Substance Use Disorder and Correctional Health: Social Justice Course Development

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Public Health
• Criminal Justice Health

Background:

• Substance use disorder (SUD) significantly impacts individuals within the criminal justice (CJ) system.
• Integrating specialized content on criminal justice health (CJH) into nursing curricula is essential for addressing this population's unique needs.
• Existing nursing programs may lack comprehensive training in CJH and SUD for justice-involved persons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a Faculty First-Year Seminar in incorporating criminal justice health (CJH) and substance use disorder (SUD) content.
• To assess changes in nursing students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding SUD in criminal justice-involved individuals.
• To determine the feasibility of developing and evaluating social justice content within nursing curricula.

Main Methods:

• A Faculty First-Year Seminar curriculum was designed to include CJH and SUD content.
• Students completed pre- and post-semester surveys assessing knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
• Both quantitative (close-ended) and qualitative (open-ended) survey responses were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Students reported a significant increase in confidence regarding CJH and SUD content after the semester.
• Post-semester evaluations showed enhanced student knowledge of CJH in individuals with SUD.
• Students demonstrated increased confidence in understanding CJ policy and advocacy related to SUD.

Conclusions:

• A First-Year Seminar can successfully integrate and deliver CJH and SUD content for nursing students.
• The study demonstrates the potential for developing and evaluating social justice-focused content within nursing education.
• Curriculum enhancements can improve student preparedness to address SUD in criminal justice populations.