Nurse Anesthesia Diversion Prevention: A Knowledge and Needs Gap Analysis

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Addiction Medicine
• Healthcare Quality Improvement

Background:

• Substance misuse and drug diversion pose significant occupational health challenges for anesthesia providers (APs).
• Over 10% of nurse anesthetists engage in medication misuse and diversion.
• A lack of standardized protocols exists for addressing drug diversion among APs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess knowledge and needs related to substance misuse and diversion among anesthesia providers.
• To inform the development of a targeted drug diversion prevention program for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs).

Main Methods:

• A 28-item questionnaire was developed based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Risk Perception Attitude (RPA) framework.
• The survey assessed knowledge, beliefs, and practices concerning substance misuse and diversion.
• Results were analyzed and categorized using the RPA framework to understand provider risk perception and intervention efficacy beliefs.

Main Results:

• 112 surveys were completed by CRNAs and SRNAs.
• 52.5% of CRNAs fell into the RPA avoidant category (high perceived risk, low perceived efficacy).
• SRNAs were primarily categorized as RPA responsive (high risk, high efficacy) or indifferent (low risk, low efficacy).

Conclusions:

• Anesthesia providers exhibit diverse beliefs regarding drug misuse risks and the effectiveness of prevention strategies.
• Addressing the specific needs of nurse anesthetists through tailored diversion prevention is essential.
• Implementing RPA-tailored interventions can lead to effective, long-term outcomes in preventing drug diversion within the anesthesia profession.