While drug abuse in the workplace has become such a common occurrence that some companies screen their employees, an alarming new trend suggests that doctors are turning to drugs now more than ever.
In the exhausting on-call world, many physicians are writing their own prescriptions for stimulants just to get through the workday. It’s not uncommon for these medical practitioners to prescribe themselves heavy pain relievers and sedatives as well. Some even stray to cocaine and stoop to stealing drugs from hospital pharmacies. Nurses have even been known to inject narcotics in their veins during bathroom breaks.
In 2010, the state of Illinois alone suspended or reprimanded at least 156 physicians and other professionals for failing drug tests, misusing drugs, or outright stealing them. Despite more employers requiring drug tests, even of doctors, the problem persists.
While most medical professionals feel in control of their drug abuse because they are more knowledgeable about the drug than the average person, the truth is that patients’ lives are being put at risk. Doctors under the influence can be influenced by clouded thinking and could perhaps make fatal mistakes. Patients who have been under the care of doctors who were caught abusing drugs may be entitled to legal action. Those patients in cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco should seek out the best medical malpractice southern California has to offer.
Doctors who abuse drugs in California may have their licenses revoked by the California Attorney General’s Office. If placed on probation, the physician will be subjected to random drug screening and submit to a psychiatric evaluation.
