Impaired Clinician Essay
Evaluation of Impaired Clinicians
Multiple factors may contribute to medical malpractice. A clinician that has an impairment due to alcohol, drug addiction, a mental or physical condition, is at higher risk of engaging in unsafe professional practices. It is imperative to understand that, “One of the most enduring responsibilities of medical practitioners is to act for the good of the patients… and do no harm to anyone. This includes a longstanding ethical and professional responsibility to protect patients from unsafe colleagues” (Bismark, Morris & Clarke, 2014, p. 1166). However, it is prudent to first analyze the positive and negative implications of assisting and not assisting the impaired physician assistant (PA), and evaluate the available …show more content…
The impaired practitioner may additionally abandon the profession, thus worsening the actual shortage of clinicians. Reporting may also worsen any underlying psychological impairments. On the other hand, “The practice of medicine is stressful and often allows access to controlled substances. Impaired judgment and performance can have serious consequences for patients” (Rothstein, 2015, p. 2220). Consequently, not assisting an impaired clinician may have devastating consequences.
The implications of not assisting the impaired PA will negatively affect the clinician and the patient. “Medical practitioners are at higher risk of stress, burnout, mental health concerns, misuse of prescription drugs, and suicidal ideation than the general population” (Bismark et al., 2014, p. 1166). Therefore, it is necessary to help impaired clinicians using a compassionate and purposeful approach. Medical facilities should have an organized interventional program to assist impaired clinicians. According to Beran (2014), “A nonjudgmental, therapeutic, confidential, easily accessible, funded form of intervention appears to offer greatest potential for rehabilitation and hence retention within the profession” (p. 1164). When approaching the impaired clinician, a compassionate intervention complemented by an educational program may increase self-referral and possibilities of
Multiple factors may contribute to medical malpractice. A clinician that has an impairment due to alcohol, drug addiction, a mental or physical condition, is at higher risk of engaging in unsafe professional practices. It is imperative to understand that, “One of the most enduring responsibilities of medical practitioners is to act for the good of the patients… and do no harm to anyone. This includes a longstanding ethical and professional responsibility to protect patients from unsafe colleagues” (Bismark, Morris & Clarke, 2014, p. 1166). However, it is prudent to first analyze the positive and negative implications of assisting and not assisting the impaired physician assistant (PA), and evaluate the available …show more content…
The impaired practitioner may additionally abandon the profession, thus worsening the actual shortage of clinicians. Reporting may also worsen any underlying psychological impairments. On the other hand, “The practice of medicine is stressful and often allows access to controlled substances. Impaired judgment and performance can have serious consequences for patients” (Rothstein, 2015, p. 2220). Consequently, not assisting an impaired clinician may have devastating consequences.
The implications of not assisting the impaired PA will negatively affect the clinician and the patient. “Medical practitioners are at higher risk of stress, burnout, mental health concerns, misuse of prescription drugs, and suicidal ideation than the general population” (Bismark et al., 2014, p. 1166). Therefore, it is necessary to help impaired clinicians using a compassionate and purposeful approach. Medical facilities should have an organized interventional program to assist impaired clinicians. According to Beran (2014), “A nonjudgmental, therapeutic, confidential, easily accessible, funded form of intervention appears to offer greatest potential for rehabilitation and hence retention within the profession” (p. 1164). When approaching the impaired clinician, a compassionate intervention complemented by an educational program may increase self-referral and possibilities of