Nurses and Substance Abuse

Paper Summary:

This paper stresses that problems with substance abuse in nurses affect more than the individual; they affect the whole work team. The author defines an impaired nurse as a nurse who is unable to meet the requirements of a professional code of ethics and standards of practice because cognitive, interpersonal, or psychomotor skills are affected by excessive drug or alcohol use. The paper states that many impaired nurses are super-nurses; unfortunately, when they are finally recognized as having a chemical dependency, it is almost too late for an appropriate intervention that may save them from losing their jobs.

From the Paper:

"The problem is that little research is actually available on substance abuse among nurses. In studying the history and present problems with substance abuse, it is important to define the meaning of substance abuse among nurses or others. "Substance misuse is defined as maladaptive patterns of psychoactive substance use indicated by continued use even when faced with recurrent occupational, social, psychological or physical problems as well as/or use in dangerous situations.""

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