“Nurses have distinctive risk factors associated with the work environment that may increase the probability of developing an SUD.”

In my previous roles as the director of the emergency department and pediatric intensive care unit, I worked with nurses who were enrolled in the Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN), which is a substance use disorder (SUD) assistance program.

My colleagues would often ask me why I’d hire anyone who was enrolled in this program. My response was that these are the ones who are getting help and trying to recover. I feel safe with these nurses because I know they are being monitored and receiving treatment—it’s the other nurses that I worry about.

Substance use disorders do not discriminate.

Anyone can be affected, regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or profession. Nurses with SUDs present serious risks to both their patients and the nursing profession.

Therefore, it is important to recognize that in our professional practice we will at some time or another encounter a colleague who is experiencing a substance use disorder. We all have the ethical and legal duty to respond immediately to help the impaired nurse.

Recognizing signs and symptoms of impairment and differentiating these peer behaviors from responses to job stress and clinical demands may assist in improving patient safety and result in better outcomes for everyone. For a thorough overview of SUDs as they affect nurses, including risk factors, recognition and reporting, and interventions and programs, read our CE article in AJN‘s October issue, “The Impaired Nurse: A guide to early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of substance-related disorders among colleagues in the workplace.”

Deborah Salani, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, NE-BC, is an associate professor in the University of Miami School of Nursing and Health Studies, Coral Gables, Florida.