Estimates of nurses with substance use disorders (SUDs) are approximately equal to those of the general public. Historically, nurses with SUDs faced public disciplinary action for any violations of the nurse practice act in their respective states, but now many states have alternative-to-discipline (ATD) programs available. Although the consent agreement for disciplinary and non-disciplinary programs are often similar, ATD programs are, in contrast, confidential and assist nurses to safely return to practice. As a RN and person in long-term recovery, I have first-hand experience with an ATD program. I credit the program with saving my career; however, it is not without criticism. Recommendations for improvements include increased education about ATD programs, research to evaluate efficacy of mandated interventions, including nurses in recovery within shared governance of these programs, implementing true peer support with nurses in long-term recovery, defraying the costs of the program to participants, and ensuring all staff within the programs receive standardized onboarding training followed by ongoing education. [ Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59 (3), 13–17.]
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.