To plan on getting quite drunk at my work Christmas party?

Seen a few 8's face down in the gutter as drunk++ 🤣

The ED Christmas Party is a 12 stop pub crawl this year!

Ah the mess parties fond memories 🤣

I'd get very merry OP but not slaughtered.
Ignore the thimble of wine crew on here ffs.

It's absolutely fair to want a release from the stress of the day to day job of nursing, I don't think most people on here realise that you can have a 21/22yo in charge of a ward of 25+ patients making decisions etc under pressure. It's certainly straight into the deep end if you are ward nursing.

Why do you need to get really drunk? Like I don't understand?

@OohRains probably worse in my experience! 😆😆

As above, NHS staff party harder than the norm, and don't get me started on Mess parties 🥳
Higher bands are also no better than lower bands in their behaviour!

Totally in agreement with the posters who’ve said words to the effect of how to say you’ve never been out with a bunch of nurses….

I qualified 20 years ago and we had A LOT of parties. They were epic. And yes, SHRIEK, people, including our then matron, used to get hammered. I remember one memorable night when she had a dance off with a consultant and a student nurse. We’re a large but close knit team working in a very high pressured department. We have a surprisingly low staff turnover rate for a London hospital.

@Anon00 - I’m not condoning risky behaviour or getting totally pissed but have fun!

I agree, when you work unsocial hours in a demanding job ,often the only people who are off at the same time as you to socislisecl are colleagues ,also they are the only people who understand the demands of the job.

In my experience nurses work hard and party hard. Just go and enjoy yourself, don’t force down more drinks than you want but no need to hold back either. This is advice from a nurse with almost 30 years experience of getting drunk at work Christmas parties!

I would disagree with this. Due to the intensity and emotional natureof the work, shift work etc nurses tend be very tight and social with each other. Like the military, first responders, police etc. It’s more than just a job and the people you work with are more than colleagues.

It very much depends how you are after a few drinks. If you are likely to embarrass yourself then definitely not. I have always erred on the side of caution with works dos- that's not to say I have never been drunk at one when many other people were also equally merry. But I've never done anything embarrassing at one nor been unable to find my way home etc.

I think sometimes people make the mistake of thinking their colleagues are their ‘friends’ when this is just not the case. Go, have a good time, but keep your wits about you as these people are your professional colleagues.

How would being drunk at a work night out come to the attention of HR?
There wotkd have Been an awful lot of disciplinaries after Xmas nights out at the trust I worked at I'd that was the case.

Take your lead from your colleagues OP.

But the comments about setting a bad example and HR getting involved 🤣 there are about 5 people in HR for our hospital employing 6000. Do you really think they will be policing the many drunken nights out this party season? It might not be right but NHS staff party hard. They pay for their own parties off site. They are not in any way at work when at the Christmas do.

Never get drunk at a work do. Just don’t

It is never forgotten.

I don’t think enjoying yourself and getting drunk is the issue - but potentially making a fool of yourself is. We all have been to work parties where someone has completely embarrassed themselves and we’ve all got secondhand embarrassment from them.

I didn’t even go to one of my work parties but I heard all the gossip and stories. One of my co workers got with the boss and they were on the way back to her home in the cab, he ended up being sick all over her- he was that drunk. He never lived it down. I guess what I’m trying to say, drunk people always end up making ‘mistakes’, don’t make it where you’re going to be too embarrassed to go the work the following day.

Regardless of your job, I think it's a little sad to go out with the intention of getting drunk. Don't get me wrong, I was drunk quite a bit in my younger years but I never went out thinking I'm going to get wasted

Don't plan on getting drunk, just see how the night goes and go with the vibe.

If you get drunk at a works Christmas party you are increasing the chances of coming to the attention of your friendly HR department or not being around to see the local news story where police, colleagues and family are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of a nurse who hasn't been since since their Christmas party at the Riverside Hotel. As many previous posters have said, set a good example.

Get merry but not paralytic !

The trick is to not be the most drunk person there.

I must be getting old because the thought of going out solely to get drunk is horrendous. Go out, have a nice time but still be able to function the day after.

I think people on here have forgotten what it’s like to be young!! If you go on nights out often and drink a lot without vomiting or snogging someone inappropriate or being embarrassing then go for it. Let your hair down and enjoy yourself!

How?
Ime ward nights out where organised in a venue away from work ,paid for by the colleagues themselves and trust me staff on all levels got up to all sorts .