Student Drug Testing in Nursing Education

A Phenomenological Study on Substance Use and Misuse Among Nursing Students

BACKGROUND

There is a critical need to identify and understand the current trends in substance use as well as effective approaches to manage and deter nursing students from misusing drugs. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of prelicen-sure nursing students about substance use and misuse and the management of substance use disorders among nursing students during nursing school.

METHOD

Using a phenomenological research design, 14 semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted.

RESULTS

Findings from the data analysis revealed the following six themes: mental health-related issues, stressors, fears and reservations, stigma, seeking help, and awareness.

CONCLUSION

The findings from this study corroborate and build on prior research illustrating nursing students encounter complex challenges that can contribute to drug-seeking behaviors during their prelicensure nursing program. Nurse educators must address these factors and their students' potential decisions to misuse drugs. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(11):607-613.].

Mandatory Drug Testing of Dental Students: To Test or Not to Test: Viewpoint 1: Drug Testing of Dental Students Should Be Mandatory for the Benefit of Students, Institutions, Patients, and the Profession and Viewpoint 2: Mandatory Drug Testing of Dental Students Carries Costs and Risks for Institutions and Students and Has Unproven Benefits

An educational institution's decision to test or not test its students for drug use is controversial and complex. Although negative consequences of substance use disorder are well known, the consumption of prohibited substances continues to increase in young adults. Given the awareness of increasing drug use on college campuses and the potential impact on future health care professionals, issues associated with mandatory drug testing of dental students warrant investigation. The purpose of this Point/Counterpoint article is to present opposing viewpoints on whether mandatory student drug testing (MSDT) should be implemented for dental students. Viewpoint 1 affirms that MSDT is legal, ensures public safety, is recognized as a need in health care education, promotes professional and ethical responsibility, and is cost-effective. Viewpoint 2 asserts that MSDT has not been proven to be an effective deterrent for student drug use and it poses risks and costs for both institutions and students, ranging from potential violation of students' civil liberties to the consequences of false positive tests. This article's presentation of the recent literature on both sides of this issue provides dental educators with pertinent information for considering implementation of MSDT in their institutions.

National Survey Exploring Drug Screening in Pharmacy Programs

Objective. To explore drug screening programs, including requirements, policies, and procedures among pharmacy programs; frequency of drug-related incidents; and types of substances misused by pharmacy students. Methods. IRB-approved web-based and paper surveys were sent to pharmacy deans, experiential education faculty, and student affairs personnel at 135 US ACPE-accredited and candidate status programs. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used to analyze the data, identify relationships and draw conclusions. Results. Administrators from 98 programs responded (73% response rate). Sixty-one percent reported implementing a urine drug screen requirement for students, with a 10-panel screen as the most common required screen (72%). Ninety-three percent of programs require students to pay for the screen, with costs averaging $42 per screen. Programs reported an average of 2.2 substance-related events per 100 students annually, with alcohol, marijuana, amphetamines, opioids and benzodiazepines most commonly involved. Schools that do not screen reported twice as many incidents as those that screen. Conclusion. A drug screening program can deter pharmacy students from inappropriate substance use. The results from this study can assist pharmacy administrators in evaluating the need to institute or enhance a drug screening program at their school or college of pharmacy.

Using a nursing student conduct committee to foster professionalism among nursing students

This article explains how a university nursing program in the United States created and implemented a nursing student code of conduct and a faculty-led nursing student conduct committee to review and adjudicate violations of academic or professional misconduct. The need for and role of the nursing student conduct committee in providing substantive and fair due process is illustrated with two cases. Professional misconduct has been associated with preventable error and patient safety and is of great concern to nurse educators who are entrusted with producing the next generation of nursing professionals. Accountability and consequences for violations of professional standards must be an integral part of the nursing education curriculum throughout the world to ensure quality and safety and mitigate the adverse effects of nursing error. Given the professional and patient safety implication of such violations, the authors believe that it is prudent to have nursing programs adjudicate nursing majors' professional violations as an alternative or supplement to the general university judicial board.