Revisiting Alcohol Consumption Among Nurses After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause nurses stress and trauma, with alcohol potentially being used to manage this stress. Prior studies of nurses' alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown increases in alcohol consumption to manage stress associated with the pandemic. The aim of this paper is to explore perceptions of alcohol consumption and stress among nurses, particularly since the declared end of the COVID-19 pandemic. We used semi-structured interviews with Australian nurses (n = 55), using a qualitative-descriptive study design, conducted between October 2023 and January 2024. Data were analysed using structural coding and reported in accordance with CORE-Q guidelines. Four key themes emerged from the data: (1) Alcohol consumption in response to ongoing role stress, (2) Alcohol consumption in response to incidents, (3) The lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and (4) Do nurses feel comfortable seeking help for alcohol use? High-risk alcohol consumption has persisted beyond the end of the COVID-19 pandemic to manage the stress associated with clinical environments. Alcohol was also used in response to incidents, and the ongoing trauma and impact of the pandemic was described as a significant source of stress and anxiety. Not all nurses in our study felt comfortable seeking help for alcohol use, with participants describing concern for their nursing registration if they self-reported their alcohol consumption. Participants reported stronger links between stressful working environments and increased alcohol consumption. Nurses in our study do not feel safe seeking help or self-reporting alcohol consumption for fear of the regulatory body instituting sanctions that lead to loss or suspension of their registration. These factors require urgent attention to ensure workforce wellbeing and sustainability.