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Has the stress of your loved one’s medical job led to a DUI?

by | Jan 22, 2020 | Uncategorized |

Having a stressful job can take its toll on anyone. As a loved one of a doctor, you know exactly how stressful caring for patients day in and day out can be. The hours are long and sometimes thankless, and not all patients can be saved despite the best efforts of medical professionals. As a result, many doctors, your loved one included, try to relieve stress however they can.

Unfortunately, your loved one may have chosen alcohol as a stress reliever. At first, you may not have had too much concern over a drink in the evening after his or her shift ended. However, you noticed the drinking becoming worse over time, and now, you know a real problem exists.

Alcoholism not uncommon

Alcoholism among medical professionals is not uncommon. Stress, fatigue, anxiety, depression and much more can result from medical-related jobs, and finding ways to cope is not always easy. Of course, if your loved one’s drinking has gotten out of control, his or her job could be at risk. You and others may have noticed some of the following troubling signs when he or she is on the job:

  • Tardiness
  • Isolation
  • Irritability
  • Odor of alcohol
  • Poor hygiene
  • Mood swings
  • Angry outbursts
  • Frequent hangovers

Drinking before work or even on the job could have major impacts on his or her career and put patients at risk. Your loved one may misdiagnose patients, miss shifts, administer the wrong medications or make other mistakes that could easily set him or her up for a medical malpractice claim.

Additional issues

If your loved one has been drinking at all hours, you may not have been immensely surprised when you learned that he or she had been arrested for drunk driving. Though you had done your best to intervene and get him or her help, you were unable to do so before this issue occurred. Though you may hope that a DUI charge will be the wakeup call your loved one needs, you also know that it could have a substantial effect on his or her medical license.

You undoubtedly want to help your loved one through this difficult time, and pointing him or her in the direction of an experienced Florida criminal defense attorney may be one way to offer assistance as your loved one handles this ordeal.