Nurse Jackie isn’t the only health care professional popping pills these days. Jackie, the title character of the Shotime series, began taking pain pills for her bad back, but now she’s trying to scam the drug-dispensing system, having sex for drugs and overdosing at work.
Drug addiction is a serious issue for doctors, nurses and other health care providers. If you’re a surgeon who is literally holding someone’s life in your hands, or a nurse trying to care for too many patients in an overcrowded emergency room, or a resident who’s been responding to crises for too many hours on too little sleep, the stressors are enormous. Add to that the fact that you spend much of your life in an environment where drugs are readily available (and you know exactly which ones to take and at what dosage), and it’s little wonder that so many succumb to the temptation.
Some health professionals use alcohol to self-medicate, either on its own or in addition to another drug. The need for drug and alcohol addiction treatment is obvious, but it’s equally obvious that reputations and careers can easily be ruined if rumors begin to circulate.
High-profile physicians will appreciate the enhanced privacy protection available at executive drug and alcohol addiction treatment centers. Since busy schedules make a lengthy absence problematic, you might also want to look int...
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