Warning: Use of undefined constant referer - assumed 'referer' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 102

Warning: Use of undefined constant host - assumed 'host' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 105

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 106

Warning: Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays:102) in /usr/home/essaywo/public_html/essays on line 109
Addiction And Heath Professionals - Term Papers

Addiction And Heath Professionals



With such staggering rates of drug abuse among the employed, I began to ask myself how prevalent drug abuse is among health professionals. Namely, those that are pharmacists, nurses, and doctors in all specialties. Most drug use that is publicized is about those in the inner city found to have two kilos of cocaine or such sensationalist stories that the media can sell. In fact, 74% of all drug users are employed (Bahls, 1998). What risks does a health professional face in terms of forming an addiction that other employees may not face? The risks appear to be imminent and great. For example, what role does accessibility play in a drug-addicted health professional? Although the subject ...

Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers

his/her job. The problem concerning addicted health professionals seems to affect the public as most of us seek healthcare at one time or another in our lifetimes.
First, the definition of impairment must be addressed. According to the American Medical Association’s Council on Mental Health, impairment is "the inability to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety to patients by reasons of physical or mental illness, including alcoholism or drug dependence" (Ariseiguieta, 1998). IN fact, 80-94% of all cases investigated by state physician impairment programs involve alcohol and drug addictions (Centrella, 1994). Drug or alcohol impairment not only hurt the user but may certainly lead to negligence on the job. Every year in the United States 150,000-300,000 deaths or injuries occur as a result of medical negligence. This undoubtably includes doctors who misuse drugs (Coombs, 1996). Indeed, a strong correlation exist between chemical dependence and malpractice.
Are ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.


Already a member? Login

than the general public (Hughes, 1992). One statistic that has been proven is that anesthesiologists appear to be at highest risk for developing an addiction (Collins, 1998). This is because they have ready access to drugs, often experience life-and-death decisions, and have long hours. Fentanyl, a drug twenty to thirty times more potent than morphine, is the most popular drug abused by anesthesiologists (Coombs, 1997). To give an ideal of the prevalence of drug dependence in the field, one chairman of a prestigious department reported that 30% of his staff were addicted (Coombs, 1997).
Why may there be a higher prevalence of drug dependence among health professionals? What ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.


CITE THIS PAGE:

Addiction And Heath Professionals. (2005, May 12). Retrieved December 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Addiction-And-Heath-Professionals/26799
"Addiction And Heath Professionals." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 12 May. 2005. Web. 23 Dec. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Addiction-And-Heath-Professionals/26799>
"Addiction And Heath Professionals." Essayworld.com. May 12, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Addiction-And-Heath-Professionals/26799.
"Addiction And Heath Professionals." Essayworld.com. May 12, 2005. Accessed December 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Addiction-And-Heath-Professionals/26799.
JOIN NOW
Join today and get instant access to this and 50,000+ other essays


PAPER DETAILS
Added: 5/12/2005 11:38:55 PM
Category: Health & Medicine
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 1631
Pages: 6

Save | Report

SHARE THIS PAPER

SAVED ESSAYS
Save and find your favorite essays easier

SIMILAR ESSAYS
» My Participation In The Prince ...
» A Streetcar Named Desire
» Brussels
» Indians, Contact, And Coloniali...
» Henry David Thoreau Was A Rebel
» Great Expectations: Pip
» The History Of Computers
» Gun Control
» Nobody's Gonna Talk Like That U...
» Clara Barton
Copyright | Cancel | Contact Us

Copyright © 2024 Essayworld. All rights reserved