Addiction is a serious problem, and it is one that can impact various areas of your life, including your career. If you are a medical professional, your addiction not only can cost you your license and your ability to keep your career, it can affect those you treat and care for.
If you fear that you may lose your professional license because of your addiction, you have options. You would be wise to work quickly to shield your rights, not only to retain your license and protect your career, but to get the help you need to beat your addiction and move forward with your life.
Over the past 30 years, we have assisted many healthcare professionals get into treatment while protecting their professional licenses at the same time.
Addiction is more common than you think
You may feel alone in your struggles, but you are not. Many Pennsylvania doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other medical professionals also struggle with addiction, and the issue may be more widespread than you think. Consider the following statistics:
- Approximately 20 percent of nurses struggle with an addiction to drugs or alcohol.
- Studies show that over 70 percent of medical professionals who seek help with their addictions and submit to continued monitoring have a lower chance of relapse.
- One in 10 doctors will face struggles related to drug abuse at some point in their career.
While many doctors and nurses struggle with problems related to drugs or alcohol, those are not the only addiction-related issues that could affect a person’s medical career. Gambling, mental health issues and pornography are also matters that could require both professional help and legal guidance.
Your individual concerns
You know that keeping your license in good standing is essential to your career. Any addiction problem is a threat to your ability to continue with your chosen field, and you would be wise to find out how you can retain or restore your ability to work. Through certain administrative processes, you may be able to protect yourself, get the treatment you need and keep your future career opportunities intact.
The help you need to protect your career
Dealing with addiction is a long, complicated process. When it comes to protecting your career, the first step could be simply to reach out for help. Through proactive measures, such as seeking counseling or treatment, you may be able to preserve your professional standing.
Whether you lost your license, wish to protect your license or are fearful of what could happen to your career if you come clean about an addiction problem, you are not alone. You have the right to seek help both for your personal issues and your professional concerns by taking the right steps to a stronger, better future.
