Nurses with chemical dependency pose a threat to patient safety, their own health,
and the reputation of the nursing profession. To achieve the best possible outcomes
for all involved, they must be identified promptly, treated appropriately and, when
appropriate, allowed to reenter the workplace with stringent monitoring. Nurses and
physicians in chemical dependency treatment programs tend to show similar clinical
characteristics, use comparable medical services, and function similarly at follow-up.
However, nurses report more frequent and severe work-related sanctions stemming from
their chemical dependency (Shaw, McGovern, Angres, & Rawal, 2004). In 1982, the American
Nurses Association (ANA) first defined "impaired nursing practice" as the presence
of dysfunction related to alcohol and other substance use or psychological problems
that interfere with judgment and the delivery of safe care (ANA, 1982).The literature
on chemical dependency in nurses lags far behind that for other health-care professionals,
especially physicians. However, with nurses on the front lines of patient care, it
stands to reason that their risk of chemical dependence is at least as high as that
of other health-care professionals. This article draws on our 25 years of experience
working with chemically dependent health-care professionals in specialty treatment
and aftercare settings tailored to these professionals.
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© 2010 National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
