When is the recovering impaired nurse ready to work? A job interview guide

A nurse administrator, interviewing a recovering nurse addict, needs a method to determine if the nurse is ready to return to work. Understanding the four phases of recovery (premotivation, breakthrough, early recovery, and extended recovery) is helpful in assessing the nurse's readiness. Believing recovering nurses are not ready for the demands of most nursing jobs until they reach the last phase of recovery, the author presents an interview guide to assist nurse administrators to make an assessment.