One in three nurses called before fitness-to-practise inquiries have problems with alcohol or drug abuse, according to a new report.
An analysis of 115 inquiries, involving allegations of professional misconduct against nurses, showed that 39 were held to account because of substance abuse.
The report was carried out by their regulatory body, the Nursing and Midwifery Board, which acts on complaints made about members of the profession and decides if they should be called before a formal inquiry.
The inquiries, which are aimed at protecting patients, were held between 2006 and 2010. The analysis showed that 28 of the nurses involved were abusing drugs and another 11 were dependent on alcohol.
Dependence on drugs tended to happen after the nurse self-medicated, leaving them at risk of having to increase dosages over time. They were predominantly prescribed rather than street drugs.
Source: Eilish O'Regan, Irish Independent, 20/08/2013
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