The Anesthetic Agent Substance Abusing Provider

The Anesthetic Agent Substance Abusing Provider

Poonam Agarwal, RN, BSN, SRNA Valentyna Groelle, RN, BSN, SRNA York College of Pennsylvania Nurse Anesthetist Program

Objectives 

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Discuss statistics and risk factors for anesthetic agent and substance abuse among Nurse Anesthetists and Anesthesiologists. Identify currently abused anesthetic agents, in addition to patterns of behavior of the addicted provider. Discuss legal issues regarding reporting impaired provider. Examine current treatment and recovery programs, as well as options for reentry into the workforce.

Prevalence

Risk Factors

Factors Contributing to Development of Chemical Dependency

Occupational Factors

Neurobiological Factors

Occupational Exposure

Occupational Exposure (Gold et al., 2006)

Occupational Exposure (Gold et al., 2006)

Neurobiological Factors

Why Can’t Addicts Just Quit? Non-Addicted Brain

Addicted Brain Control

Control

Saliency

NO Drive GO Memory

Saliency

Drive GO

Memory

Because Addiction Changes Brain Circuits Adapted from Volkow et al., Neuropharmacology, 2004.

Most Commonly Abused Substances

Propofol

Patterns of Behavior

Education and Prevention

Legal Issues

Legal Issues and Options

Treatment

Challenges of Reentry

Challenges of Reentry

Attitudes of Reentry

References        

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