The impaired nurse. Organizational and professional models of response.

1. Two models of response, organizational and professional, affect the impaired nurse, who is both an employee and a professional. 2. The organizational model of response uses an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to detect and intervene with impaired employees. 3. The professional model of response involves mechanisms established through the board of nursing, including posttreatment monitoring. 4. When both models are available, linking mechanisms such as coordinators, policies, and reentry practices can combine the strengths of each model.