Georgia nurses who have struggled with – and even overcome – addiction want to see the state adopt a less punitive approach to discipline that would remove some of the obstacles to treatment and employment.
A bill before the state legislature that has broad bipartisan support as well as support from the state nursing board would change how Georgia handles such cases. The bill’s supporters say it’s an important tool to keep nurses in the workforce amid a nursing shortage, and an acknowledgement that addiction is a disease, not “a moral failing.”
Healthbeat spoke to five nurses who have experienced addiction and to representatives of recovery organizations. They described how Georgia’s disciplinary system deterred them from seeking early treatment for fear of losing their licenses and their jobs.
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