Most people would agree: Being a healthcare worker—especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic—isn’t a career for the faint of heart. Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals shoulder a lot of responsibility and regularly work in demanding, high-pressure environments. (I can’t imagine a more stressful place to work, these days, than a hospital or medical clinic.)…
When looking at the rate of substance use disorder among specific physician careers, anesthesiology is one of the most affected medicine specialties. On the surface, one could readily say this is due to the regularity with which they’re overworked and have easier access to addictive drugs. But anesthesiologists face other challenges, as well. Since the…
A commonly heard phrase in the rooms of recovery is, “Stick with the ‘winners’!” Early on I recall asking the question, “Well, who are the ‘winners’?” Funnily enough, what I’ve come to find over the 22 years I’ve been drug-free and actively involved in recovery is this: The word “stick” (as in “Stick with the…
During the past few years, much has been said about the opioid epidemic in the U.S. One specific segment of society—doctors who specialize in anesthesiology—have been shown to be particularly prone to the devastating effects of prescription painkillers. The fact is, there’s a significant element of “double-trouble” in the life of an addicted anesthesiologist. That’s…
According to the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, the percentage of nurses in the U.S. who have a substance use disorder (i.e., dependence on alcohol and/or drugs) is about 10%, similar to the percentage of the general population.[1] Given the large number of nurses working in the field—approximately 4 million[2]—this rate of addiction…
If you’re a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional in the process of completing (or have just completed) treatment for a substance use disorder (i.e., alcohol and/or drug dependence), you’ve very likely heard a trumpet blaring in your ear about the importance of… aftercare! Indeed, given the medical establishment does not currently have a cure…
Given the stereotype that’s floated around for decades—”most nurses are women”—turns out to have statistics to back it up (per Health Career Institute figures, 9 out of 10 RNs are female)[1], it likely would prove beneficial for those treating healthcare professionals for addiction to consider a 2019 Vanderbilt University study’s findings about women and addiction.…
How to Identify and Help a Health Care Professional with a Substance Use Disorder – PART TWO [Note to Reader: This post is “Part Two” of a 2-part blog-post. “Part One” is stored in the blog archives, and is recommended reading prior to this post.] If you’re a doctor or you’ve been a part of…
Addiction in the Field of Nursing: Facing the Challenges – PART ONE – “The Lay of the Land” [Note to Reader: This is “Part One” of a 2-part blog-post. “Part Two” will be published shortly.] On the face of it, one might not suspect that the nurse administering medical care to you at a…
How to Identify and Help a Health Care Professional with a Substance Use Disorder – PART ONE [Note to Reader: This post is “Part One” of a 2-part blog-post. “Part Two” will follow shortly after publication of this post.] The nature of addiction has been studied by scientists and researchers for decades. The American Psychiatric…