Nurses with Addiction

Nursing is one of the most testful careers in health care. broad hours of direct patient care take its toll emotion eithery and physic entirelyy. enchantment the commerce is rewarding for most, the constant stress prat become a catalyst for all kinds of self damaging behaviors. The American Nurses Association estimates amongst ten and twenty percent of give sucks will cry out doses within the battle at some point during his/her career (ANA, 2002). This percentage is similar to that of heart and soul abusers within the general population. Due to the ease of access to narcotics on the job, it can be difficult to signalize a problem in the betimes stages.Only once the nurses activities consent been suspected collect to medication shortage or job performance problems can preventative be made. Professionals with addiction not only risk harming themselves and their career, but vomit up their patients at an increased unnecessary risk of mal go for. Unfortunately in Novem ber 2009, quartette nurses in a local hospital were found to be take Morphine, Fentanyl, Dilaudid, and early(a) narcotics during their shifts. All four nurses had been employed in various departments and were operate independently of each other.Each nurse was apprehended later on being observed for strange behaviors and unauthorized Pixus medication station discrepancies. According to Dunn, psychiatric and oncology nurses have the highest likelihood for drug abuse due to the constant stress and emotional pressures associated with their careers (Dunn, 2005). The lowest instance of abuse occurs in Womens wellness and Pediatric nursing (NIH, 2003). It is unclear whether this rate is due to the nurses coping capabilities in such areas, or the lack of narcotics avail adapted on these types of care units.Aside from disobeying the loyalty of the make waterplace, these nurses have violated the Nursing legislation of morals in relation to themselves, the hospital, and the patients. Within the Nursing Code of Ethics (ANA, 2001) nurses vow to Safeguard the client and the public when health care and rubber are affected by the incompetent, unethical or illegal practice of any person. Participate in the professions effort to establish and maintain conditions of employment conducive to high quality nursing care. Maintain primary occupation for the patient, whether an individual, family, group, or community Fortunately, there have been no reports thus furthermost of malpractice or injuries with any of the patients under the direct care of these four individuals. big(a) circumstances may have occurred if the situation had not been discovered promptly. When proficient issues occur, Risk Management moldiness work feverishly to investigate all the patients records to determine if any errors occurred regarding their care. Risk Management as well as has the responsibility of investigating the claims against the nurses to prove or disprove validity.Only after the inv estigations are concluded can the Risk Management team work to repair the reputation of the hospital and its employees. As a result of this incident, employment respect, reputation, and ethical motive have been violated at the expense of drug addiction. Nurses and other healthcare professionals have a responsibility to the patients and the employment to uphold a standard of care that will not menace the position of the hospital, its staff, the patients or the community. When serious issues occur, patients become judgmental of all providers and institutions.The profession and the organizations reputation have suffered because of this incident. Being a healthcare provider myself, I do not understand how a nurse could not find any other coping mechanisms besides drug abuse. Although I am not a nurse, I deal with the selfsame(prenominal) daily issues associated with direct patient care. As a professional, you are compulsory to deal with situations outside of your beliefs and find a venues to vent your frustration, grief and stress without harming the patients, yourself, or the relationship between the two. I have not come crossways any colleagues that take a different ethical viewpoint than me regarding this situation.We all know that stealing medications from patients for personal use is wrong professional ly, in person and legally. Perhaps our lack of understanding is due to the inability to relate to those with drug addiction. All coworkers within an organization need to be educated to recognize potential issues of narcotic abuse within the workplace. Since healthcare professionals are able to hide some signs of abuse such as work absences, it may be more difficult to recognize a problem in the early stages. Some physical signs to be aware of include irritability, forgetfulness, isolation, and decrease levels of motivation.Issues in personal liveness may also increase the chances of drug abuse, such as stress, family problems, a previous history of menta l illness, and a history of prior abuse (any type). Potential issues must be account to the Nurse Manager as soon as possible. In edict for the organization to protect the rubber of its personnel and patients, ethical standards of practice must been routinely stressed within the workplace. Many institutions conduct annual competencies, in-services, and /or reviews to ensure employee commitment to maintaining and promoting an ethical work environment. Conclusion medicate abuse among workers will occur in any organization despite all efforts taken by coworkers, management and the organization as a whole. Drug abuse becomes a severe ethical issue once the life of another human being is jeopardized. Those in the healthcare field have a responsibility to maintain a standard of care to patients disregarding of any personal issues occurring in his/her own life. When drug abuse occurs in a hospital setting, the potential for disaster increases dramatically. Not only is the safety of pat ients and coworkers compromised, so is the reputation of the hospital and the profession.All healthcare employees must be monitored by their employer to ensure workplace drug abuse is prevented, detected and get rid of before irreversible damage occurs. References American Nurses Association (2001). Code of ethics for nurses. Retrieved from http//www. nursingworld. org/about/01action. htm. on December 11,2009. Dunn, D. (2005). Substance abuse among Nurses-defining the issue. Association of run room nurses. (82) 592-596. Retrieved from Proquest December 10, 2009. National Institute of Health (2003). Retrieved from www. drugabuse. gov/infofacts/costs. html on December 10, 2009.