Nurse: Heather Davis?  OK, Heather, have a seat for me here.  What is the problem today?

Ms. Davis: I hurt my wrist.  I’d like to get some X-rays to make sure it isn’t broken.

Nurse: OK, let’s take a look.  When did this happen?

Ms. Davis: Last night.

Nurse: Did you fall?

Ms. Davis: I don’t really remember for sure.

Nurse: Hmmmm … was it at a party?

Ms. Davis: Yeah, I guess you could call it that.

Nurse: Some drinking going on?

Ms. Davis: Just a little.

Nurse: Any drugs or marijuana?

Ms. Davis: No.

Nurse: Were there any times during the evening when you didn’t remember what happened – what we would call a blackout?

Ms. Davis: Yeah, I suppose.

Nurse: OK, let me ask you some routine questions, and we’ll have your wrist X-rayed and you’ll see the doctor.  OK? 

Ms. Davis: OK.

Nurse: Any medications?

Ms. Davis: No.

Nurse: Allergies?

Ms. Davis: No.

Nurse: Serious medical problems with your heart or lungs?

Ms. Davis: No.

Nurse: Surgeries?

Ms. Davis: No.

Nurse: Do you smoke cigarettes?

Ms. Davis: I tried them, but I didn’t like it.

Nurse: How many times in the past year have you had 4 or more drinks in a day?  This chart shows what a standard drink is.

Ms. Davis: I don’t know – quite a few …

Nurse: Would you say more than once a week?

Ms. Davis: Well, about once a week.

Nurse: So maybe 50 times, then, in the past year?

Ms. Davis: Yeah, I guess.

Nurse: On average, how many days a week do you drink?

Ms. Davis: I’d say 2 or 3.

Nurse: And on a typical day when you drink, how many drinks do you have?

Ms. Davis: I dunno – I don’t drink that much unless I’m at the bar doing shots.

Nurse: How many shots do you do?

Ms. Davis: I don’t keep track.

Nurse: Well, what’s your best guess?

Ms. Davis: Maybe 15 or 16?  Hey, I just came here to see if my wrist is broken—what’s all this about drinking?

Nurse: I know, please bear with me.  I just have a few more questions to ask and we’ll take care of your wrist.

Ms. Davis: Yeah right.

Nurse: So on the days when you do drink – not in the bar – about how many drinks do you have?

Ms. Davis: I’d say 2 or 3.  But it’s just beer. 

Nurse: OK, well, a bottle of beer has about the same amount of alcohol as a shot. So if we’re talking about 15 or 16 shots a week, and say 6 beers, that’s about 22 drinks a week?

Ms. Davis: Yeah, I guess.

Nurse: Any other drugs? Marijuana, prescription drugs, stimulants?

Ms. Davis: No, I stay way from that.

Nurse: OK, let’s get you to X-ray.  And then the doctor will be in to see you.