any other choice and did what should be done.

in a strange twist you are probably the best friend she will ever have.

Sorry for the "overkill" of your quote, Marabelle....

But YOU HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.....I just wanted to point that out.

Excellent post.