Nurses' Attitudes Toward Patients Who Use Cannabis: Does Legal Status or Care Setting Matter?

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Public Health
• Substance Use Studies

Background:

• Cannabis is the most frequently used drug, and nursing intolerance toward substance use is a concern.
• Understanding nurses' attitudes towards patient cannabis use is crucial for providing unbiased care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine differences in nurses' attitudes toward patient cannabis use based on state cannabis legality.
• To examine how nurses in diverse care settings differ in their attitudes regarding patient cannabis use.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study involving 809 registered nurses across the United States.
• Data collected via a validated 20-question survey on perceptions and attitudes toward patient cannabis use.
• Analysis included independent t tests and analysis of variance to compare group differences.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in nurses' attitudes were found between states where cannabis is legal versus illegal.
• Attitudes toward patient cannabis use did not significantly differ across six areas of nursing practice.
• Overall, nursing attitudes toward patient cannabis use were largely positive.

Conclusions:

• Cannabis use may not carry the same stigma for nurses as other illicit substances.
• Nurses appear capable of providing unbiased care irrespective of personal beliefs regarding patient cannabis use.