Knowledge and Behaviors Related to Willingness to Report an Impaired Nurse

Purpose: Nurses work in an environment that is both physically and emotionally stressful. They have one of the highest rates of abuse with drugs or alcohol accounting for approximately 10%-15% of the nursing workforce (Thomas & Siela, 2011). Impairment manifests as performance and behavioral symptoms due to a pattern of substance abuse resulting in the inability to provide patient care or practice according to accepted standards; thus, it is a growing threat to patient safety and to the health of the impaired nurse (Baldisseri, 2007 & ANA, 2015). Peers or coworkers may not be aware of the profile of substance abuse and may not recognize or know when to report, or feel comfortable reporting, a coworker suspected of substance use to their manager or supervisor.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate an intervention based on a nurse-led, educational presentation on the impaired nurse profile. This project will assess the difference in knowledge of direct and non-direct care nurses, and the difference in their willingness to report an impaired nurse before and after receiving a nurse-led educational intervention on the impaired nurse profile. These aims will be evaluated by pre- and post-tests and surveys.

Methods: The study will occur at one primary intervention site: a non-profit acute care hospital. Participants will include direct care nurses and non-direct care nurses who will be identified at the intervention site. Participants will be emailed a link to an anonymous on-line pre-test and questionnaire using Survey Monkey® and asked to watch a 12 -minute educational video on impaired nurse profile. After the educational video the participants will complete the anonymous on-line Survey Monkey® post-test and questionnaire. Scores will be tallied and compiled into an SPSS data analysis software program. Participation will last approximately 30 minutes for the educational session and questionnaire completion Participation in the study/survey will be voluntary, and all responses will be reported as aggregate data.

Results: In progress: It is anticipated that nurses at the intervention site will have an increased knowledge regarding the profile of a substance abusing nurse following the intervention. It is anticipated that the norms of nurses’ attitudes and beliefs regarding patient safety will support nurses’ behaviors toward policy compliance and nursing standards of care will support the reporting of an impaired nurse.

Conclusion: In progress:This project may contribute to patient safety and improvements in the health status of impaired nurses by promoting the incidence of self-reporting, employer reporting and peer reporting to appropriate management authorities.