Drug & Alcohol Abuse
These are the position statements from ANA regarding drug and alcohol abuse. Background information regarding each of these statements is available to ANA members. Login required.
Drug Testing for Health Care Workers - 12/8/94
ANA opposes random drug tests for healthcare workers. It gives qualified consent to testing where there is reason to believe drugs or alcohol is affecting the work of the employee and proper restrictions are applied. Background Info
Abuse of Prescription Drugs - 4/5/91
ANA opposes fraudulent or incompetent prescribing activities by health care providers and the misuse of prescribed drugs by nurses themselves.
The association encourages comprehensive pharmacology education for nurses practicing in all settings to ensure safe and appropriate prescription of drugs. The association believes education for nurses with prescription privileges should include, but not be limited to:
a) education on the misuse, abuse and addictive potential of prescription drugs.
b) vulnerabilities of special populations which place them at higher risk for drug dependence, i.e. newborns, adolescents, preadolescents, elders, and individuals with chronic illnesses, including substance dependency and mental illness.
c) legal provisions for accountability of the nurse for assessment, intervention and evaluation in relation to prescription, illicit and legal drugs (alcohol).
d) education in prescription practice and management for metabolic altering natural substances such as steroids and growth hormone. Background Info
Polypharmacy and the Older Adult - 12/15/90
The American Nurses Association supports:
- the position that a drug profile be initiated on admission of older adults to any health care institution or community setting
- the evaluation/ monitoring of this drug profile for unnecessary and excessive drugs by appropriate professionals
- nurses in their actions to communicate, document, and refuse to give medications that in their judgment may adversely affect their older patients
- research in pharmacodynamics and promotion of safe medication self-administration in the older population. Background Info