Nursing trend and issue discussion

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In nursing, substance misuse is a widespread problem. It is anticipated that approximately 10% of nurses may misuse drugs or alcohol at some point throughout their careers. Despite the fact that nurses appear to drink less than the average population, research have found that they binge drink more than the general population aged 35 and older (Foli et al., 2015). Some researchers have also indicated that people with access to these prescriptions at work have greater rates of prescription drug misuse. (Stewart & Mueller, 2018). Stress assiciated with inadequate support and increased workloads is a major contributor to substance use among nurses. In addition, the high prevalence is associated with lack of education regarding substance use making nurses unware of the signs and symptoms of addicion.

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When a nurse develops a substance misuse problem, it has far-reaching implications for the profession. Nurses who struggle with substance misuse are more capable of harming themselves. The same nurses are more likely to inflict harm to the patients they are caring for since they are unable to perform at their best due to substance misuse difficulties. Substance misuse can be exhausting on both a physical and emotional level. A circumstance like this is more likely to have an impact on the quality of treatment provided to patients. Thus, health care facilities need to offer education to nurses and other health care professionals concerning drug and alcohol use, and establish procedures, policies, and practices to promote supportive, safe, and drug-free workplaces (Foli et al., 2019).

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Nurses must be aware of the consequences of poor nursing on the nursing profession and the healthcare system as a whole. Because the handicapped nurse may be unable to provide safe and appropriate care, this is the case. As a result, nurses must be aware of the indicators of impairment and how to report any colleague nurse who may be suffering from a substance misuse disorder. While some impaired nurses may be able to perform normally, the majority of impaired nurses may be unable to offer competent care, make medication errors, or divert controlled substances from the patient to themselves. (Manthey, 2018). In addition, it would lead to poor work performance since it has potential to damage the health of a nurse. Substance abuse may result in mental illness among nurses, among other chronic illnesses such as hepatitis, hypertension, liver disease, traumatic injuries, and possibly death because of overdose.

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Policies and procedures for recognizing and responding to indications and behaviors that may indicate impairment in the workplace should be implemented in health care facilities. Nurses need to learn how to spot risk factors and indicators of dysfunction in the profession. They must be aware of symptoms of possible controlled substance diversion, as well as any hurdles to identifying colleagues who are impaired. They must also be aware of the regulations that govern the discipline and care of compromised nurses in their state.

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To detect medication diversion, system-wide initiatives must be established in all clinical backgrounds, and all personnel must be made aware of the protocols in place. Every nurse working in a health-care facility plays a vital role in preventing drug diversion. They must be able to spot drug diversion-related trends, patterns, and behaviors. They have a responsibility to guarantee patient safety and that the impaired nurse receives assistance in regaining full function. Nurses who are aware are better able to assist colleagues in finding relevant resources. They can also lobby for necessary support, treatment, and access to fair judicial process on behalf of their impaired colleagues.(Stewart & Mueller, 2018). .

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Several nurses are unaware of the negative effects of substance abuse in the workplace. They do not understand the negative consequences of drug diversion. There is need for education programs that inform nurses on the negative consequences of the addiction process and ways of recognizing signs and symptoms of substance abuse disorder, which remain the most profound risk factors for nurse impairment. Broad-educational programs are necessary to understand proper ways of responding to impaired nursing (Brummond et al., 2017). Newly hired nurses should be taken through substance abuse as part of their orientation, and it should be part of the yearly competency training. The facility should also hold annual addiction conferences.

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Health facilities should put in place policies and procedures that ensure consistent tackling of substance abuse problems in the workplace. The policies put in place should promote safety and offer assistance to nurses and other health professionals at high risk of substance abuse disorder. Some of these policies may include but not limited to pre-employment drug testing, for-cause drug testing, return-to-practice guidelines, and relapse management. In addition, putting in place surveillance systems can be useful in detecting impairment and provide proof to establish whether the impairment is related to diversion of controlled substances (Brummond et al., 2017).

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