Original Research: Nurses' Self-Assessed Knowledge, Attitudes, and Educational Needs Regarding Patients with Substance Use Disorder.

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic illness, but it's often seen as an intentional choice rather than as a disease. People with SUD are frequently stigmatized, leading to disparate care. Findings from previous studies have indicated that nurses feel inadequately prepared to care for, and tend to have negative attitudes toward, patients with SUD. But it's unknown what kind of education would better prepare nurses caring for this patient population, or whether these negative attitudes vary across practice settings. PURPOSE AND DESIGN: This observational, cross-sectional, mixed-methods study sought to explore nurses' self-assessed knowledge of and attitudes toward caring for patients with SUD (whether formally diagnosed or not) in hospital settings across the United States. A secondary aim was to determine nurses' educational preferences and needs in this area. METHODS: Data were collected over a three-month period in early 2020, using the online social networking platform Facebook. All participants were nurses working in hospital settings throughout the United States. Participants were surveyed using two tools: the Drug and Drug Problems Perceptions Questionnaire, and another questionnaire that included open-ended questions regarding nurses' SUD-related education and their experiences and perceived needs in caring for patients with SUD. Quantitative data were analyzed using analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey tests. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 691 nurses participated. Nurses reported having been educated in SUD but wanted additional face-to-face education from mental health specialists. The nurses working on mental health units had significantly more positive attitudes toward caring for patients with SUD than nurses on other units. Older nurses had significantly more positive attitudes toward patients with SUD than younger nurses. Qualitative analysis uncovered four themes: unmet needs, personal experiences inform care, personal beliefs inform perceptions, and judgmental attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings indicate that, in general, hospital nurses have negative attitudes toward patients with SUD. The results further reaffirm the need for empathy-based nursing education for nurses who care for these patients. Participants expressed a preference for face-to-face training by mental health specialists experienced in SUD. Given the increasing prevalence of SUD and the expected retirement of older nurses, it is urgent that we prioritize empathy-based nursing education, particularly for newer-to-practice nurses, in order to improve nurses' attitudes and ensure best care for patients with SUD.

Leadership, Teamwork, and Collaboration: The Lived Experience of Conducting Multisite Research Focused on Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Competencies in Academia.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore facilitators and barriers to conducting a multisite national study in nursing academia unsupported by grant funding. BACKGROUND: Scholarship focused on the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies stimulates opportunities for research and collaboration among nurse educators and clinicians. Twelve members of the QSEN Academic Task Force collaborated on a multisite study of the effectiveness of a QSEN teaching strategy and published the findings. METHOD: A descriptive phenomenological reflective approach using Kim's critical reflective inquiry model was used to explore the lived experiences of the original study investigators. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological reduction. RESULTS: Findings revealed seven facilitators and one overarching barrier to conducting academic research projects of this scope. CONCLUSION: Participants found that strong leadership, a commitment to teamwork and collaboration, and a shared interest were critical to conducting a successful national study across academic settings.

Promoting Nurse Retention Through Career Development Planning.

This is the second article in a new series about evidence-based practice (EBP) that builds on AJN's award-winning previous series-Evidence-Based Practice, Step by Step-published between 2009 and 2011 (to access the series, go to http://links.lww.com/AJN/A133). This follow-up series will feature exemplars illustrating the various strategies that can be used to implement EBP changes-one of the most challenging steps in the EBP process.