Nurses Helping Nurses

Chemical dependency among health care workers is one of the most serious problems in health care today. Nurses, like everyone else, are not immune to becoming chemically dependent themselves, yet tragically they are often ignored or punished. Rarely impaired nurses receive appropriate assessment, intervention and treatment.

The Addiction Institute of New York's Nurses Helping Nurses Program is unique in that it is
• Nurse designed
• Nurse structured
• Nurse facilitated

Nurses are not unique in being chemically dependent but they do have special problems
• Resulting from access to potent narcotic medications
• Relating to assessment and referral
• Regarding their ability to accept themselves as a caregiver in need of care themselves
• Regarding re-entry back into the workplace after treatment stabilization
• Regarding the legal and financial consequences of their chemical dependency

Basic Program
• Complete evaluation
• Assignment to the appropriate level of care
• Group therapy with other nurses in recovery
• Additional group therapy and/or individual psychotherapy as needed
• Psychiatric services

Special Services
• Complete liaison services with all state regulatory agencies
• Urine tests and other monitoring required by state regulatory agencies and/or employers
• Referrals for financial assistance
• Immediate access to all medical and psychiatric services at St. Luke's - Roosevelt Hospital

For Information Contact
Aileen Clucas, MS, RN, CD
(212) 523-7525

For evaluation appointments and/or additional information, please call Access Center at (212) 523-6491.