Best Answer
Like many stressful professions, nursing has a substance abuse problem. Nurses are at a higher risk of substance abuse for a number of reasons. First, the job is incredibly stressful. Second, nurses have access to substances as part of their job. However, while those reasons seem obvious, some of the other reasons that nurses may abuse substances are subtler. They include physical pain, lack of addiction education, fatigue, and even gender.
Some essay titles to consider for your paper on substance abuse in nursing include:
Substance Abuse in Nursing Essay Outline
I. Introduction
A. Physical toll of nursing
B. Lack of help for physical tasks
C. Lack of time off for PT
D. Access to medications
E. Thesis statement: One often overlooked reason that many nurses have substance abuse problems is the physical toll that nursing takes on them, and taking steps to alleviate years of physical wear and tear would reduce substance abuse rates among nurses.
II. Physical toll of nursing
A. Lifting, moving, patients
B. On feet all day
C. Running
D. Lack of adequate breaks
E. Lack of time for rest/shifts that are too long
III. Lack of help
A. Understaffed
B. Expected to carry out tasks regardless of patient size
C. Improperly trained support staff
IV. Lack of time off
A. Nurses are expected to show up unless they cannot work
B. May not have enough PTO for rehab
C. May not be able to afford healthcare
V. Access to medications
A. Access to painkillers
B. Knowledge about the most effective pain killers
VI. Conclusion
A. Restate thesis
B. Physical toll of nursing
C. Lack of help
D. No time off
E. Access to medications
