Chemical Dependency Among Nurses

Chemical Dependency among Nurses Most people in the general population are unaware of how widespread drug addiction has become. Even fewer are aware of the number of healthcare professionals that are addicts. This paper will discuss the impact of substance abuse on the nursing profession; the various behaviors that are suggestive of an impaired coworker; an understanding of the professional responsibility to report impaired coworkers; and an understanding of the legal, ethical, and safety implications of substance abuse as well as the policies in place to help the affected individual. 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. The nurses professional judgment becomes “impaired” when their inability to perform the essential functions of his or her practice with reasonable skill or safety because of chemical dependency on drugs or alcohol. Not only do these nurses create a potential threat to their clients, but they have also neglected to care for themselves.
It has been suggested that registered nurses have a 50% higher rate of substance abuse than the general public, and 1 in 7 nurses remains at risk for addiction. The data out there suggests that approximately 5% of registered nurses are alcoholics and 3% are dependent on drugs (Dittman, 2008). Another source estimates that among registered nurses, 10% may have a drug or alcohol problem (Talbert, 2009). Drug use varies among nursing specialties: emergency department nurses are 3.5 times more likely than nurses in pediatrics, general practice, and women’s health to abuse substances, and oncology and administrative nurses are twice as likely to binge drink (Young, 2008). It is clearly evident that substance abuse exists within the profession, and that more than likely we will have some connection, either directly or indirectly so it becomes important to understand the various risk

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