BLOOD MONEY: STRESS, DRUG USE AND THE NURSING PROFESSION.
Contributors: City University of New York.
Published: 1995
Number of pages: 114
Subjects: Sociology, General.; Women's Studies.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Industrial.
Description: The purpose of this study is to compare the prevalence of drug and alcohol use between two comparable samples of registered nurses in New York City hospitals at two points in time, 1979 and 1994. The comparison shows that while the levels of alcohol and drug use among registered nurses remains fairly consistent over the survey period, the specific kinds of drugs used have changed: self-medication with addictive drugs such as tranquilizers decreased, while the use of antibiotics and other drugs rose. Rates of alcohol and marijuana use declined, but cross-tabulation analyses indicate a correlation between younger, highly-stressed registered nurses and marijuana use.

The research also examined stress among registered nurses, identifying the major occupational stressor of nursing to be the high patient load set by hospital administrators and supervisors. The majority of registered nurses utilize healthier, non-chemical means of coping with stress, and are most likely to attempt to resolve workplace problems that promote stress. Registered nursing promotes stress by creating role conflicts: first, between the nurse's role as caregiver and her personal and family roles, particularly with regard to the use of the nurse's time; and second, when nurses advance to administrative or educational roles, by removing the nurse from her caregiving role and challenging her motivation to place patient care over personal and institutional profit.

Two areas of change are recommended. The education of registered nurses should include information on nurses' higher risk for using marijuana when they become highly stressed, and for having families with alcohol problems. The professionalization of nursing requires autonomy of practice and an independent body of knowledge. Autonomous practice outside the hospital setting and the incorporation of non-traditional areas of medical specialization are suggested as means of overcoming these obstacles.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-10, Section: A, page: 4152.

Thesis (PH.D.)--CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK, 1995.

School code: 0046.