Substance abuse disorder can occur to all genders, cultures, age, and occupations including nursing. There are many risk factors that put nurses at risk to this chronic disease. Nurses are often exposed to high-stressed environment which put them at increased risk for substance abuse. The nursing profession comes with stresses of long shifts, shortage of staff, exposure to death and dying patients, and the emotional exhaustion of putting others before themselves. This could lead nurses to seek for unhealthy ways to relieve their stress. In addition, the nature of the nursing profession allows nurses to have easy access to medications. Nurses are constantly taking medications out of the medication dispensing machine, administering the medications and wasting the medications. It is not without difficulties that nurses can abuse this privilege and take the medications for their own personal use.
If substance abuse disorder becomes untreated, nurses face many consequences. Nurses may have their license suspended
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The stigma against drug and alcohol addiction imposed by society can be hurtful and inhibit nurses from seeking help. Nurses feel ashamed and guilty for their addictions. They fear losing their jobs, reputations, family, and friends if they disclose to others about their illness. Therefore, the first step towards recovery is for nurses to accept that they have an addiction and that they seek for help. There are different levels of treatment programs that help nurses recover, ranging from outpatient services to clinically managed medium-intensity residential services. Nurses are also referred to HPSP, which provides support and monitoring of the recovery process. Nurses are to pass the tests provided by the HPSP and meet the requirements set out by the program. Medication assisted treatment may also be provided to assist with withdrawal cravings and