The Impaired Nurse: Medication Misuse by the Nurse

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
Reference

Introduction

In the presented scenario, Brenda shows many signs of being chemically impaired. However, other cases may also be recognized with different characteristics and behaviors. For instance, chemical impairment can be identified by rapid mood swings, social isolation, or an interest in administering medications (Marquis & Huston, 2020). Furthermore, nurses may be absent from or late to work, take long lunch breaks, disappear from their work area, or leave work late (Marquis & Huston, 2020). Feedback from patients who state that their pain medication is not helping is another possible sign of medication misuse by the nurse.

Discussion

The response of Ms. Simpson provides the nurse with some security but places the responsibility into the hands of the nursing student. Caitlyn is worried about reporting her preceptor due to the latter’s role in the relationship. Therefore, Ms. Simpson is correct in encouraging Caitlyn to properly document and explain the witnessed events to the higher level of management. I did not have a similar situation, as I felt that the culture at my place of employment was safe enough to prioritize patient care above internal conflicts.

The nurse manager acted inappropriately when talking to Brenda. She assumed the role of a care provider rather than a manager and put Brenda in the position of a patient and not an employee. This behavior is inappropriate because it does not establish subordination or clarify to the nurse why her behavior is unsafe for patients (Marquis & Huston, 2020). Patient care should be a priority, and the nurse with chemical impairment should not be allowed to work until her condition improves.

Some guidelines may include a structured system for reporting such cases and a strict policy against entering the workplace in a state of chemical impairment. Moreover, drug accessibility should be reevaluated to better monitor nurses’ use of drugs. Substance abuse awareness training and helpful resources can help nurses to avoid these events in the future.

Conclusion

Finally, nurses who re-enter the workforce during recovery should be assigned to a day shift and monitored with periodic checks for substance use (Marquis & Huston, 2020). If Brenda returns to the workplace and violates the guidelines by not attending training or violating the new rules for drug access, she may be disciplined, removed from the workplace temporarily, or terminated.

Reference

Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2020). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing: Theory and application (3^rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer.

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The Impaired Nurse: Medication Misuse by the Nurse

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