Final answer:
Signs of drug diversion among healthcare workers include abnormal prescription use, increased risk of needle sticks, and potential infections such as HIV transmission. The stressful nature of healthcare work and rotating shifts can contribute to these issues. Prevention strategies include harm-reduction programs, recovery services, and overdose-reversal drugs like Naloxone.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a healthcare worker setting, some potential signs of drug diversion can include employees taking higher-than-normal doses of prescription or over-the-counter medicines, overdoses of illegal drugs, and a higher risk of needle sticks for certain professionals such as phlebotomists. Another unfortunate sign of drug diversion is the transmission of infections, as highlighted by an incident where a healthcare worker with addiction was caught stealing painkillers, leading to patients contracting HIV. Healthcare workers may face many stressors, such as work overload, heavy physical work, and dealing with patient concerns, which could contribute to substance abuse and potential drug diversion.
Furthermore, healthcare professionals often work rotating shifts, which is problematic due to the impact on sleep and stress levels, making consistent drug intervention and surveillance crucial in these settings. Increasing access to recovery services and overdose-reversal drugs, like Naloxone, is key in combating drug diversion and supporting healthcare workers' well-being and patient safety.