The Problem Of Drug And Alcohol Addiction

Easy access to the drugs is another important factor contributing to nurses who substance abuse. As stated by Serghis (1999) the availability of medications in the workplace has been linked to substance abuse among nurses (as cited in Talbert, 2009, p.17). Part of the nurse’s duty every day is to give medication to their patients, which exposes them to have easy access to drugs. Nurses who take medication from their patients for their own personal use are "always using the maximum PRN dosage when other nurses use less" (DeClerk, 2008, p. 12). The healthcare field accepts the use of medication and so nurses may perceive the wrong idea by making use of patients drugs themselves. "Medications are easily accessible to nurses, who may believe erroneously that they have the ability to control their own medications use because of their experience with administering medication to patients" (Talbert, 2009, p. 17). In the case

According to the SAMHSA (2010) report on the national survey on drug use and health almost 22.5 million people are reported to be associated with substance abuse disorder (SAMHSA, 2010). This illness was found to be very common in all age groups, both sex, and seniors. There are several effects on these individuals and their families. Many people who suffer from substance abuse disorders fail to acknowledge these serious consequences. First of all, no response of pain relief can be seen with smaller doses of pain medications, as their bodies are used to high levels of various substances at the same time. Nurses become frustrated when they try to treat and help these patients with pain. Sometimes it is difficult to think about ethical principles when nurses have to deal with such patients with pain and suffering.

It is no secret that the United States is currently experiencing a shortage of nurses . “The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics ( 2009 ) estimated that more than one million new and replacement nurses will be needed by 2018 to meet the increased demands of the health care workforce” (). The stressful conditions under which nurses work, due in part to the nursing shortage, are among the risk factors that contribute to nurses’ abuse of illicit drugs and alcohol. Nurses are unique in that they work in an environment where they not only have access to controlled substances, but also are exposed to critically ill patients, traumatic situations, death and dying, the stress of which can increase the risk of substance abuse. (Epstein, Burns, & Conlon, 2010). Unfortunately, it is the patient that suffers the most.

“Addiction and Substance Abuse.” Issues & Controversies. Infobase Learning, 19 Nov. 2012. Web. 20 July 2016. infobaselearning.com. The argument is about the “War on Drugs” and if it is working. One side of the argument thinks that by not funding the “War on Drugs” drugs would become uncontrolled. They believe that by stopping the war on drugs it would cost a lot more money in lost productivity and crime rate. They state that rehabilitation can occur while the person in in jail, and it should not substitute their punishment. While the other side believes that though we have thrown billions of dollars into this war on drugs it has shown no improvement whatsoever. They believe that by legalizing drugs the government can better regulate

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.

As Heise states, substance abuse among nurses a growing problem that is often overlooked by society. Addiction has been a problem in the nursing profession for over one hundred years (as cited in Monroe & Kenaga, 2010). According to the American nurses association, it is speculated that 6%-8% of nurses have a drug or alcohol related problem (as cited in Trinkoff & Storr, 1998). Substance abuse not only affects the individual abuser, but also can negatively impact those around them, most significantly their patients. Chemical dependence if often viewed as a lack of will power, but through education and research, this issue should be looked at as an actual disease. The education of nursing students is the first step in helping those with a

In first talking about substance use, abuse and addiction as it relates to the Nursing profession it is necessary to understand the aspect of addiction. Drug use is a broad idea that refers to the use of any chemical substance rather legal or illegal. This topic includes prescription drugs, street drugs, herbal supplements, and the like. The term Drug abuse is defined as “the use of a substance or substances in such a way that it leads to measurable personal, interpersonal, or social consequences” (Faupel, C., E., Horowitz, A., M., & Weaver, G., S., 2010, p.20). Drug addiction is then regarded as “a compulsive use of chemicals (drugs or alcohol) and the inability to stop using them despite all the problems caused by their use” (National

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.

A survey has been recorded about the prevalence of chemical dependency in nurses. About 2.6 million registered nurses are employed in the United States (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). The American Nurses Association estimates that about 10% of the RN

Alchol and drug addictions can affect anyone, not just your regular every day people but the people you put the most trust in when you are sick, yes Nurses can also suffer from substance abuse problems. Americans don’t often recognize addiciton as being a serious desease amongst many in the United States. Many nurses tend to stay to themselves when it comes to working with a nurse that suffers from an addiction. There are many understandable reasons why many nurses would turn to substance abuse. Some reasons may be that it came from their family histories that could include emotional impairment, alcoholism, drug use, and/or emotional abuse that result in low self-esteem, overachievement, and overwork. ()

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 clients. 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.

Addiction is a complex disease and does not discriminate. Individuals may develop the disease regardless of their age, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, education, or occupation (Kunyk & Austin, 2012). Drug and alcohol use among nurses is a current problem for health care facilities with issues ranging from lost productivity, injuries, fatalities, theft, and low employee morale (NCADD, 2015). It has been estimated that 10 to 15 percent of all nurses, including nursing students, in the United States are addicted to some type of illegal or controlled substance (Heacock, 2013). Nurses work in a very stressful environment and have access to strong addictive medications which increases the risk for substance abuse or misuse (Nauert,

As a healthcare professional, we are responsible for the delivery of high quality patient care. Substance abuse among nurses is an issue that threatens professional standards and can lead to poor patient outcomes (Rohma,2012). According to Healthy People 2020, an estimated 22 million Americans struggled with drug or alcohol abuse in the year 2005 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS],2013). Given that the nurses have easy access to controlled substances, this population is likely to be higher than the general public.

Over the course of this class, I have learned so much that I believe will help me as a future nurse understand, and recognized substance abusers. According to Doweiko (2015), most health care professionals are generally ill prepared to work with substance abusers. Also, nurses who frequently have more contact with patients than physicians, spend only the required amount of one to five hours of instruction on alcohol and drug abuse content during their undergraduate (Doweiko, 2015). Thereby, being exposed to the concept of chemical dependency, I understand the reasons, behaviors, and various models about substance use disorder.