Substance Abuse Is An Ever Growing Problem

As the article The Impaired Nurse stated, “Impaired nurses can become dysfunctional in their ability to provide safe, appropriate patient care” (Thomas, C.M., & Siela, D. 2011). As we learned in class the four ethical principles include; beneficence which is the act of doing the most good, non-malfeasance which is the act of doing the least amount of harm, autonomy which focuses on allowing each individual to make their own decisions and justice which focuses on being fair to all involved. Nurses who are abusing substance typically can’t follow these for ethical principles to the best of their ability because they are too focused on themselves. As mentioned in the article Substance Abuse among Nurses, nurses who are abusing substances are not able to complete tasks and function as a typical nurse would (Talbert, J. J. 2009). These types of nurses are not able to apply the four ethical principles to their everyday work environment because they are too focused on the substances they need. These nurses would not be able to function and apply to principle of doing the most good because they will not be doing the best if on substances. As mentioned in both articles, these nurses will spend a good amount of time in the bathrooms hiding and using, take medications from patients, and forget tasks that need complete. Beneficence and non-malfeasance in my opinion could not apply to nurses who are abusing substances because they are not caring for their patients as

Jackie was one of the growing numbers of nurses who are impaired because of addiction. Sullivan (1994) cited that “nurses who abuse substances not only place themselves at risk for physical, emotional, and professional harm, but also create hazards for the institutions in which they work as well as the public” (p. 20). To deal with the issue posed by an impaired nurse, “nursing leaders must consider legal, regulatory, ethical, humanistic, and practical considerations in

The consequences that follow the use of any drug are unfavorable. Although many individuals may see drug addiction as a mere lifestyle choice, it is a problem that many individuals suffer from and inevitably a growing issue that leaves major social and economic impacts.

The responsibility of regulating nursing practice that ensures public safety, health and welfare and accountability to the public for proper governance falls on the State Boards of Nursing (BONs). Substance abuse is the most common disease that affects healthcare workers (Darbro, 2009). The disease of substance abuse disorder is preventable (Darbro, 2009). The intent of this paper is to discuss the ethical issues of nurses with substance abuse disorder, stigma of addiction, challenges that nurses with substance abuse problems face to include acceptance of the disease, treatment, rehabilitation and monitoring, the incidence of addiction among nurses, how to recognize an impaired colleague, nurses’ attitudes about addiction within the profession and the ethical issues that the nurse, employer and society face when dealing with a nurse who is an addict. It was in the 1980s that professional nursing organizations recommended alternative to discipline (ATD) programs to help rehabilitate nurses (Sigma Theta Tau, 2014). In the past 20 years 46 states have gone with this approach as opposed to traditional discipline (Trussman, 2003). In most cases, these ATD programs provide nurses with intense monitoring for 5 years to aid in their recovery so they may return to work and provide safe patient care to the

Over the years, substance abuse in the United States has become a persistent issue affecting many individuals. In 2008, it was estimated that 17.8 million Americans over the age of 18 where substance dependent (Epstein, Burns, & Conlon, 2010). Many of these individuals being affected are nurses. Ponech (2000) stated that "approximately 10% of the nursing population has alcohol or drug abuse problems, and 6% has problems serious enough to interfere with their ability to practice" (as cited in Talbert, 2009, p.17). Studies show that nurses have a 50% higher rate of substance abuse compared to the rest of the public (Epstein et al., 2010). Among the many factors that contribute to the nurse’s issue of substance abuse,

Substance abuse first became a big problem around the 1970’s throughout the 1980’s. America was discovering one drug after another to help manage their lives better (newsnarconon, 2009). Methaqualone was one of the first drugs that pharmacists were trying to use to take place of Barbiturate drugs (newsnarconon, 2009). The drug Methaqualone was first used to increase sexual activity, but later it was recognized that it did a great job at helping people sleep, which is why they wanted to use the drug to replace the Barbiturate drugs (newsnarconon, 2009). The pharmacists wanted to replace Barbiturate, because although it was the chosen pill for aid in sleeping, it was also greatly abused to get a high from (newsnarconon, 2009). Along with the high, when people would withdraw from the medication it was life threatening (newsnarconon, 2009).

In today 's world, many health care organizations encounter the most critical problem, such as chemically impaired nursing practice, on a daily basis. All areas of the nursing profession are affected by a chemical dependency and the cost associated with this problem is a great concern for the health care organizations. According to Church (2000), “nurse impairment affects the safety of the public, the nurse’s well being and the profession as a whole” (p. 2). The delivery of care provided by the chemically impaired nurse lowers the standards and the prestige of the whole profession, creates serious liability for the employer, lowers productivity, increases the turnover rate, decreases staff members morale, and increases the risk for medication error (Wennerstrom and Rhooda, 1996). People’s lives, function and lifestyle can be dramatically changed due to a medication error caused by a chemically impaired nurse (Cook, 2014). The chief nurse executive (CNE) is frequently confronted with the problem of impaired nurse, furthermore, the CNE is responsible for the policy and decision making involving this issue (Hughes, 1995). The purpose of this paper is to examine nurse executives response to allegations of a chemically impaired nurse.

It is important that management acts quickly if they suspect a nurse is under the influence of alcohol. Acting quickly reduces the chances for harm to the patient, staff or visitors. Per Marquis & Huston (2015), nurses using alcohol at work are less likely to admit to using due to lack of peer acceptance of their use. The manager or supervisor’s greatest obligation is to protect the patient. Ethically and legally the manager or supervisor cannot dismiss this impaired behavior (Marquis & Huston,

Many people have turned to substance abuse or experience chemical dependency for a variety of reasons. Nurses experience chemical dependency as well. According to Kunyk (2013), “healthcare professionals, including nurses, are also potentially vulnerable to substance use disorders regardless of any special knowledge, skills or insights they might have owing to their education and professional experiences” (p. 54). This paper will define what chemical dependency is, report causes of chemical dependency in nurses, describe behaviors associated with chemical dependency, and explain what needs to be done upon reentry into the work place.

According to Mannarini and Boffo (2014), drug addiction stigma manifestations include dangerous perception and social rejection by the community. The researchers state it is still a serious societal problem and a critical impediment for treatment seeking, satisfactory quality of life, housing and employment following the diagnosis of addiction. The stigma of addiction has a negative connotation and the CRNA may have difficultly finding future employment, and a decreased quality of life. The nurse anesthetist is aware of the negative stigma that follows addiction; therefore, the first symptoms of addiction can be coma, accidental death, or suicide (Tetzlaff, 2011). It is important for all healthcare works to be able to identify the symptoms of substance abuse, for the safety of

The specific prevalence of substance abuse among nurses seems to be up for discussion and thus far there hasn't been any factual irrefutable evidence (Chait, J., p.2). Although, “it has been estimated that ten to fifteen percent of all nurses in the United States are addicted to some type of illegal or controlled substance" (Heacock, S., 2013, p.1). Nauert believes that the incidence of substance abuse among nurses, and nursing students, is both under-researched and under-reported(2011). New research suggests as many as ten to twenty per cent of nurses and nursing students may have substance abuse and addiction problems (Nauert, R., 2011, p.1).

As the number of addicts in this country rises, so does the demand for specialized medical professionals. Today, one in every ten Americans abuses some kind of substance. One of the benefits to working as a substance abuse nurse is the freedom and autonomy it can allow. These nurses can organize family member support groups, serve on task forces, lead educational programs and become abuse counselors. Also, the ability to help a patient recover from an addition and essentially save their life can be very rewarding. One of the biggest drawbacks to working as a substance abuse nurse is how close you can get to patients, and the challenge of working long hours. Patients will often call their nurses at all hours of the day looking for support, drugs, medication or other aids. This can be tiring and disappointing for the

Addiction is a compulsive need to habitually use a mind altering substance. Addiction can target anyone, even someone who works in the healthcare field who trained to aid patients with medication. When a healthcare professional is addicted to a substance, it should be immediately reported for the safety of that nurse 's client. Just because a nurse has an addiction does not mean that their career is over because there are many programs that can help them fight the addiction and regain their title as nurse. It is our moral obligation as a nurse to protect the addicted nurse and her clients by confronting them and reporting their behaviors.

According to the American Nurses Association, an impaired nurse is unable to meet the requirements of the code of ethics and standards of practice of the profession. This nurse has cognitive, interpersonal or psychomotor skills affected by psychiatric illness and/or drug or alcohol abuse of addiction (American Nurses Association, 2010). Not only do these nurses create a potential threat to their clients, but they have also neglected to care for themselves.

He is the best nurse on the floor. Everyone admires him – patients, fellow nurses, doctors, administration. He works extra shifts in the emergency department, sometimes as often as six shifts per week despite chronic back pain. What about the seasoned staff nurse? You notice a change in her. She is moody, appears dazed, and is making mistakes frequently. She is late and unkempt, and is not as social as she once was. While one may be quick to assume substance use from the second nurse, in reality, the first nurse is just as likely to be working while impaired. Substance use disorders can – and do – have a very serious impact on the nursing community. Determining, labeling, and reporting a substance use problem is not always easy. This is why, when entering the nursing workforce, it is important to have a working knowledge and understanding of substance use. This includes familiarity with risk factors and signs of substance use, as well as knowing how to seek help for oneself or a colleague. With an awareness of the implications of substance use on nursing, new nurses may be better equipped to take action against this ever-present occupational hazard (NCSBN, 2011).