Substance Abuse Through the Eyes of a Nurse Essay examples

In first talking about substance use, abuse and addiction as it relates to the Nursing profession it is necessary to understand the aspect of addiction. Drug use is a broad idea that refers to the use of any chemical substance rather legal or illegal. This topic includes prescription drugs, street drugs, herbal supplements, and the like. The term Drug abuse is defined as â€Å"the use of a substance or substances in such a way that it leads to measurable personal, interpersonal, or social consequences† (Faupel, C., E., Horowitz, A., M., Weaver, G., S., 2010, p.20). Drug addiction is then regarded as â€Å"a compulsive use of chemicals (drugs or alcohol) and the inability to stop using them despite all the problems caused by their use† (National†¦show more content†¦This paper will discuss the prevalence of drug abuse, use and addiction among nurses, some differences among specialties, differences between genders, some causes, commonly used substances, signs a nd symptoms to monitor for, the act of diversion, negative consequences/disciplinary actions toward nurse’s as well as some preventative measures. Prevalence of Drug Use/Abuse/Addiction The specific prevalence of substance abuse among nurses seems to be up for discussion and thus far there hasnt been any factual irrefutable evidence (Chait, J., p.2). Although, â€Å"it has been estimated that ten to fifteen percent of all nurses in the United States are addicted to some type of illegal or controlled substance (Heacock, S., 2013, p.1). Nauert believes that the incidence of substance abuse among nurses, and nursing students, is both under-researched and under-reported(2011). New research suggests as many as ten to twenty per cent of nurses and nursing students may have substance abuse and addiction problems (Nauert, R., 2011, p.1). Differences Between Genders Women’s drug use, worldwide, is less than that of men, which is reflected in the fact that drug use in nursing is therefore, significantly lower than in male dominated health professions like medicine and pharmacy. Following the gender patterns, male nurses are significantly more likely to use prescription drugs than their female colleagues(Dittman, 2012). Men comprise approximately eight pointShow MoreRelatedThe Virginia Board Of Nursing1290 Words   |  6 Pagescollaborative decision whether the defendant is safe and competent to practice under their nursing license. Disciplinary Case One specific case involved substance abuse by a Registered Nurse. 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