Why is addiction and substance abuse especially harmful for those working in healthcare?

Drug addiction and substance abuse is getting common among the healthcare professionals like doctors and nurses. This is an area of concern, because such professional can cause harm to the patients, and spread diseases to them.

Here are some reasons why drug addiction is harmful for healthcare professionals:

1) Doctors and nurses who consume the drugs that are solely intended to administer to patients,  often inject the patient, then themselves, and then the patient again. For example, recently a case was reported where nurse administered the drug to a patient of Hepatitis C and gained disease.

2) Besides the risk of disease, patient will not get the required dose of drugs because nurse or HCP (healthcare practitioner) is sharing his drugs without the notice of anyone. This can cause deleterious effects on patient's recovery.

3) the drug diversion from patients can also cause serious effects on the health of HCPs, Moreover, it has also been observed that due to their position and professional role they are hesitant to admit that they are taking drugs.

Due to this reason, they don't undergo medical treatment and care, and suffer from serious health problems.

Therefore,it is important that drug abuse and addiction be taken seriously not only for general public but also for healthcare professionals.