Prescription drug misuse rates among nurses were nearly double that of the general population during the pandemic, according to a study published in the Journal of Nursing Regulation.
The research team surveyed a nationally representative sample of randomly selected nurses in nine states, obtaining 1,170 usable surveys for analysis.
The study, published Jan. 1, found that during the pandemic, nurses' rate of prescription drug misuse was 9.9 percent, compared with 5.9 percent for the general population. Prescription drug misuse was defined as use without a prescription or use of higher doses than prescribed.
The highest rates of prescription drug misuses were among home health and hospice nurses (19 percent) and nursing home nurses (15.8 percent).
Overall, 18 percent of nurses screened positive for substance use problems, with one-third of those (6.6 percent of total nurses included in the study) screening positive for substance use disorders.
The researchers said focusing on higher risk groups such as hospice nurses can help target prevention and treatment efforts and guide policy for addressing substance use problems among nurses.