Changing Advanced Practice Nursing Students' Attitudes, Perceptions, and Stigma Through Substance Use Enhanced Core...

Stigma is a key barrier to accessing or receiving substance use services. Those with substance use disorders (SUD) who seek health care services experience stigmatizing attitudes and behaviors from health care providers, including nurses. Integrating substance use-related content into core courses for advanced practice nursing students may help reduce stigma and prepare them to assist patients with SUDs across various specialties where advanced practice nurses work. This exploratory descriptive study assessed advanced practice nursing students' attitudes and stigma perceptions related to caring for people with alcohol and drug use.

An online survey was used to obtain demographic information and responses to three established measures focusing on substance use-related attitudes, perceptions, and stigma. Data were collected from students (baseline group) scheduled to take core required "3P" courses (Physical Assessment, Pathophysiology, and Pharmacotherapy) into which enhanced substance use-related content was infused. A separate group (postcourse) completed the measures after the enhanced courses. Descriptive statistics were obtained for demographic data, and means and standard deviations were calculated for subscales and total scores of the Person-Centered Drug and Drug Problems Perception Questionnaire, the Person-Centered Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire, and the Opening Minds Scale to examine differences before and after the enhanced content.

Eleven students completed the baseline survey and 12 completed the postcourse survey. Although statistical comparison was not possible, postcourse responses reflected more favorable attitudes toward people with SUD.

The more favorable attitudes following the 3P courses are promising. Future research should use more rigorous pre-post or longitudinal designs.