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KICKER
INTERVENTION
Confronting Substance Abusers
1. Face your own denial. Don't
fall into the trap of thinking trusted
HELPING HAND Offer addicts help in battling their
demons and starting down the road to recovery.
employees you've known for
years wouldn't or couldn't abuse
drugs or alcohol. Sometimes it's
the people you least expect.
2. Have a caring attitude. Be sure the suspected employee knows you're
not labeling or judging them. Listen with the ear of your heart.
3. Name the choice. Give substance abusers clear-cut behavioral choices,
which are likely dictated by your policies and procedures. Tell them they need
to clean up their act or enter rehab to remain employed. Make it that simple.
4. Motivate. Implore addicts to face their problems and change their ways.
Don't use confrontations as "gotcha" moments. Substance abusers might no
longer be employable, but don't ignore their personal issues. Offer them support moving forward in their recoveries, perhaps by referring them to your
facility's rehab program. External motivations effect change, but substance
abusers need to internalize motivations for them to be truly impactful, and it's
easier to internalize those motivations if they trust you. Even if you don't initially see changes in addicts' behaviors, know that you've impacted their lives. It
may take years for them to grab control of their addictions, but your actions
might have been the final straw that started them down the road of recovery.
— Lisa Moschkau, RN, BSN, MASL
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | F E B R U A R Y 2013
