Recognizing Alcohol and Drug Impairment in the Healthcare Professional

Course overview

PRESENTED BY JACK STEM, CDCA, CRNA (Ret) According to the American Addiction Center, though the issue of substance abuse in medical professionals has slightly lowered overall in the last decade or so, it still remains a problem year after year. Few careers have such odd working hours and so many traumatic situations as those in the healthcare industry. The high levels of stress and physical pain that often come with the job, open the door for numerous types of addiction. Studies suggest that healthcare professional are 10-15% more likely to develop substance abuse than the general population with nurses being 10% more likely. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) reports that prior to the 1980s, nurses were often fired by employers and/or disciplined by the BON when evidence of substance use became apparent. Non-disciplinary programs, offering an alternative to traditional discipline, are now used by a growing number of state BONs. These programs provide nurses with rapid involvement in rehabilitation or treatment programs and removes them from providing care until safety to practice can be established and confirmed. When treatment for nurses is individually tailored to meet their needs and an appropriate supportive monitoring systems is in place, nurses can recover and return to practice safely. An extensive body of scientific evidence demonstrates that approaching substance use disorders as treatable illness is extremely effective for the individual using substances, as well as for society. This presentation, by Jack Stem, brings a personal perspective to this issue. Register now! OBJECTIVES: Participants of this 2.0 Contact Hour presentation will: 1. Identify risk factors for impairment of health care professionals; 2. Identify signs of impairment in the health care professional; 3. Describe signs of diversion of controlled substances in the workplace; 4. Discuss the steps for reporting/referring a healthcare professional who may be impaired; (Section 464.018, F.S.; DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS); 5. Describe regulatory mandates that govern treatment of impaired healthcare professionals in Florida (Section 456.076, F.S.); 6. Discuss employer initiatives aimed at prevention and early identification of impairment in the workplace; and 7. List the services provided by the Intervention Project for Nurses. SPEAKER: JACK STEM, CDCA, CRNA (Ret). Jack is a retired program manager for a University of Cincinnati Grant overseeing the Opioid Use Disorder Consortium in Highland County, Ohio. He is also a chemical dependency counselor, former emergency room nurse, and Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. He is senior peer advisor for the Ohio State Association of Nurse Anesthetists and was a Peer Assistance Advisor Committee member for the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) (2017 - 2024). Jack continues to work with the AANA, Parkdale Treatment facility in Indiana, and at the Ohio Community Health Recovery Center in Cincinnati. Jack brings a unique perspective as a recovering opioid addict dealing with the disease of addiction. He has over 30 years of continuous sobriety and is a national speaker and presenter on Substance Use Disorders.