Assume that you have knowledge that the nurse working with you on your unit has been illegally using drugs. Discuss your professional obligations and institutional obligations to disclose this. Discuss the referral sources for impaired nurses in your (California)state. Analyze the impact of this issue on your advanced practice role as a practitioner/administrator/educator.

Introduction

The freedom that nurses have an easy access to drugs, some may misuse the opportunity to administer illegal procedures and medication. Cases of impaired nurses have lately increased sharply necessitating states to create an intervention program for impairednurses. Furthermore, impairment incidences in healthcare givers are researched and documented. Nurses are more vulnerable to impairment because of many reasons such as misconception on their capacity to medicate themselves to relieve anxiety and change moodease access to medical drugs, prolonged and intensive time working without leisure among others. Some nurse develops severe addiction once they are impaired. A nurse has a responsibility to report to the leader nurse or seek consultation on issues that require clarity before implemented.Therefore as a nurse who has noticed a colleague illegally utilizing drugs has both professional and institutional responsibilities to disclose the problem in an ethical manner(Westrick, 2013). Failure to report the matter for quick intervention the nurse may start making severe medical errors in decision making that can bear huge implication to the patient health. The issue has a significant impact on my future as advanced practice nurse because it is hazardous to work in the same department with an impaired colleague, as their competence and general decision making in an industry that has procedures and policies to follow.

I will confidentially refer his case to the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) through our lead nurse. BRN is mandated to regulate nurses through licensing in California State. The agency deals with registered nurses cases suffering from mental illness or any disorder and the program is called intervention program. Notably the intervention program confidential and voluntary and rehabilitates all registered nurses who are impaired. The intervention program mainly protects the public(Milstead,2017)

References

Nickitas, D. M., Middaugh, D. J. Aries (2014): Policy and politics for nurses and other health professionals. Jones & Bartlett Book.2nd Edition. 9781284053296

WestrickS.J(2013): Essentials Of Nursing Law And Ethics. Jones & Bartlett, 2nd Edition, 978-1-284-03020-4

Milstead(2017): Health Policy and Politics. Jones & Bartlett Book, 6th Edition.

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