By Biju George
Psychiatric Nurse
“I will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.”
Nightingale Pledge
People with addiction seek the help of medical professionals in time of crisis. Does this mean that no medical professionals need help? The answer is they too sometimes need help. Both doctors and nurses are susceptible to drug addiction and they may even be more vulnerable than the general population. Surveys say that 15 % of medical professionals will abuse drug or alcohol some time in their career.
The research says that 8 to 15 % of the medical professionals are physically dependent to some addictive drugs. The risk is high in anaesthetic department and the emergency department as they have easy access to medicines. However, general physicians or paediatricians too can get addicted to various substances.
Why is there an increasing risk of drug abuse in medical professionals?
Types of Drug Abuse in Medical Professionals:
-The addiction in medical professionals varies from common painkillers to anaesthetic medicines. Some of them are as follows:
Codeine, Fentanyl, morphine, opium, other opioid pain relievers like oxycodone, meperidine, hydro morphine.
* Amphetimine, cocaine, methamphetamine, methylphenidate
* Anabolic Steroid: Anadrol, oxandrin
* Antihistamines – CPM
* Antitassive or cough syrups
Signs and symptoms of drug abuse in health professionals:
It seems to be very difficult to identify the signs and symptoms of drug abuse in medical professionals because they have knowledge about the medicines and its side effects, and it helps them to hide the signs and symptoms for longer time. But the common signs and symptoms include:
Drug Addiction as a occupational Hazard:
In medical profession drug addiction is considered as occupational hazard, since there is a high risk to get addicted to the drugs in their career. So the hospital authority and occupational health team should take all precaution to avoid drug abuse.
How to prevent drug addiction in medical professionals:
The hospital authorities should take care to avoid or to prevent the addiction in the medical staffs. The precautions include
May all our medical professionals be free from drug abuse, so that they can serve the society in a better ways.
“ If you are looking for Psychologists and Psychiatrists in Bangalore reach CADABAMS MINDTALK. “
Generally, rehabilitation in healthcare is the process of helping individuals to improve, maintain or restore physical strength and mobility. This type of rehabilitation……………
Accordingly mental healthcare professionals prescribe: psychological treatment aimed at addressing specific problems, psycho education for family members of patients……………
Unfortunately, such misconceptions remain predominant in people who are supposed to deliver the health care services. It is found that medical professionals…………..
Everyone entering treatment receives a clinical assessment. A complete assessment of an individual is needed to help treatment professionals……..
As a matter of moral obligation, it, thus, becomes incumbent upon the estranged husband and wife to make the entire separation process less…………..
Individual centric care: Important to make individual’s preferences, needs and aspirations the focal point of all care and attention. This also means showing……..
The above named drugs are addictive due to various reasons. They act on the chemicals in the brain causing cravings which lead to a high dependence……………
Obtain data source from (SAMHSA) substance abuse and mental health services administration, (NSDUH) National Survey on drug use and………….
Clearly, drug abuse impacts women dually, male drug abuse creates enormous burden for the affected women and drug abuse per se has……..
Substance abuse disorder is when an individual engages in a harmful intake of a substance or drug, affecting various areas of life……..
To be a comprehensive mental health care centre with centres of excellence in sub specialities and allied specialities of mental health care.
For the general public and healthcare givers it is important to understand that in majority of the cases the addiction starts with trying……..
The ability of the mental healthcare professionals to communicate respect, whether through spoken words, gestures or expression of feelings, plays……..
ADRUTHA with its adept professionals like Psychiatrist, Psychologist, Psychiatric-Social workers and Counsellors aims to set standards in halfway house rehabilitation & recovery.
Drug rehabilitation is a supportive approach to treatment and recovery from chemical dependency and drug addiction. Drug Rehabilitation is the umbrella term……..