Abstract
This issue of Workplace Health & Safety contains a Continuing Nursing Education Module for 1.0 contact hour of continuing nursing education credit will be awarded by AAOHN upon successful completion of the posttest and evaluation.
A certificate will be awarded when the following requirements are met by the participant: (1) Participant logs on to the AAOHN LMS website at www.aaohn.org/education/online-learning-center and enrolls in the course ($10 members; $15 non-members); (2) The completed posttest and course evaluation are entered online at http://www.aaohn.org by December 2023; (3) A score of 75% (6 correct answers) is achieved by the participant.
Upon completion of this lesson, the occupational health nurse will be able to:
Understand the definition of diversion and why diversion may be an occupational hazard for certified nurse anesthetists (CRNAs).
Explain the reasons why diversion may adversely affect everyone involved.
List evidence-based strategies for prevention of substance abuse and drug diversion among certified nurse anesthetists and CRNA students.
The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is an Approved Provider of continuing nursing education by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc., an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. is additionally approved as a CNE provider by the California Board of Registered Nursing (#CEP9283).
Contact hours received for successful completion of the posttest and evaluation may be used for relicensure, certification, and re-certification.
In 1999, Bell, et al., documented that ____ of CRNAs misuse and divert medications. (Fill in the blank) More than 10% Less than 5% More than 20% None of the above
Diversion is defined as: Buying drugs on the street illegally Unlawful distribution of a medication after transfer from its legal and original use Illegal use of a medication after transfer from its legal and original use Stealing cases of medications after they have been delivered to a health care facility All the above b. & c. only
Possible reasons for not reporting an impaired colleague include: Fear of retribution or punishment The belief that someone else should manage the situation The belief that reports about an impaired colleague will be ignored All the above
Diversion is a serious occupational issue in health care because it could result in: Compromised patient care and failure to administer needed medication Transmission of viral and bacterial organisms to patients Substance abuse and overdose deaths in providers who divert Re-routing of a competitor’s supply of needed medications All the above All but d.
Safety systems which discourage diversion and improve patient safety include: Signed ethical agreements required for new CRNAs before they have access to drugs Use of dispensing machines and information technology systems with better tracking features Screening of individuals with the signs and symptoms of withdrawal Random drug screening programs for anesthesia staff All but a.
The Health Belief model applied to this investigation supports the following beliefs: Substance misuse is a serious health problem A CRNA is ethically responsible for a patient’s safety The benefits of drug diversion reporting are greater than the risk of punishment People will change their behavior if they perceive risk All but d. All but c.
The purpose of this project was to: Document the exact percentage of CRNAs that divert drugs Determine whether students are more likely to divert drugs than CRNAs with significant experience Assess knowledge gaps and attitudes to assist in developing interventions to prevent substance misuse and encourage reporting of drug diversion Highlight the role of diversion in creating impaired providers
Because the survey respondents consistently scored high in terms of perceived diversion risk, the researchers in this article hypothesize: Stress management programs will reduce drug diversion Continuous and repetitive open acknowledgement of provider risk by providers and institutions is the first step in preventive strategies If safety information is generic, it will be effective in preventing substance abuse in Specific techniques for each subgroup did not appear to be necessary to be effective
The survey indicated CRNAs were more likely to demonstrate avoidant behaviors if they saw themselves in a high-risk profession, but Their belief in their ability to dissuade others from diversion was low Their belief in the efficacy of prevention measures was low Their belief in their ability to resist temptation was low None of the above
Evidence-based interventions to support diversion reporting might include all the following Developing facility specific policies and procedures to address diversion without adverse consequences to person reporting Supporting programs for providers found to be diverting Improving education to combat this occupational health hazard Recognizing risk and efficacy beliefs affect overall work safety behaviors.