The prevalence and patterns of substance abuse among nurse anesthesia students

The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence, demographic factors, outcomes, and preventative measures for substance abuse among nurse anesthesia students over a 5-year period from 2008 to 2012. An electronic survey was sent to 111 program directors of accredited nurse anesthesia programs in the United States. Twenty-three programs (response rate = 21.7%) reported data related to 2,439 students. Sixteen incidents of substance abuse were reported for a 5-year prevalence of 0.65%. Opioids were the most frequent drug of choice (n = 9). The programs identified no predisposing risk factors in 50% of the incidents. For the students, reported outcomes included voluntary entry into treatment (n = 10), dismissal from the program (n = 7), loss of nursing license (n = 2), and 1 death. Pre-enrollment background checks and drug testing for cause were the most commonly reported screening practices. The most frequently reported prevention strategy was wellness promotion education. The prevalence was lower among student registered nurse anesthetists, as compared with certified registered nurse anesthetists. Although additional studies are necessary to verify this finding, an opportunity might exist for programs to be proactive in assessing risk postgraduation. Future studies evaluating the effectiveness of wellness promotion efforts might lead toward a standardized, best practice approach to risk reduction strategies.