Final answer:
Nursing substance abuse presents safety challenges in patient care and infection control.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nursing substance abuse poses significant safety challenges within the nursing profession.
One challenge is the potential harm to patients due to impaired judgment and performance while under the influence. Nurses who abuse substances may make medication errors, neglect patient care, or exhibit unpredictable behavior that can jeopardize patient safety.
Another challenge is the risk of transmission of infections or diseases. In the unfortunate incident described, the healthcare worker infected two patients with HIV through the manipulation of syringes. This highlights the danger of impaired professionals compromising infection control protocols, leading to serious consequences.