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HEALTHCARE EDUCATION HEALTHCARE EDUCATION
Coming
next month in Healthcare Professionals Are Not Immune

South Florida
Hospital News As nurses, we are nisms. When coupled with the to the welfare of those committed to our
comfortable seeing prevalence of drugs in the care.” We must extend the meaning of
and Healthcare and treating addiction. workplace, self-medication this oath to caring for each other. Not
All too often, we see can quickly escalate to addic- only do nurses with substance issues
Report... people in our emer- tion. have impaired judgement and slower
gency rooms feigning Nurses Don’t Fit the ‘Profile’ reaction times, but they also can do sig-
illness and looking for of an Addict – Unlike common nificant harm to patients, co-workers, or
• 2018: A Look Ahead their next fix. We “junkie” stereotypes, the new themselves.
understand the physi- wave of addicts use opioids Recognition of impairment and timely
• Oncology Update ological effects of and painkillers, not street reporting are paramount for maintaining
• Financially Sustaining a drugs on the system drugs. a safe, healthy workplace with quality
and what medications According to the National patient care and helping the impaired co-
Healthcare Organization are used to stave off Institute on Drug Abuse, 21- worker return to their duties as function-

or Practice withdrawal symptoms BY DONNA MEROLLE, 29% of addicts are patients al member of the healthcare team.
or wean and stabilize ED.D, RN who were prescribed pain Broward College is providing a self-
•Healthcare Banking patients looking for medication. A user often is a paced, fully online course which pro-
recovery. professional with a good job vides an overview of the signs and risk
& Financial Options Yet, we fail to recognize those same and family who began their addiction as factors of impairment, the mandatory
• Healthcare signs in healthcare professionals who a result of chronic misuse of painkillers. reporting laws and ethical and legal obli-
work alongside us. Nurses can continue functioning at a gations of reporting, the steps for report-
Recruitment As the national epidemic of drug abuse high level while impaired, but most are ing an impaired worker, the treatment
increases, healthcare professionals are unable to provide safe, quality care — and support options for impaired health-
& Retention not immune. There are three common putting patients and coworkers at risk. care workers, and employee initiatives
• Medical IT/Software misconceptions about nurses and drug Nurses Know How to Identify Signs – and assistance. The course satisfies the
addiction: By its nature, substance abuse is a clan- two contact hours required by the
Trends Nurses Know Better – Addiction does destine activity. The secretive nature of Florida Board of Nursing for license
not discriminate. The number of poten- addiction becomes exponentially more renewal, effective August 2017.
• Real Estate tially impaired nurses is significant: the dangerous in the healthcare field when To register, please contact Yahalia
American Nurses Association estimates users begin to divert patient medication Franklin at yfrankli@broward.edu.
For more information that 8-10% of nurses are abusing drugs or to satisfy their “fix.” Sometimes, fellow
alcohol to the point of work impairment. nurses may see indications of abuse but Donna Merolle is the Dean of Continuing
on advertising and
The high-stress hospital environment, hesitate to report for fear of retribution or Education – Health Science for Broward
editorial opportunities, fatigue, and potentially co-occurring dis- angering their friend. College. She can be reached at
call (561) 368-6950 orders can easily steer nurses toward When we recite the Nightingale dmerolle@broward.edu.
today! drugs and alcohol as coping mecha- Pledge, we promise to “devote ourselves

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38 November 2017 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News