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Addiction in nurses

ADDICTION IN HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Substance abuse is a serious concern in the nursing profession. The American Nurses Association estimates the 10% to 20% of nurses have substance abuse problems. Chemical dependency is considered a disease that requires treatment. Early identification and treatment of the chemically dependent healthcare worker is important for the safety of the public and for the well-being of the nurse and her profession. We can no longer afford to ignore, ostracize, or punish nurses who have this progressive and fatal disease. In this article we will learn more about addiction as a disease, and what recovery really is.

Addiction is a disease. The definition of a disease is "anything that interferes with the ability of a human to function normally." A disease causes its own signs and symptoms. Like any other disease, addiction is progressive and predictable. It only gets worse without treatment affecting more systems with increasing severity. Even is an addic...

Posted by: Tricia F. Doyle

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