Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Nursing role in substance abuse
Substance abuse disorders nursing paper
Nursing role in substance abuse
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Nursing role in substance abuse
Why would a person go to college for so many years to become a professional Nurse and risk everything they have worked for to become an addict? In the U.S. it has been estimated that 10- 15 Percent of Nurses have some type of addiction. There is approximately 3 million Professional Nurses employed in the United States, making 300,000 – 500,000 Nurses suffering from addiction. The backbone of the healthcare system in the United States is the nurse. Being one of the major people needed in the healthcare environment can bring plenty of stress within the work environment. There is no particular blame on why nurses become addicted to substance controlled drugs, street drugs, and alcohol. But there is almost always a higher risk of developing
She explained how she relapsed after being 3 months clean. Since the relapse in 2015 to 2016 she became clean again in August of 2016 with the help of her fiancé and her family. Since she took responsibility for her actions and explained that she does have a problem. I believe that is the first step to recovery. She was very adamant about how she does do wrong and then she had a plan to do what was right in her life for herself and not for anyone else. It may seem selfish, but that is the only way to control an addiction within one’s self, in my opinion. Accepting what is wrong and willing to deal with it is a start and having a great support system will help tremendously. The State Board of Nursing should allow her a second chance to prove that she can overcome and control her addiction while preforming the career she worked hard to achieve. The board should place a strict probation, and tasks that she can perform should be evaluated periodically. In the Nurse Practice Act it states, “Use or unlawful possession of any controlled substance, as defined in chapter 195, or alcoholic beverage to an extent that such use impairs a person 's ability to perform the work of any profession licensed or regulated by sections 335.011 to 335.096 (pg.
From interviewing celebrities such as actress Kristen Johnston and politician Bill White, the film identified substance abuse can happen to anyone. I found more sympathy to those once I learned the facts, not opinions, of substance abuse users. It was interesting to find how the physiology of ones’ brain may change over time, thus proving it is not always a person’s free will of choice to use. People of addiction are like anyone else who may have fallen down the wrong path. Some who have found substance abuse for coping, did not realize they were becoming addicts. Others have found the media and advertisement placing pressure on them because it looks entertaining and fun. With limited outreach programs, it is crucial to increase the awareness among young groups for prevention. With fear of being judged, the stigma and health disparities of addiction cause many to not seek help. Equal opportunity should be available to everyone. As a future nurse, I find an important role for me is to lead in educating and being opened minded to the struggles of each one of my patients. My job is to refrain from stereotyping and being an advocate. As healthcare is always evolving to provide the most adequate care, I look forward towards the future as more people are educating and trying to eliminate those struggling through addiction
...ssociations for actions, reporting, and advice in these situations. Drug diversion and drug use are serious problems in the nursing community and it is very important to understand how to handle these situations as a nurse leader in the future.
There is a shortage of all health care professions throughout the United States. One shortage in particular that society should be very concerned about is the shortage of Registered Nurses. Registered Nurses make up the single largest healthcare profession in the United States. A registered nurse is a vital healthcare professional that has earned a two or four year degree and has the upper-most responsibility in providing direct patient care and staff management in a hospital or other treatment facilities (Registered Nurse (RN) Degree and Career Overview., 2009). This shortage issue is imperative because RN's affect everyone sometime in their lifetime. Nurses serve groups, families and individuals to foster health and prevent disease.
The shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in the United States has been a cyclical topic dating back to the 1960s. Only recently have employers in certain regions of the nation stated a decline in the demand for RNs. Consequently, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2014) report on 2012-2013 Enrollment and Graduations in Baccalaureate and Graduate Programs in Nursing, American nursing schools denied admission to 79,659 qualified applicants from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2012. The reported decrease in job availability and rejected admissions has left many individuals to question if the nursing shortage still exists. On the other hand, some experts project that the United States will be short more than one million RNs by 2020 (Dolan, 2011). Although some parts of the country are in less of a demand than others, it is undeniable that there is a national shortage of RNs.
My research paper is on the healthcare occupation, in particularly,the field of licensed practical nursing, also called licensed vocational nurses. In my paper, I will cover such things as the definition of career choice, certain requirements, the expected job duties and responsibilities, any additional licensure that is required. After discussing these topics, I will then point out the potential of finding a job, the ranges of salary, as well as the environment I would be working in. Finally, I will talk about the potential growth in this field and legal requirements. Now i will start with the definition of my career choice.
However, upon securing a job, they find that things on the ground are not as they had expected them to be and this results in some of them deciding to leave the profession early. Research shows that turnovers within the nursing fraternity target person below the age of 30 (Erickson & Grove, 2011). The high turnover within the nursing fraternity results in a massive nurse shortage. This means that the nurses who decide to stay have to work for many hours resulting in exhaustion. A significant percent of nurses quitting their job sites exhaustion and discouragement as the reason that contributed to their decision. In one of the studies conducted on the issue of nurse turnover, 50% of the nurses leaving the profession argued that they felt saddened and discouraged by what they were unable to do for their patients (Erickson & Grove, 2011). When a nurse witness his/her patients suffering but cannot do anything because of the prevailing conditions he/she feels as if he/she is not realizing the reason that prompted him/her to join the nursing profession. The higher rate of nursing turnover is also affecting the quality of care nurses provide to
Over the years, substance abuse in the United States has become a persistent issue affecting many individuals. In 2008, it was estimated that 17.8 million Americans over the age of 18 where substance dependent (Epstein, Burns, & Conlon, 2010). Many of these individuals being affected are nurses. Ponech (2000) stated that "approximately 10% of the nursing population has alcohol or drug abuse problems, and 6% has problems serious enough to interfere with their ability to practice" (as cited in Talbert, 2009, p.17). Studies show that nurses have a 50% higher rate of substance abuse compared to the rest of the public (Epstein et al., 2010). Among the many factors that contribute to the nurse’s issue of substance abuse, accessibility to drugs in the work environment has played a significant role. Substance abuse among nurses is an arising issue in need of attention, it is alarming to know that patient safety and care is in danger when a chemically impaired nurse is in the workplace.
Nursing has always been a key career in the health care system. Although it is not often focused on in media and stories surrounding health care, nursing is a career of great importance. If any patient was asked about their experience at a hospital or a care center, many will mention the capability and care that they received from the nurses. The health care system could not function efficiently, if at all, if nurses were not present to perform their part. Nurses are more than just physicians support staff. Of interest in this paper is why people choose to study nursing in university or college. From students just graduating high school to mature student who have prior degrees or education, nursing is a popular choice as a path to study
Substance abuse among nurses is one of the problems faced by the nursing profession today. Registered nurses abuse substances at a rate higher than the general public (Eipstein, Burns, & Conlon, 2010). While, according to the American Nurses Association (as cited in Crowley & Morgan, 2014) nurses and the general public misuse drugs and alcohol at almost the same rate. “Substance abuse among nurses threatens not only the quality of care to patients but also the professional standards of nursing” (Eipstein et al., 2010, p. 513). Substance abuse differs from one specialty to another. Areas that have high acuity patients and easy access to drugs creates an opportunity for nurses to abuse substances especially prescription medications. There are
For the 9 years that I have worked as a mental health support worker I have come across cases involving drug addiction and mental health. My passion to work with and help those in need of services grew over the years as I came to realize that with the right services and support, one can eventually become clean of drugs and reintegrate into society and live a normal life. I have been privileged to work with genuinely enthusiastic and caring colleagues who have enhanced my professional identity which makes me so proud to be part of a wider health care industry. I’m fortunate to have tremendous amount of sincere affection for service users and staff and this had made me resilient in adversity, and have a passion to want to do the right
In this essay we are going to explore the connection between professional nursing practice and professional caring. I will outline the terms of professional nursing practice and what makes nursing a profession? I will describe the term of professional caring and the connection to the nursing practice and discuss the dilemma of care and cure. And also determine the importance of both in professional nursing practice.
A career in nursing can be the most rewarding occupation most people can think of. It truly takes a unique person with a strong sense of discipline, diligence, responsibility, and a love for mankind to take on such a role. While nursing for most is very rewarding, it is also an occupation that can very easily overwhelm employees and requires most of the time more so then none, a great tolerance to stress. For some when the stress becomes overwhelming, It may lead to addiction, especially in the medical profession where prescription drugs are readily on hand. The addicted/under the influence nurse affects many people including their colleagues. Most importantly, under the influence nurses pose a serious risk to their patients. There is a major
Becoming a successful Registered Nurse is not as easy as it sounds. There is a lot of studying late nights, lots of tests, and quizzes, and just stress period. One main thing to becoming a great nurse is having the tendency not to procrastinate, which in the nursing field could lead to devastating results. You could procrastinate when it comes to checking a person’s vital signs, such as blood pressure. A person could have a stroke right before your eyes, and it may have could have been prevented if that person’s vital signs had been checked when they were supposed to. You could procrastinate and take your time to give someone their pain medication. You could prevent someone from being in agonizing pain if you were to give them their medicine in a timely fashion.
Drug addiction is a very big problem in today’s society. Many people have had their lives ruined due to drug addiction. The people that use the drugs don’t even realize that they have an addiction. They continue to use the drug not even realizing that their whole world is crashing down around them. Drug addicts normally lose their family and friends due to drug addiction.