title: Substance abuse among registered nurses.
abstract: The stressful conditions under which nurses work, due in part to the nursing shortage, are among the risk factors that contribute to nurses' abuse of illicit drugs. Nurses differ from the general population in that they work in an environment where they not only have access to controlled substances, but also are exposed to death and dying, the stress of which can increase the risk of drug abuse. However, practicing while impaired places patients' lives at risk and decreases staff morale.
authors.affiliation: College of Public Health and College of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. pat1epstein@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Epstein
authors.forename: Candace
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Helen Acree
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Conlon
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*