Question: Working Under the Influence There have been rumors for some time that Mrs. Clark, one of the night nurses on the unit you supervise, has been coming to work under the infl uence of alcohol. Fellow staff have reported the odor of alcohol on her breath, and one staff member stated that her speech is often slurred. The night supervisor states that she believes "this is not my problem," and your night charge nurse has never been on duty when Mrs. Clark has shown this behavior. This morning, one of the patients whispered to you that he thought Mrs. Clark had been drinking when she came to work last night. When you question the patient further, he states, "Mrs. Clark seemed to perform her nursing duties okay, but she made me nervous." You have decided that you must talk with Mrs. Clark. You call her at her home and ask her to come to your office at 3 PM.

ASSIGNMENT: Determine how you are going to approach Mrs. Clark. Outline your plan, and provide rationale for your choices. What flexibility have you built into your plan? How much of your documentation will be shared with Mrs. Clark?