The Impaired Healthcare Worker: Behaviors, Effects, and Concerns (NA1782)

Course Format

This course is online. All course material is available online and is accessible immediately after purchase from your account homepage. Certificate of Completion is available immediately upon passing the exam.

Course Overview

This class will present the difficulty that impaired healthcare workers present to institutions, healthcare workers themselves and patients. Signs of impairment behaviors are listed, as well as the responsibility of reporting such behaviors promptly to the proper authorities. There are cases presented for discussion and the Codes of Conduct for CDMS, CRC, CCM, Nursing and addiction professionals will be examined to gain recommendations for dealing with the ethical dilemmas involved in impairment. Also presented are the recommendations from 2019 from the Joint Commission regarding the safety of patients and policies needed for a robust drug diversion plan.

Course Objectives

1. Define impairment and its effect on patient care, the healthcare worker, and the institution.


2. Explain drug diversion and its impact on patient care, the healthcare worker and the institution.


3. Discuss various behaviors associated with impairment in the workplace.


4. Describe the responsibility of reporting an impaired coworker.


5. List the ethical dilemmas involved in impairment in the workplace and the process for determining action.


6. Explain what the Codes of Conduct for CDMS, CRC, CCM, and Nursing state about impairment and reporting of colleagues who break the codes.


7. Describe the recommendations of the Joint Commission regarding the safety of patients and necessary policies and procedures to deal with drug diversion and impaired workers.

Course Outline