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Stress, Catastrophe and Chemical Dependency: Connecting the Dots…

Stress, Catastrophe and Chemical Dependency: Connecting the Dots…. Terry C. Wicks, CRNA, MHS Past Chair, AANA Wellness Committee Past Chair, Wellness & Chemical Dependency Curriculum Task Force . A Very Rude Awakening…. Death of Jan Stewart, CRNA, Past President of the AANA

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Stress, Catastrophe and Chemical Dependency: Connecting the Dots…

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  1. Stress, Catastrophe and Chemical Dependency: Connecting the Dots… Terry C. Wicks, CRNA, MHS Past Chair, AANA Wellness Committee Past Chair, Wellness & Chemical Dependency Curriculum Task Force

  2. A Very Rude Awakening… • Death of Jan Stewart, CRNA, Past President of the AANA • This can happen to anybody…

  3. This Can Happen to Anybody… Special thanks to the family of Jan Stewart for doing the most difficult of things…

  4. Breaking the Silence “If 10% of our members contracted HIV, latex allergy, or hepatitis this year we would march in the streets.” Tom McKibban: Visionary leadership • Appointment of Wellness Blue Ribbon Panel • Brent Sommer, Dirk Wales, Michael Roizen • Partnership with Real Age • Establishment of the Jan Steward Memorial Lecture Series • Ultimately leading to the requirement for Wellness Education in NAEPs.

  5. Seeking Organizational Wellness A well organization is one whose members display a positive state of mind, body, and spirit reflecting a balance of effective adaptation, resilience, and coping mechanisms in personal and professional environments that enhance quality of life.

  6. Original Wellness Panel Objectives Identify Wellness Approaches for: • Substance abuse • Latex allergies & disabilities • Pain management for anesthesia providers • Workplace violence, sexual harassment,stress management • Job loss, change due to downsizing, termination…

  7. Results of 1stReal Age Survey • 2461 participants, including 167 students • Had less: • Smoking • Obesity • Global life stress • CRNAs had better: • Blood pressure • Cholesterol control • Dental hygiene

  8. Results of 1st Real Age Survey CRNAsdo tend to have more: • Migraines • Moderate to severe indigestion • Sleep disorders • Depression and mental illness • High alcohol consumption

  9. What is addiction? • “Hooked” October 2005, Men’s Health Magazine • Alcohol & Drugs • Sex • Food • Gambling, Exercise…

  10. The Common Chemical Thread • It’s all about neuro-transmitters, dopamine • Stimulation of pleasure, salience (desire) & reward centers • Depletion of neurotransmitters • You got to get high to be normal • Acquisition becomes job #1

  11. Great Quotes: Compulsion “You don’t have to get drunk, you know,” she said. “How do you know?” I replied. Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises.

  12. Great Quotes: Denial “When you’re addicted to food there is only one thing that’s difficult to swallow: the truth” William Leith, Hooked.

  13. Great Quotes: Accommodation “Alcohol is like love: The first kiss is magic, the second is intimate, the third is routine. After that you just take the girls clothes off.” Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye

  14. A History of Misuse • 10% of anesthesia providers surveyed admit to the use of drugs (Bell, 1999 & 2005). • Substance abuse risk higher than for hepatitis, HIV, or latex allergy (Quinlan 1996). • Anesthesia provider death rate is twice that of other addicted healthcare providers (Gallegos 1988). • 18% of chemical dependent users identified because of death or near death event (Booth 2002).

  15. Latest Data: “M0’Bad Newz” • Greatest vulnerability is for those between 10-20 years of clinical practice • 10% of respondents admitted to misusing anesthesia drugs in the OR • 63% men, 37% women • Risk of death is greatest early in practice • Drugs of choice • Opiates • Propofol • Nitrous Oxide • Midazolam • Ketamine

  16. It’s Not Just in the OR… • 23% of respondents admitted to using these illegal drugs outside the OR: • Marijuana • Cocaine • Methamphetamine • Designer drugs

  17. On the other hand… • Most CRNA’s support mandatory random drug screening (70%) • Similar numbers believe mandatory screening is an effective deterent (67%) • 98% believe users should be provided rehabilitation • Only 56% believe the CRNA should be able to re-enter clinical practice after completing treatment

  18. Three Monkeys of Anesthesia • Attitude • Access • Stress

  19. Attitude: We’re not in control! • We have stress, physical, and emotional pain, and we don’t take good care of ourselves! • We intellectualize our drug use, but your knowledge will not protect you. • Cultural Dysfunctionalism: We haven’t talked about it, until now.

  20. Access: The Candy Store is Open • We choose • We obtain • We administer… • Diversion is EZ • Access and addiction are close relatives…

  21. At Home or At Work, It’s Stress, Stress, and more Stress… • Acute Stress • Demands and pressures from recent past • Anticipated demands and stress in the near future. • Usually short lived and does not cause physiologic damage • Can be beneficial • Chronic Stress • Continued exposure to stress hormones. • Fight or flight without let up. • Physical and emotional compensatory resources become exhausted. • Damage occurs.

  22. The Fallout of Chronic Stress • Obesity • Hypertension • Myocardial infarction • Cerebral vascular accident • Gastric ulcers • Violence • Depression • Decreased ability to concentrate • Adoption of maladaptive coping mechanisms When stress is unrelenting, lack of self care and “burnout” occur.

  23. Stress and Burnout in Nurse Anesthesia

  24. Common Manifestations

  25. “Burned Out? • Emotional exhaustion: • Fatigue • Sadness • Irritability • Impaired concentration & visual attenti0n • Forgetfulness • Associated with: • Loss of empathy • Lack of personal accomplishment

  26. Make Some Changes: • List 10 most draining things in your life and change them! • Fix ‘em yourself • Delegate tasks • Throw ‘em out • “There are risks &costs to a program of action, but they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction”

  27. Burn Out & Depression in Anesthesia Residents • Burn Out Risk Factors (41%) • Female Gender • Working > 70 hours per week • Frequent call • 5 or more drinks per week • Fall Out of Burn Out • Increased risk of depression (22%) • Depression is associated with suicidal ideation (23%) • Failure to adhere to best practices and increased medication errors.

  28. After the Catastrophe: What is the Right Thing to Do? Catastrophe: “a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin.”

  29. The Meaning of Catastrophe A Special Kind of Stress

  30. Emotional Responses (>50%) • Reliving the event • Anxiety & Guilt • Fear of litigation • Depression • Sleeplessness

  31. Emotional Responses (<50%) • Fear of judgment by colleagues • Anger • Professional self doubt • Defensiveness • Loss of reputation • Consider career change • Abuse drugs or alcohol

  32. Recovery after Catastrophe

  33. Impact of Event on Patient Care

  34. Response • The event • Outcry • Denial • Intrusion • Working through • Completion …the majority of respondents…felt personally responsible in the face of an outcome that was considered unpreventable.

  35. Recovery • Chaos and accident response • Intrusive reflections • Restoring personal integrity • Enduring the inquisition • Obtaining emotional first aid • Moving on…

  36. Resources: Prevention, Treatment, & Re-Entry • Education • Recognition of signs & high risk behaviors • Intervention • Early Treatment • Ongoing recovering • Re-entry to practice

  37. Resources Prevention, Treatment, & Re-Entry • Education • Recognition of signs & high risk behaviors • Intervention • Early Treatment • Ongoing recovering • Re-entry to practice

  38. Resources: Prevention, Treatment, & Re-Entry • Education • Recognition of signs & high risk behaviors • Intervention • Early Treatment • Ongoing recovering • Re-entry to practice

  39. Recent Perspectives • Mandatory random urinalysis for drugs has been shown to reduce post accident positive screens in many safety intense industries. • Tighter controls and assays of waste may reduce diversion. • “One strike you’re out” • Addictions alters the brain’s reward system. • Recidivism is high, at least 20% per year. • Death is the presenting symptom of relapse (16%) Berge KH, Seppala WL, Anesthesiology, V 109, No 5 Nov 2008 762-4

  40. “Saving lives first…salvaging careers when possible.” • A New Culture • Knowledge based prevention, intervention, & rehabilitation • Understanding instead of silence • Embracing the Disease Model of Addiction • Neuronal alterations • Disease course • Treatment success

  41. Peer Assistance Advisors • Hot Line: 800 654 5167 • Information at: aana.com/peerassis.aspx • Anesthetists in Recovery A.I.R: 215 635 0183

  42. A parting message… “Wellness goes much farther than peer assistance; it involves a balance within us, including our mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical wellbeing. It means caring for ourselves as much as we care for our patients.” Dr. Anthony Chipas, CRNA, Ph.D. 2009

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