| Substance abuse among nurses remains a continuing yet significant problem. The purpose of the study was to study the relationships among early risk indicators, sensation-seeking behaviors, and parental drug or alcohol history in nurses participating in substance abuse recovery support programs. Based on a partial replication of West's (2001) study comparing impaired and non-impaired nurses, questionnaires were distributed to 100 substance-impaired nurses resulting in a sample of 44. Participants were enrolled in nurse support groups sponsored by the National Organization of Alternative Programs (NOAP). Questionnaires included the Children of Alcoholics Screening Test (CAST), the Efinger Alcohol Risk Survey (EARS), and the Zuckerman Sensation-Seeking Scale (ZSSS). Data analysis used descriptive statistics and T-score comparisons. Results showed significantly higher sensation-seeking tendencies among male nurses. While not statistically significant, demographic comparisons with West's study of substance-impaired nurses identified correlations, including educational level, age, and race. |
