The effects of the pandemic have worn healthcare professionals thin, many suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, recounting feelings of emptiness and disassociation from the work that once sparked compassion (Yong, 2021). The American Nurses Foundation’s (2021) third mental health and wellness survey of nurses revealed a 20% increase in alcohol consumption and a 3% increase in substance use. It is estimated that upwards of 1 in 10 nurses may have a substance use disorder (Firth & Grant, 2021). 

Data is limited on the impact of the pandemic on nurses whose substance use escalated to a disorder or on how many with a previous addiction have relapsed. However, various sources indicate that nurses do not seek treatment until late in their disease and enrollment in alternative-to-discipline programs varies depending on the state. Unfortunately, in some regions, treatment resources and methods of accountability (e.g., drug testing) have been suspended due to COVID-related shortages. Many of those who have sought treatment during the pandemic are at an advanced stage in their addiction and it is speculated that there is a ‘pending wave’ of nurse substance use problems on the horizon (Firth & Grant, 2021).

The stigma that has been associated with substance use disorder must be dismantled. Nursing professional development (NPD) practitioners are uniquely positioned to support initiatives to close knowledge gaps related to substance use disorder among healthcare professionals (Trinkoff et al., 2021). Collaborative partnerships must be leveraged with key stakeholders—such as leadership, human resources, pharmacy, and state boards of nursing—to identify organizational and local strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats during this tumultuous time.

 

References

American Nurses Foundation. (2021, October 13). Pulse on the nation’s nurses survey series: Mental health and wellness. https://www.nursingworld.org/~4aa484/globalassets/docs/ancc/magnet/mh3-written-report-final.pdf

Firth, S., & Grant, K. (2021, December 30). ‘Pending wave’ of nurse substance use problems? MedPage Today. https://www.medpagetoday.com/nursing/nursing/96449

Trinkoff, A. M.,  Min Yoon, J., Selby, V. L., Storr, C. L., Edwin, H. S., & Baek, H. (2021). Registered nurses’ awareness of workplace signs, actions, and interventions for nurses with substance use disorder. Journal of Nursing Regulation 12(3), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(21)00113-7

Yong, E. (2021, November 16). Why health-care workers are quitting in droves. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/11/the-mass-exodus-of-americas-health-care-workers/620713/