Preventing drug dependency: Part 2, Educating and supporting staff

Nurse administrators can respond to the chemical abuse problem in one of two ways. They can deny it, ignore it, avoid confrontation, and terminate the employee. Such action jeopardizes both the nurse and patients. Alternatively, nurse administrators can deal with the problem by recognizing its prevalence in society, educating their personnel, providing support systems for staff, and establishing controls. By choosing this latter course of action, nurse managers evidence humanity and concern for patients, the profession, and individual practitioners.