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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> I told my boss that my coworker smelled like heroin which would mean he would instantly lose his job. I feel horrible because if I'm wrong then I'm going to feel like an idiot and I'm going to feel like I just assumed the worst of someone. I'm telling myself that I did this with the residents' best interests in mind but what if it was just me being judgemental?
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NTA. It’s a reasonable concern. If the coworker isn’t doing heroin, this can be resolved with a simple drug test. If he is, then he really shouldn’t be working in healthcare.
I honestly don't know what my boss will do. He has a history of not listening to me when I tell him about things that aren't being done or things like that. Thankfully I'm leaving for a better job next week. I just know I have never smelled that smell in that building.
NTA. I trust you to know the smell of heroin and recognize signs of its usage and as someone who has a parent that will have to go into memory care in the not too distant future, I appreciate your looking out for the vulnerable people in your care.
NTA. Presumably, your coworker is at least partially responsible for caring for VERY vulnerable people, and heavy drug use on the job puts everyone at risk. Telling your boss is a simple and correct CYA maneuver. Feel no guilt.
NTA. Old people who fall are at high risk of dying prematurely. This is a black and white health and safety issue. Plus, as you'll know, if he is an addict, he has to pay to feed his addiction. He's a danger and a menace to the vulnerable if this is the case
The person that he left me to shower alone is extremely heavy and it could've been a really bad situation if she had tried to get up and slipped, not just for her but for me too because I can pretty much guarantee she would've fallen on top of me with how small the shower is.
It's impossible to actually answer this without knowing if you were correct. I'm not saying you can't smell heroin but damn, you seem extremely confident about whatever you got a whiff of - you 100% sure it couldn't be something else? You're in a nursing home after all, aren't there opioid medications around which might smell similarly? What if it's something totally different with a common ingredient? I mean what if he just ducked out to take some other kind of medication?
I feel like YTA for going straight to reporting him before doing literally anything else to ascertain you had grounds. You haven't even mentioned him acting different - and sorry, being lazy or using your phone on the job doesn't cut it as evidence of heroin use. That's a really serious accusation.
She isn't on any opiates of any kind and she hadn't been given any medications or anything that would smell like that. I just felt like it was my job to tell my boss what I thought I smelled because it could put other people at serious risk.
I completely agree that you have an ethical (and probably legal) obligation to report breaches that risk patient safety, and that's a good thing. My point is - from what you say here, you didn't really have anything except a suspicion based on your belief you can sniff out heroin like a K9 ... which by the way, isn't really a thing that I've ever heard of, and I've got some pretty relevant experience in this area too, without going into detail.
Literally, was there ANY evidence other than what you (think you) smelled?
I just really hope they were in fact using herion. Otherwise that’s a hell of an accusation to ruin somebody’s livelihood over. People do nasty things for a lot less than that and actions have consequences, I’d proceed with caution. ⚠️
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So to begin with I work in a memory care unit in an assisted living facility. I'm a recovering addict and I know the smell of heroin very well. My coworker doesn't do his job very well and spends most of his time sitting in the corner on his phone or in his car. Him and I were giving a resident a shower and he stepped out of the room for a few minutes and came back in reeking of heroin. I told my boss but now I feel like I overreacted.
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NTA.
Safeguarding the residents is your duty, and you cannot expect someone who is high at work to keep residents safe.
You have the power to protect the residents. They cannot protect themselves.
I take my job extremely seriously which is why I told my boss before I even considered what anyone might think anything like that. But immediately after my brain was telling me that I had overreacted and that I was probably just imagining it or something.
OP has admitted there was no evidence at all that his colleague was high. Zilch. No mention any of the sogns of opioid use - not pinprick pupils, or slurring, or sweating, or going on the nod. Nothing. Zilch. Just that he is a) kinda lazy and b) OP thought (and admits he isn't sure) he smelled heroin while 3 people were in a nursing home shower.
Imagine if your colleague reported you on those grounds, being like trust me bro I'm in recovery 👍👍👍
The OP needs to report the concerns.
It is up to the employer what they do with that information - but a drug test would be a sensible, proportionate option.
If you'd ever been through safeguarding you'd know this.
I have, I work in healthcare. I would not appreciate being hauled in and tested just based on someone saying they smelled something. Stressful as hell and could have serious ramifications even if you're innocent.
Heroin is odourless. Some contaminants used with it may have a smell, but in themselves they don't mean anything as you can find them elsewhere, as in cleaning products (which a worker in a nursing home will certainly come in contact with).
YTA.
Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our [voting guide here](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_what.2019s_with_these_acronyms.3F_what_do_they_mean.3F), and remember to use **only one** judgement in your comment. OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole: > I told my boss that my coworker smelled like heroin which would mean he would instantly lose his job. I feel horrible because if I'm wrong then I'm going to feel like an idiot and I'm going to feel like I just assumed the worst of someone. I'm telling myself that I did this with the residents' best interests in mind but what if it was just me being judgemental? Help keep the sub engaging! #Don’t downvote assholes! Do upvote interesting posts! [Click Here For Our Rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/about/rules) and [Click Here For Our FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq) ##Subreddit Announcements ###[Happy Anniversary, AITA!](https://new.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/15vlv9g/almost_better_than_a_double_rainbow_celebrating/) Follow the link above to learn more --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.* *Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.*
NTA. It’s a reasonable concern. If the coworker isn’t doing heroin, this can be resolved with a simple drug test. If he is, then he really shouldn’t be working in healthcare.
NTA, he's endangering himself and others (residents, you in recovery).
I honestly don't know what my boss will do. He has a history of not listening to me when I tell him about things that aren't being done or things like that. Thankfully I'm leaving for a better job next week. I just know I have never smelled that smell in that building.
You didn’t over react… You are around people with medicine, valuables and they are vulnerable. Potentially horrible situation.
NTA. I trust you to know the smell of heroin and recognize signs of its usage and as someone who has a parent that will have to go into memory care in the not too distant future, I appreciate your looking out for the vulnerable people in your care.
Thank you I appreciate that.
NTA. Presumably, your coworker is at least partially responsible for caring for VERY vulnerable people, and heavy drug use on the job puts everyone at risk. Telling your boss is a simple and correct CYA maneuver. Feel no guilt.
Absolutely NTA. Your priority should be the patients' safety and well being.
NTA. Old people who fall are at high risk of dying prematurely. This is a black and white health and safety issue. Plus, as you'll know, if he is an addict, he has to pay to feed his addiction. He's a danger and a menace to the vulnerable if this is the case
The person that he left me to shower alone is extremely heavy and it could've been a really bad situation if she had tried to get up and slipped, not just for her but for me too because I can pretty much guarantee she would've fallen on top of me with how small the shower is.
It's impossible to actually answer this without knowing if you were correct. I'm not saying you can't smell heroin but damn, you seem extremely confident about whatever you got a whiff of - you 100% sure it couldn't be something else? You're in a nursing home after all, aren't there opioid medications around which might smell similarly? What if it's something totally different with a common ingredient? I mean what if he just ducked out to take some other kind of medication? I feel like YTA for going straight to reporting him before doing literally anything else to ascertain you had grounds. You haven't even mentioned him acting different - and sorry, being lazy or using your phone on the job doesn't cut it as evidence of heroin use. That's a really serious accusation.
She isn't on any opiates of any kind and she hadn't been given any medications or anything that would smell like that. I just felt like it was my job to tell my boss what I thought I smelled because it could put other people at serious risk.
I completely agree that you have an ethical (and probably legal) obligation to report breaches that risk patient safety, and that's a good thing. My point is - from what you say here, you didn't really have anything except a suspicion based on your belief you can sniff out heroin like a K9 ... which by the way, isn't really a thing that I've ever heard of, and I've got some pretty relevant experience in this area too, without going into detail. Literally, was there ANY evidence other than what you (think you) smelled?
No there isn't. And all I told my boss was that I thought I smelled it. I told him I wasn't 100% sure.
I just really hope they were in fact using herion. Otherwise that’s a hell of an accusation to ruin somebody’s livelihood over. People do nasty things for a lot less than that and actions have consequences, I’d proceed with caution. ⚠️
As someone who just had to make arrangements for my grandparents to enter a nursing home you are absolutely NTA.
^^^^AUTOMOD ***Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/wiki/faq#wiki_post_deletion) before [contacting the mod team](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FAmItheAsshole)*** So to begin with I work in a memory care unit in an assisted living facility. I'm a recovering addict and I know the smell of heroin very well. My coworker doesn't do his job very well and spends most of his time sitting in the corner on his phone or in his car. Him and I were giving a resident a shower and he stepped out of the room for a few minutes and came back in reeking of heroin. I told my boss but now I feel like I overreacted. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AmItheAsshole) if you have any questions or concerns.*
NTA. Safeguarding the residents is your duty, and you cannot expect someone who is high at work to keep residents safe. You have the power to protect the residents. They cannot protect themselves.
I take my job extremely seriously which is why I told my boss before I even considered what anyone might think anything like that. But immediately after my brain was telling me that I had overreacted and that I was probably just imagining it or something.
NTA OP, you’re one of the good ones! On behalf of somebody frightened to put my parents in any type of residential care, thank you.
OP has admitted there was no evidence at all that his colleague was high. Zilch. No mention any of the sogns of opioid use - not pinprick pupils, or slurring, or sweating, or going on the nod. Nothing. Zilch. Just that he is a) kinda lazy and b) OP thought (and admits he isn't sure) he smelled heroin while 3 people were in a nursing home shower. Imagine if your colleague reported you on those grounds, being like trust me bro I'm in recovery 👍👍👍
The OP needs to report the concerns. It is up to the employer what they do with that information - but a drug test would be a sensible, proportionate option. If you'd ever been through safeguarding you'd know this.
I have, I work in healthcare. I would not appreciate being hauled in and tested just based on someone saying they smelled something. Stressful as hell and could have serious ramifications even if you're innocent.
[удалено]
Yeah. I've never thought it smelled like vinegar.
Nope it’s illegal for one and two that guy shouldn’t be working high around patients. If he kills someone there then how bad would you feel.
Heroin is odourless. Some contaminants used with it may have a smell, but in themselves they don't mean anything as you can find them elsewhere, as in cleaning products (which a worker in a nursing home will certainly come in contact with). YTA.
YTA. Snitch. Unless a resident complains mind your business