Comments on: blogosphere buzz: my problem with beer is… http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html a nurse blog. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 06:10:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Student Nurse Nancy http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-77048 Fri, 16 May 2008 19:22:14 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-77048 We had a patient who was on her 16th detox since the age of 13. She was only 24. She told us on one return visit that after her last detox her husband celebrated her return by making her dinner and buying her a bottle of wine. She didn't get it. Either did he. Spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on detoxing someone who doesn't get it seems pointless to me. But that said, I don't think I could pour an alcoholic a precribed 20ml of whiskey or open their beer can and hand it over with a smile. I don't know what the solution is. We had a patient who was on her 16th detox since the age of 13. She was only 24. She told us on one return visit that after her last detox her husband celebrated her return by making her dinner and buying her a bottle of wine. She didn’t get it. Either did he. Spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars on detoxing someone who doesn’t get it seems pointless to me. But that said, I don’t think I could pour an alcoholic a precribed 20ml of whiskey or open their beer can and hand it over with a smile. I don’t know what the solution is.

]]> by: Kj http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76999 Thu, 15 May 2008 23:06:47 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76999 Just discharged a meths drinker who realized the Hibiclense hand cleaner had a micron of alcohol in it and began to drink it by the glass full...... Had to strip her room of anything remotely drinkable.. Very inconvenient. Just discharged a meths drinker who realized the Hibiclense hand cleaner had a micron of alcohol in it and began to drink it by the glass full……
Had to strip her room of anything remotely drinkable..
Very inconvenient.

]]> by: may http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76867 Wed, 14 May 2008 00:03:13 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76867 thanks to everyone for your input. sid: i am not aware of a drug that will substitute for alcohol, like a nicotene patch for smoking. if there is one out there, i do not see any reason why the docs won't use it. i just assumed there is none because in the hospital where i work, there is no such thing. thanks to everyone for your input.

sid: i am not aware of a drug that will substitute for alcohol, like a nicotene patch for smoking. if there is one out there, i do not see any reason why the docs won’t use it. i just assumed there is none because in the hospital where i work, there is no such thing.

]]> by: Murse Charles http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76813 Tue, 13 May 2008 00:47:54 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76813 I have always been an ER nurse and have not dealt alot with pts detoxing. However, having an uncle who is an alcoholic I can not imagine if he is hospitalized that one beer TID or even a shot of whiskey at bedtime would do very much for his habit of 2 cases of beer a day. But whatever works. ETOH withdrawl is one of the most(if not the most) dangerous things a person can go through, if a beer or two can help prevent it from occuring I say go for it. Murse Charles I have always been an ER nurse and have not dealt alot with pts detoxing. However, having an uncle who is an alcoholic I can not imagine if he is hospitalized that one beer TID or even a shot of whiskey at bedtime would do very much for his habit of 2 cases of beer a day. But whatever works.

ETOH withdrawl is one of the most(if not the most) dangerous things a person can go through, if a beer or two can help prevent it from occuring I say go for it.

Murse Charles

]]> by: Nurse Stella http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76773 Mon, 12 May 2008 11:03:35 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76773 Having worked in a rehab center, I have seen that 'forced' detox does nothing to stop the drinking. You absolutely have to address the underlying issues. Having worked in hospitals that treated the presenting illness and detoxed the pt in order to continue treating the presenting illness, I've seen it doesn't work in the long run. Having grown up with an alcoholic father and brother, I hate what alcoholism does to the person and the family. But would I give a pt a beer or whiskey on a doctor's order to prevent DT's and withdrawal? Yes. Because until that patient is ready to stop drinking, and until he/she is ready to face up to the ghosts that make them drink, nothing is going to stop them. Alcoholism is a disease, like diabetes. And you can't make a diabetic compliant unless they want to be. And you can't make an alcoholic stop drinking until they are ready. You just offer support and education. I respect your feelings on the topic. These are just mine. Having worked in a rehab center, I have seen that ‘forced’ detox does nothing to stop the drinking. You absolutely have to address the underlying issues. Having worked in hospitals that treated the presenting illness and detoxed the pt in order to continue treating the presenting illness, I’ve seen it doesn’t work in the long run. Having grown up with an alcoholic father and brother, I hate what alcoholism does to the person and the family. But would I give a pt a beer or whiskey on a doctor’s order to prevent DT’s and withdrawal? Yes. Because until that patient is ready to stop drinking, and until he/she is ready to face up to the ghosts that make them drink, nothing is going to stop them. Alcoholism is a disease, like diabetes. And you can’t make a diabetic compliant unless they want to be. And you can’t make an alcoholic stop drinking until they are ready. You just offer support and education. I respect your feelings on the topic. These are just mine.

]]> by: Sid Leavitt http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76765 Mon, 12 May 2008 03:32:35 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76765 Another excellent post on a complex subject. I agree with Geena that an acute care hospital isn't a rehab unit, but I also understand your discomfort with giving an addict more of the drug that he or she is addicted to. In the case of an alcoholic, can't the hospital administer a drug that substitutes for alcohol so that the addiction isn't fed further? Another excellent post on a complex subject. I agree with Geena that an acute care hospital isn’t a rehab unit, but I also understand your discomfort with giving an addict more of the drug that he or she is addicted to. In the case of an alcoholic, can’t the hospital administer a drug that substitutes for alcohol so that the addiction isn’t fed further?

]]> by: Kj http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76763 Mon, 12 May 2008 00:11:20 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76763 We used to have a Dr in the medical unit of a mid sized hospital I used to work in that used to order alcohol on a regular basis. For long term patients, and we had a lot of them, he would offer them a whiskey or a brandy at night instead of a sleep aid med. It worked. The patients were happy and relaxed, they slept well and woke up without the drug induced sleep hangover. The alcoholic patients were monitored very closely and only allowed a 20ml nip but it sometimes was enough in combination with meds. It worked in that unit. I'm not sure it would work where I am now, But if they tried it I'd go along with it because I have seen it work positively in the past. There are some patients who I would love to give a brandy instead of another medication to get them off to sleep and they would probably enjoy it a hell of a lot more, but things here are different! Bigger hospital, Different kind of staff and management, Different type of patient. Times change We used to have a Dr in the medical unit of a mid sized hospital I used to work in that used to order alcohol on a regular basis.
For long term patients, and we had a lot of them, he would offer them a whiskey or a brandy at night instead of a sleep aid med.
It worked.
The patients were happy and relaxed,
they slept well and woke up without the drug induced sleep hangover.
The alcoholic patients were monitored very closely and only allowed a 20ml nip but it sometimes was enough in combination with meds.
It worked in that unit.

I’m not sure it would work where I am now,
But if they tried it I’d go along with it because I have seen it work positively in the past.

There are some patients who I would love to give a brandy instead of another medication to get them off to sleep and they would probably enjoy it a hell of a lot more, but things here are different!

Bigger hospital,
Different kind of staff and management,
Different type of patient.

Times change

]]> by: Onehealthpro http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76737 Sun, 11 May 2008 17:22:11 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76737 I never give up on others, because though alcoholism has never been my problem, I have been difficult to deal with sometimes and important people in my life did not give up on me. You never know when someone's teachable moment will occur. Suppose ten years later someone else seizes the day and offers assistance. Now you have a patient who will wonder the rest of their life why no other professionals tried to help. Onehealthpro I never give up on others, because though alcoholism has never been my problem, I have been difficult to deal with sometimes and important people in my life did not give up on me. You never know when someone’s teachable moment will occur. Suppose ten years later someone else seizes the day and offers assistance. Now you have a patient who will wonder the rest of their life why no other professionals tried to help.
Onehealthpro

]]> by: kimmyk http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76726 Sun, 11 May 2008 11:45:56 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76726 Happy Mother's Day May!!! Happy Mother’s Day May!!!

]]> by: geena http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76706 Sun, 11 May 2008 05:13:06 +0000 http://www.aboutanurse.com/2008/05/blogosphere-buzz-my-problem-with-beer-is.html#comment-76706 I have never had an order from a doc to give a patient alcohol. I've heard about other nurses doing it but I never have. That said, I would absolutely give them beer, wine, whatever while they were in the hospital. I would not feel like an enabler, not even a little bit. Although alcoholism did not affect my life as strongly as it did yours, May, it definitely has a presence in my family. I feel very strongly that an acute care hospital is not a rehab. I'm very interested to read other comments! I have never had an order from a doc to give a patient alcohol. I’ve heard about other nurses doing it but I never have.

That said, I would absolutely give them beer, wine, whatever while they were in the hospital. I would not feel like an enabler, not even a little bit. Although alcoholism did not affect my life as strongly as it did yours, May, it definitely has a presence in my family.

I feel very strongly that an acute care hospital is not a rehab.

I’m very interested to read other comments!

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