Colleague connection: recognizing and assisting the impaired anesthesia provider

Abstract

Anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists are over-represented in the literature for seeking treatment for addiction, perhaps attributable to characteristics of their personalities, and their access or exposure to highly potent pharmaceuticals. Addiction in this group of professionals is associated with significant mortaility and morbidity. Detection is challenging, as the work setting is usually the last aspect of the anesthesia provider's life to become affected by the disease. This article will review the occupational hazard of chemical dependency and how occupational health nurses can assist in training perianesthesia staff to recognize and assist an impaired anesthesia provider.