| Medical professionals are supposed to help people. | | | | drugs on the job. |
| They are not supposed to be the people who need | | | | The conditions of their probation may be drug |
| help. Both doctors are nurses are susceptible to drug | | | | rehabilitation, along with random drug testing and |
| addiction and they may even be more vulnerable | | | | monitoring for a specified length of time - frequently |
| than the general population. | | | | a period of time not less than five years. |
| Surveys say that as many as 15% of medical | | | | Doctors and nurses often get more seriously ill than |
| professionals will abuse drugs or alcohol sometime in | | | | their patients because they take higher quality drugs |
| their careers. For example, more than half of the 71 | | | | than people on the streets. Some anesthetics, like |
| doctors disciplined by the Missouri medical board were | | | | the painkiller fentanyl, are more potent than morphine |
| charged with violations related to drugs or alcohol. | | | | or heroin. |
| Medical professionals seem to be particularly | | | | Returning to work can be especially challenging. Many |
| susceptible to prescription drug abuse. This is likely | | | | times medical professionals change their specialties |
| because they have access to prescription products | | | | after rehab to remove the source of temptation. |
| that the general population does not. | | | | Some states allow the doctors to continuing working |
| Also, medical professionals have knowledge of the | | | | while they are in rehab. Some states allow doctors to |
| drug's effects and may feel as if they are not going | | | | retain their licenses as long as they refrain from using |
| become addicted because they fully understand the | | | | drugs or alcohol. This policy has come under fire in |
| drug. | | | | many locations because of the danger to the public. |
| Pain killers and sleeping pills seem to be the most | | | | Most state boards are insisting that medical |
| common type of drug abused by medical | | | | professionals seek rehabilitation rather than using |
| professionals. Sometimes the addictions begin with a | | | | criminal prosecution as a deterrent. They feel this |
| legitimate prescription after an injury. The relaxing | | | | would create circumstances under which medical |
| effect becomes addictive to someone in a | | | | professionals hide their addictions instead of seeking |
| high-stress atmosphere such as the medical | | | | treatment. |
| profession. Then, physical dependency begins. | | | | Once a healthcare professional enters a treatment |
| Nurses learn to beat the system by charting that a | | | | program, their chances for a complete recovery is |
| patient got two pills and then only giving them one. | | | | very high. The Farley Center and Williamsburg Place |
| They pocket the extra pill. Or sometimes, they | | | | provides affordable, individualized care in a relaxing |
| pocket the dose while the patient is sleeping. They | | | | residential atmosphere. Respected nationally by the |
| have access to drug cabinets and other steal | | | | healthcare community, twenty five percent of |
| prescription pads and forge their own prescriptions. | | | | patients are referred by noted physicians. Unlike most |
| There are even doctors who are willing to write | | | | centers, The Farley Center and Williamsburg Places |
| unnecessary prescriptions. | | | | offers full time, on-site physicians whose patient |
| Nurses are subject to losing their jobs if they are | | | | roster is small, allowing for effective, one-on-one care |
| caught abusing drugs. Many times, the medical | | | | and commitment to healing body and spirit. For more |
| professionals are put on probation by medical boards | | | | than 15 years they have assisted thousands of good |
| for violations involving illegal prescriptions or abusing | | | | people who simply wish to get well. |