This course examines why anesthesia providers—including nurse anesthesiologists—are uniquely vulnerable to substance use disorders, focusing on access to potent drugs, high-stress environments, and fatigue-related burnout. You’ll explore how provider impairment jeopardizes patient safety, careers, and institutional trust, and learn practical, system-level strategies for prevention such as education, peer support, early recognition, and robust controlled-substance tracking and monitoring so you can help protect both your colleagues and your patients.