Alabama's Nurse Monitoring Programs: The Nurse's Experience of Being Monitored

Abstract

Over the last 25 years, nursing regulatory agencies have developed programs for nurses recovering from substance use disorders. It is estimated that over 250,000 nurses are affected by substance use disorders. Recovery rates for nurses are higher than the general public due, in part, to the regulatory agency oversight. Within the State of Alabama, the Board of Nursing manages both voluntary alternative to discipline and disciplinary monitoring programs. Both programs allow nurses in recovery to return to work with supervision. This project sought to evaluate recovering nurses' attitudes about the monitoring program. Nurses actively involved in both monitoring programs (N = 173) were asked complete an anonymous survey to evaluate and share perspectives of the experience. The participants reported that the monitoring process was cumbersome, yet the structure assisted nurses to remain in recovery.