I thank James Hastings for bringing to light a dark aspect of nursing ("Addiction: A Nurse's Story," August). His courage, acceptance of responsibility, and willingness to share his story and do whatever was required to restore his institution's and his profession's confidence in him deserve applause. I think nursing programs should be required to include information about the stresses that are unique to nursing. We need to learn to identify early warning signs (in ourselves and our colleagues), cope with stressors, and encourage our colleagues to get support and take preventive measures to address the situations Hastings found himself in.

Sandi Wasch, EdD, RN

Wilmington, NC