It is hard to quantify exactly how many nurses have a problem with drugs or alcohol. Nursing is a challenging profession, and stressors remain higher than ever. Nurses struggling with substance abuse often work off-shifts or travel, and they may leave employment before assistance for issues can be addressed. They may also develop coping mechanisms that "allow them to cover up their diminished capacity to provide patient care," as one author describes.
Additionally, data are difficult to track because states and institutions define impairment via different metrics.
The American Nurses Association (ANA), as well as many institutions, strives to adopt an atmosphere of alternative-to-discipline approach for treating nurses and nursing students with substance abuse disorders rather than viewing substance use as a crime.
However, nurses should know the policies of both the state and the employer where they work before assuming they are safe from disciplinary action. Nurses have been terminated for ingesting opioids at work in institutions where this violated hospital policy, so it is pivotal to know what your employee manual specifies regarding the use of specific pharmaceuticals on the job.
Do you need two Percocet after gum surgery? Then, logically, you should be resting at home.
Are you planning a celebration the night before working an early shift?
