Nurses experiencing substance abuse have noted that the issue is recognizable due to changes in the physical and emotional conditions of the individual. From a professional standpoint, there are repeated absences or a prevalence of tardiness, along with overall decreased reliability and unexpected disappearances. Other behavior trends include a systemic increase of pain medication on patent charts or noted wastage of drugs that a nurse falsifies to gain access.
Other patterns may include irregular changes in self-care (cleanliness and dress code), a person seeming to be in a “daze,” and a lack of attentiveness. Overall, the behavior patterns are abnormal and repeated, which demonstrates dependence and abuse. Workplace culture and negative stigma lead to the prevalence of underreporting of such behaviors and protects those individuals with evident indicators of chemical impairment.