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Nursing students' personal experiences involving alcohol problems
Dana Murphy-Parker1, Ruby J Martinez
1Division of Nursing, The Steinhardt School of Education, New York University, New York, NY 10009, USA. dmp334@nyu.edu
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing
|July 2, 2005
Summary
Nursing students perceive alcoholism as a lifelong condition but hold surprisingly optimistic views on recovery, even with personal experience. This high optimism may impact their preparedness for treatment challenges.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Psychiatric Nursing
- Addiction Studies
Background:
- Understanding nursing students' perceptions of alcohol abuse is crucial for effective patient care.
- Previous research has explored attitudes towards alcoholism, but less is known about nursing students' specific beliefs regarding recovery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore nursing students' views and beliefs about individuals with alcohol use disorder.
- To examine nursing students' perspectives on the possibility and nature of recovery from alcoholism.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Employed three open-ended questions to gather qualitative insights into students' beliefs about recovery and relationships with individuals experiencing alcohol problems.
Main Results:
- Students recognized alcoholism as a chronic, lifelong condition.
- A significant majority (79%) believed recovery is possible, regardless of personal experience with alcohol abuse.
- Nursing students exhibited a high level of optimism regarding recovery, even those with personal exposure to alcoholism.
Conclusions:
- Nursing students possess an accurate understanding of alcoholism's chronic nature but may hold overly optimistic expectations for recovery.
- The impact of this pronounced optimism on future nursing practice and patient management remains uncertain.
- Unrealistic optimism could potentially leave students unprepared for the complexities and setbacks inherent in addiction treatment, such as relapse.