I think its very difficult when your not an alcoholic and you have you have to deal with people who are actively.  It’s impossible to be around their behavoir especially when someone doesn’t go to AA and think they can do this themselves or think just not drinking is the answer. It’s even harder when that person is a fellow nurse or doctor or healthcare worker because in that case you have an ethical responsibility to do something. Actually the responsibility goes beyond ethical. In Florida is required.

We, nurses,  have an ethical responsibility to report. We have an ethical responsibility to help. Don’t let anyone tell you any different.

http://www.nursingworld.org/codeofethics

Moral courage helps us address ethical issues and take action when doing the right thing is not easy. Moral courage involves the willingness to speak out and do what is right in the face of forces that would lead us to act in some other way.

Your a nurse 24 hours a day.

Take a moment to remember the nurse who said she wasn’t working as a nurse and therefore she wasn’t going to perform cpr.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/781098_3

http://scrubsmag.com/emt-faces-criminal-charges-after-reportedly-failing-to-provide-care/

Believe me when we screw up the first thing that is pointed out is that we are nurses.

So I think it’s important to understand our responsibilities.

http://www.nursetogether.com/ethical-issue-in-nursing-when-your-colleag

http://drug.addictionblog.org/nursing-code-of-ethics-should-nurses-report-co-worker-drug-use/

So I found this article and I really loved it.  It deals with one issue. EGO and ego. This is one thing that can drive you crazy while dealing with a patient. client , friend or family member. I hope it will help others understand.

http://www.thejaywalker.com/pages/tiebout/index.html

“Dr Harry M. Tiebout

Dr. Harry M. Tiebout, a psychiatrist, was an early pioneer in coupling the principles and philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous with psychiatric knowledge of alcoholism. A strong supporter of A.A. throughout his life, he consistently worked for acceptance of his views concerning alcoholism the medical and psychiatric professions. He served on the Board of Trustees for A.A. from 1957 to 1966, and was chairman of the National Council on Alcoholism in 1950.”

An incredibly thoughtful man.

 

http://www.silkworth.net/tiebout/tiebout_egofactors.html

some of my favorite parts.

“ The first question, what factors in the individual must surrender received passing attention in the article on compliance. There, relative to the difficulty of surrender, I noted that “the presence of an apparently unconquerable ego became evident. It was this ego which had to become humble.” The first part of the present communication will be devoted to an elaboration of the nature of this ego factor.”

“Let us take the same trait of doing everything in a hurry and apply it to the word “immature.” Few will deny that jumping at conclusions, doing things as speedily as possible, give evidence of immaturity. It is youth that drives fast, thinks fast, feels fast, moves fast, acts hastily in most situations. There can be little question that one of the hallmarks of the immature is the proneness to be under inner pressure for accomplishment. Big plans, big schemes, big hopes abound, unfortunately not matched by an ability to produce. But the effect upon the adult of the persisting infantile quality to do everything in less than sufficient time can now be seen in a clearer light. The adult trait is surely a survival from the original psyche of the infant.”

“Inability to Accept Frustration

The last trait carried over from infancy is the inability to accept frustration. In an obvious sense, this inability is another aspect of the king within, since one of the prerogatives of royalty is to proceed without interruption. For the king to wait is an affront to the royal rank, a slap at his majesty. The ramifications of this inability to endure frustration are so widespread, and the significance of much that occurs in the behavior of the alcoholic is so far-reaching, that it seems advisable to discuss this trait under a separate heading.”

There are plenty of incredible articles written by Dr Tiebout and how I wish I just knew one psychiatrist who put the amount of thought and compassion into his work as opposed to being there to write a prescription every fifteen minutes. Drugs have taken over our beloved practice of psychiatry. Sometimes good. Sometimes not so good.

Florida has an awesome impaired practitioner program. Here is the one for nurses. There is also one for doctors and for pharmacists.

http://www.ipnfl.org/

Florida is one of the first programs and the program is an alternative to discipline. It’s approach is non punitive.  Here is a link to some great videos. It’s actually grounds for disciplinary action not to report. So it even goes beyond ethics to being a part of the Florida Nurse Practice Act.

http://www.ipnfl.org/ipneducational.html

here is the video on you tube

So as usual, not the blog I wanted to write but the blog that evolved.

What’s the best way to deal with an active alcoholic in your midst? What do you think?