The NYSNA program helps nurses battling addiction

According to the New York State Department of Education, no less than 10% of the U.S. population will develop a substance use disorder of their lifetime, and nurses and other professionals will not be immune.

An addicted person often acts contrary to his or her own moral standards and ethics, and sometimes it takes the looks of symptoms or external consequences to challenge the denial before the person is willing to hunt help. Symptoms of addiction include the physical, mental, and social consequences of substance use, comparable to shaking, defensiveness, or DWI.

Howard Doughty, RN, BSN, CNOR, a volunteer with the New York State Nurses Association’s statewide Peer Assistance Program for Nurses (SPAN), has seen this firsthand and heard stories of addiction amongst nurses of all ages.

Although alcoholism is as common as drug use amongst nurses’ addiction cases, he said many individuals most frequently associate nurse addiction with stealing drugs intended for distribution to patients.

“Today, so many hospitals and healthcare facilities have better security and practices in place than they did years ago to prevent theft of patients’ medications”? says Doughty, of Congers, New York

Most medical institutions use large wheeled carts with closed compartments for medications that require nurses to supply individual number mixtures to access them, but Doughty said there have been cases of addicted nurses stealing from other nurses. codes.

However, the foremost symptom of addiction is denial, to which individuals and institutions surrounding the addict are also susceptible. Hospital staff, managers, friends and colleagues often fail to see the signs of addiction. Health care organizations with policies and procedures regarding fitness for duty, drug testing, return to work and drug handling are higher prepared to support employees, says Justine Ellerman, RN, MSN, ANP, SPAN regional coordinator. Policies and procedures for workers facing addiction also make it more likely that institutions will intervene early and effectively, Ellerman adds.

Admitting addiction

Justine Ellerman, RN

The SPAN program connects nurses with available resources and was created to support nurses with the idea that sick nurses deserve compassion and rehabilitation and that such an approach is in the perfect interest of public safety.

“We help the nurse navigate treatment, legal, vocational and workplace programs?” – says Ellerman. “When they first contact me, they are devastated, embarrassed and confused. They need an attorney until they become an attorney for themselves. SPAN offers the support you need to start your road to recovery.

Doughty said he has noticed that most nurses realize they have an addiction problem, but it usually takes an incident before help can be arranged to solve the problem. “If it’s alcoholism, could it be DWI?” He says. “If nurses find themselves in a difficult situation at work, they usually know they need to seek help if they want to keep their nursing license.”

Nurses are referred to SPAN after they have employment problems, but nobody is forced to participate. Some nurses seek assistance on their very own, but most seek treatment after being referred to this system by their employer or doctor. Ellerman says roughly 1,668 nurses have participated within the SPAN peer support program since 2001.

SPAN partners with the New York State Department of Education Career Assistance Program. PAP provides a substitute for discipline for 44 categories of licenses in New York State and offers professionals the chance to give up their license during treatment and provides relief from two skilled misconduct charges. PAP accepts voluntary and temporary license surrenders, reinstates them on practical terms, and monitors professionals’ recovery.

“When a nurse is discovered to have a substance abuse problem, the nurse has the option to enter the PAP program for treatment and surrender their license until treatment is successfully completed.” – says Ellerman. “Once treatment is completed, the nurse can lobby to regain her license, and if this happens, she will be closely monitored for the next two years.”

Ellerman says the mission of SPAN, created by the New York State Nurses Association, was a response to a necessity expressed by nursing and health care skilled disciplinary committees. “Instead of punishing these nurses with addictions, it was decided that it would be much better to provide them with the opportunity for rehabilitation?” she says.

In terms of funding this system, she said the state provides financial resources by requiring a $5 annual fee for every nurse’s license upon renewal. “In New York, since nursing licenses are renewed every three years, it amounts to $15 added to the fee, $5 per year, to generate needed money for the SPAN budget?” – says Ellerman.

Second likelihood

Because New York State offers nurses with addiction a second likelihood so long as it hasn’t caused any harm to a patient or caused serious legal problems, Ellerman says SPAN and PAP have had high success rates, which he attributes to support groups and the volunteer efforts of nurses like Doughty , within the SPAN program.

Nurses participating within the SPAN program take part in support groups and weekly meetings and seminars to learn easy methods to face and deal with addiction problems. “Only a nurse who wants to get well and break free from these grips can succeed?” – says Ellerman. “When a nurse is willing to seek help, they can begin the recovery process and break the grip of addiction. If you have the support of family and friends, the process goes even more smoothly and faster.

Nurses can remain in the SPAN program for as long as required, and recovering nurses are encouraged to remain involved in the program so they can assist new arrivals. “That’s the beauty of supporting each other?” share experience, hope and strength with one another? – says Ellerman. To turn into a volunteer at SPAN, a nurse must undergo five years of addiction rehabilitation. Volunteer supporters receive education and supervision, can lead support groups, offer one-on-one support, and speak at colleges and hospitals in regards to the SPAN program.

The story of 1 RN

Eddie*, RN, is a 53-year-old nurse from Staten Island who has been a nurse for 18 years, although she has struggled with addiction on and off. As a SPAN success story, she not only continues to work as a nurse, but additionally agrees to anonymously share her addiction story to assist other nurses.

“I have struggled with addiction and alcoholism my entire life and grew up in a family with addiction problems.” says Eddie, the ER nurse. “After years of addiction, I was clean and sober for eight years and then had a six-year relapse before SPAN helped me get back on track. I have been clean since December 29, 2001.

New Jersey program

Louis Baxter, MD, FASAM, is the executive medical director of the New Jersey Professional Assistance Program and has been with the program for 20 years since 1999, helping nurses seeking addiction treatment.

According to him, the program averages about 110 cases per month and enrolls 700 nurses annually.

“Addiction is a medical disease, and when people ask me about our success rate, I always explain that it has to do with each individual participant and how he or she accepts treatment.” says Baxter.

He said some nurses “sent it themselves”? to this system and others are registered with licensing boards. “We start by assessing each patient, then diagnose and refer them to needed programs and support groups?” He says. “Some of the people we help need a more intensive inpatient program, while others are ideally suited for outpatient treatment.”

Baxter stated that inside five years, the PAP success rate was 96.3%, leading to nurses returning to the licensed career. “We are here to help these men and women help themselves before they go back to doing what they love most, which is helping others.” says Baxter.

* This is just not his real name.