Abstract
Background Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a significant public health concern in the United States and healthcare providers are not immune to this disease. The potential for patient harm presented by an impaired provider is the reason SUD in licensed healthcare professionals is a regulatory issue. Aim: This research study seeks to identify the differences in the disciplinary action taken among pharmacists, physicians, and nurses (LPN & RN) in 24 states. Methods: A retrospective secondary data analysis was performed using the public use data file of the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). Inclusion data were grouped and recoded to analyze using Chi-square to compare differences between groups. Results: Nurses are revoked and fined at much higher rates than medicine. Nurses and pharmacists are placed on probation at higher rates than medicine, and medicine was censured more than their nursing and pharmacy colleagues. Conclusions: Licensed healthcare professionals are punished differently for similar SUD-related offenses. Further research should explore these differences to identify evidenced based ways to protect the public while assisting this special at-risk population to recover from SUD.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
