Do doctors and nurses abuse the drugs available to them?

Recognizing a drug or alcohol dependence in doctors or nurses can be difficult because many are considered to be highly functional addicts. This means that they are able to maintain their career, home life and substance abuse for a period of time without others noticing. read more

Although abuse of prescription drugs is significantly greater than use of street drugs, the primary substance of abuse among healthcare professionals is alcohol. Very few doctors have easy access to drugs at work and the penalties for self-prescribing are significant - including jail time in some cases. read more

Female nurses are more likely to abuse prescription drugs, such as hydrocodone, than their male counterparts. Women tend to abuse drugs later in life, though they use fewer substances than men. Women appear more physically affected by substance abuse. read more

Our problems show up in a long list of troubling statistics, and chief among them is the one that applied to me: Doctors are prone to drug and alcohol abuse. It's estimated that rates of addiction among the general population run from 8% to 10%; among physicians, the rates start at 10% and rise to 15%. read more