How to make a nurse an alcoholic

The worst part of my job is when I get to take care of people who don't care for themselves. Unfortunately this seems to be happening more and more. Because I can't talk about any specific patients, I'll just list off some scenarios and you can use your imagination. Here are some specificity frustrating diagnoses: intentional overdose, acute alcohol intoxication, seizures from non-compliance with medication, monthly diabetic ketoacidosis, complicated wounds because the patient never goes to their wound care appointments, COPD exacerbation who smokes 3 packs of cigarettes a day, and cyclic vomiting from marijuana abuse. It is extremely difficult to have compassion for someone who does not put any effort into their well being. A lot of the patients I'm thinking of have the mental capacity, resources, support, and tools to keep themselves healthy. For example... the diabetic has their insulin, knows their diet, has family that reminds them to take their medications, and friends who encourage them. But the patient just doesn't do it. Or the patient with seizures who's mom comes to his house, lays out his medications twice a day, does all their shopping, pays their bills, and checks on them constantly. But instead of simply taking that tiny pill, they drink alcohol all day long, have seizures daily, and will most likely die of an accidental injury. It wouldn't be so bad if I thought maybe, just maybe, my actions were helping to change their behavior. But I don't think someone can change in a day just because some nurse told them they were killing themselves. And a lot of the time they don't want to change. They tell me straight up, "I don't want to quit drinking" "I don't want to quit smoking" and "I don't care if I go blind and have all my limbs amputated." So really what can I do? The only thing that makes me feel somewhat better, is supporting the family. As frustrating as it is for me it's a millions times worse for them. A patient's mother once told me in reference to her adult daughter, "I don't sleep half the night. I lay awake constantly worrying about her well being. I call her several times a day to make sure she's still alive." And no matter how hard she tries to support and change her daughter, her efforts go in vain. So I just encourage the mom, that's all I can do. Unless the family doesn't care either... Then I just drink.