a hair sample. There's typi-
cally no escaping this kind
of screening and, more
often than not, someone
who's addicted will come
clean before they even take
the test.
How to address it
The best advice I can give
you if you're planning to
confront someone on your
staff is to stay objective. I
mentioned that my pharma-
cist had the most black-and-
white suspicions of every-
one, and in the end, it was
her reasoning that brought
down the hammer. I was
taken aside by the hospital's CEO, the director of the pharmacy, my
department chair and human resources, and they addressed me by
sticking to the facts.
Another piece of advice: Share your concerns with trusted col-
leagues in leadership roles who can join you in any plans to intervene.
When I was approached, I was given 2 options. I could resign and
enter treatment, but still be reported to the Board of Nursing, the
state attorney general of Indiana and a monitoring agency, or I could
refuse and possibly face criminal felony charges. With my back
against the wall, the choice was obvious. What made it obvious,
though, was the way the facts were shown to me. I could see just how
D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 4 9
• SELF-INJECTION IS A DANGEROUS STAGE Providers who self-inject
are at a dangerous point in their addiction. Be on the lookout for long
sleeves in warm weather.
