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treatment of the general public. Short-term outpatient therapy relapse rates are greater than 60 percent, which is unfavorable, considering physicians will be returning to a workplace where judgment must not be compromised.8 Extended treatment that lasts three to four months and takes place in a center with other impaired physicians has better success rates.9Treatment usually begins in a hospital setting in order to focus on the physical consequences of withdrawal and overcoming initial drug cravings. This may take a few days to a couple of weeks. During this time, psychological therapy, behavior modification, and education are initiated. The intermediate and late phases take place in a recovery setting where physicians can gain insight by interacting with others that are further along in their recovery.A nine-year study of physicians in the New Jersey PHP reported a recovery rate of 83.8 percent, with no relapses at the end of two years.10 Including those who had one relapse (13.8 percent), the success rate was 97.6 percent.10 Most relapses occur during the first two years after treatment. A structured aftercare program can increase the success rate and help identify a relapse. Typical monitoring is usually done for the following five years, but longer periods may be chosen.Address correspondence to Brett Andrew Johnson, MD, at Methodist Charlton Family Medicine Center, 3500 West Wheatland Road, Dallas, TX, 75237. Reprints are not available from the authors.Author disclosure: Nothing to disclose.REFERENCES show all references 1. The sick physician. Impairment by psychiatric disorders, including alcoholism and drug dependence. JAMA. 1973;223(6):684–687.... Acknowledgments RN.com acknowledges the valuable contributions of… ...Suzan R. Miller-Hoover DNP, RN, CCNS, CCRN-K Disclaimer RN.com strives to keep its content fair and unbiased. The author(s), planning committee, and reviewers have no conflicts of interest in relation to this course. Conflict of Interest is defined as circumstances a conflict of interest that an individual may have, which could possibly affect Education content about products or services of a commercial interest with which he/she has a financial relationship. There is no commercial support being used for this course. Participants are advised that the accredited status of RN.com does not imply endorsement by the provider or ANCC of any commercial products mentioned in this course. You may find that both generic and trade names are used in courses produced by RN.com. The use of trade names does not indicate any preference of one trade named agent or company over another. Trade names are provided to enhance recognition of agents described in the course. Note: All dosages given are for adults unless otherwise stated. The information on medications contained in this course is not meant to be prescriptive or all-encompassing. You are encouraged to consult with physicians and pharmacists about all medication issues for your patients. Purpose The purpose of this course is to provide healthcare professionals with information to recognize and report impairment in the workplace including treatment options and mandatory reporting. This course was developed to meet the specific need of Florida nurses to complete a course on recognizing impairment in the workplace as a condition of licensure and renewal; however, the concepts of this module can be utilized by any nurse wanting to expand their knowledge base on workplace impairment. For more information regarding the Florida requirements, follow this link: www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=64B9-5 Learning Objectives After successful completion of this course, you will be able to: 1. Discuss the risk factors for substance use disorder in the healthcare profession 2. Identify the signs of impairment in workplace 3. Delineate employer initiatives to promote safety and aid impaired staff 4. Delineate the essential steps to make a report or referral 5. Identify the barriers to self-reporting substance use disorder 6. Discuss the regulations surrounding substance use disorder reporting and treatment Material Protected by Copyright 7. Describe treatment