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Identifying signs of substance use disorders (SUD) in hospital and health system employees are the first step to preventing drug diversion. In order to reduce the risk to both staff and patients, it is important to identify SUDs before they are diverted.
Fremont, CA:Identifying the signs of a substance use disorder (SUD) in hospital and health system staff is a critical step in preventing drug diversion.
In the United States, substance abuse continues to be a pressing problem. Over 50 million people misused prescription drugs or used illicit drugs within a year, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. Frontline healthcare workers faced unprecedented challenges as a result of the pandemic, a population that is already at greater risk of substance abuse due to increased access to controlled substances. Healthcare workers' drug diversion is exacerbated by patient safety issues. Healthcare workers abuse drugs at a similar rate to the general population, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Nevertheless, this does not account for undetected or unreported cases.
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Identifying signs of substance use disorders (SUD) in hospital and health system employees is the first step to preventing drug diversion. In order to reduce the risk to both staff and patients, it is important to identify SUDs before they are diverted.
Healthcare workers' traits and stressors that can lead to substance abuse
Healthcare is a high-stress field that tends to attract people with certain personality traits. Having a high work ethic or being a perfectionist is examples of these traits. The possibility of abusing medication to maintain work levels or manage stress, however, may also be affected by this factor. Healthcare professionals themselves face unique stressors at work in comparison to those in other professions.
It is not uncommon for healthcare workers to work long and often unpredictably, to have responsibilities that change from time to time, to be exposed to suffering and death, and to experience high emotional levels while treating the sick. Working conditions that are challenging for healthcare workers are caused by demanding and excessive workloads exacerbated by a shortage of workers.
It is true that workplace stress can lead to poor mental and physical health, but other factors - such as physical injury or disruption of different aspects of an individual's life - can also play a role in the development of a substance use disorder. In addition to the emotional and physical stress they already endure, unstable and unpredictable work life can negatively impact families, communities, and finances. In an MHA study, half of the healthcare workers with children said they did not have enough time to be present with their children.
Healthcare workers often put the well-being of others before their own, as their job often requires. If workers delay or prevent getting the help they need for themselves, then this dedication to their family and job may ultimately harm them.
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