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Nurses struggle with addictive illness
at approximately the same rate as the general population. That means that
approximately 10% of the 3,192,000 registered nurses in the US (US Dept.
of Health and Human Services, March 2000) may have their nursing practices
impaired because of the abuse of alcohol or other drugs. That comes to
approximately 319,200 registered nurses who potentially have their practices
impaired. In addition, there are approximately 900,000 licensed practical
nurses who must also be considered.
When one's standard of practice is jeopardized by addictive disease,
not only is the individual nurse impacted, but patients, families, coworkers
and healthcare employers are impacted as well. Long before any professional
discipline board becomes involved, supervisors, coworkers, colleagues,
patients and families may take notice of impaired practice on the part
of a nurse. It can be very frustrating, frightening and difficult to intervene
to assist the nurse whose practice may be impaired by the use of alcohol
and other drugs. Despite Nursing's long tradition of caring for patients,
we are often less than caring when it comes to the addictive illnesses
of our nurse colleagues.
Fortunately, an environment conducive to identification, intervention,
diagnosis, treatment and recovery has been cultivated from the mounting
information on the success of such programs as the Employee Assistance
Program (EAP) and The New York State Peer Assistance Program (PAP), as
well as The New York State Nurses Association's Statewide Peer Assistance
for Nurses (SPAN) program. NYSNA's SPAN program provides a model for identification
and intervention of nurses impaired by addictive diseases. This model
begins and ends with the standard of effective, efficient and safe practice.
This course will provide specific information to assist the nurse to
recognize risk factors, signs and symptoms and intervene effectively when
a nurse colleague suffers from addictive illness.
© 2003 NYSNA All rights reserved.
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