Nurses\u27 Attitudes Toward Nurse Colleagues\u27 Substance Abuse

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to explore and analyze the attitudes of registered nurses in a North Central rural state toward nurse colleagues\u27 substance abuse. Substance abuse is prevalent within the nursing profession. Therefore, professional recognition of the problem of substance abuse among nurses has begun and corresponding strategies put into motion. However, ongoing exploration of peers\u27 attitudes toward substance abusing nurse colleagues is needed in order to develop appropriate strategies which provide a bridge between early recognition and intervention as well as reintegration of the substance abusing nurse colleague back into the workplace. The personal characteristics and experiences of age, gender, marital status, religion, self alcohol or drug use, family substance abuse, and friends\u27 substance abuse were identified and investigated as factors affecting nurses\u27 attitudes toward substance abuse. The professional characteristics and experiences of educational level, highest degree held in nursing, number of years as a registered nurse, employment status, knowledge of having worked with a substance abusing nurse colleague, practice setting, previous substance abusing patient encounters, and education regarding substance abuse were identified and investigated as factors affecting nurses\u27 attitudes toward substance abuse. Correlation analyses were used to determine relationships between the personal and professional characteristics as well as the personal and professional experiences of registered nurses and attitudes toward substance abuse. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by Chapel, Veach, and Kmg (1985) to measure the attitudes of health professionals toward aspects of alcohol and drug use. The instrument provided a total attitude score which was further divided into five subscales. The systematic probability sample consisted of registered nurses licensed and living in a North Central rural state. Four hundred twenty-five questionnaires were mailed and one hundred eighty were returned which provided a forty-two percent response rate. In this study, correlations were found between the age of the nurse as well as the nurse\u27s reported religion and the instrument\u27s scales. Personal experiences of self, family, or friends\u27 abuse/dependency with tobacco, alcohol, prescription medication(s), and/or unprescribed drug(s) also had some significant relationship with nurses\u27 attitudes toward substance abuse. Therefore, personal characteristics and experiences do have significant correlations with the attitudes held by registered nurses toward substance abuse education also revealed some significant relationships among the instrument\u27s scales. Thus, professional characteristics and experiences also play a key role in shaping the attitudes of registered nurses toward substance abuse and substance abusing nurse colleagues. abuse and substance abusers. There were correlations found between nurse\u27s practice setting, highest degree held in nursing, and the number of years as a registered nurse in relation to the instrument\u27s total attitude scores and the five subscale scores. Knowledge of having worked with a substance abusing nurse colleague and substance abuse education also revealed some significant relationships among the instrument\u27s scales. Thus, professional characteristics and experiences also play a key role in shaping the attitudes of registered nurses toward substance abuse and substance abusing nurse colleagues