Implicit Bias and Stigma Among Nurses Toward Patients With Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders
Faculty Mentor
Patricia Nadraus
Area of Research
Nursing
Major
Nursing
Description
INTRODUCTION: Patients admitted for alcohol withdrawal and other substance use disorders are often judged or treated differently because of stigma. This can affect the care they receive. Nurses spend the most time with these patients, so their attitudes and emotional reactions really matter. If a nurse has an implicit bias toward substance abuse, it can show up as less patience, less empathy, or not fully supporting the patient. Because of this, itís important to explore ways to improve nursesí responses to this population.
METHOD: The purpose of this study is to see if giving nurses implicit bias and stigma training can improve their emotional reactions toward patients admitted with alcohol withdrawal and substance use disorders, compared to nurses who do not receive any formal training. A quasi-experimental design will be used. One group of nurses will receive implicit bias and stigma training, while the other group will continue with their usual education. Nursesí emotional responses will be measured using the Emotional Reaction to Mental Illness Scale (NERMIS) before the training and again after more than 3 months.
RESULTS: It is expected that nurses who receive the training will have more positive emotional reactions toward these patients.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This could support adding more education on stigma and bias into nursing practice to help improve patient care. Patients admitted for alcohol withdrawal and other substance use disorders often experience stigma, which can affect the care they receive. Nurses play a big role in caring for these patients, and their emotional reactions can impact how patients are treated. Implicit bias toward substance abuse can lead to decreased empathy and communication. This study intends to examine whether implicit bias and stigma training can improve nursesí emotional reactions compared with no formal training. A quasi-experimental design will be used, with one group receiving training and another continuing usual education. Emotional responses will be measured using the Prejudice Towards People with Mental Illness Scale before and after the intervention. This scale demonstrated validity and reliability over the course of three months. It is anticipated that nurses who receive the training will show more positive emotional responses, which has the potential to improve patient-centered care.
Implicit Bias and Stigma Among Nurses Toward Patients With Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders
INTRODUCTION: Patients admitted for alcohol withdrawal and other substance use disorders are often judged or treated differently because of stigma. This can affect the care they receive. Nurses spend the most time with these patients, so their attitudes and emotional reactions really matter. If a nurse has an implicit bias toward substance abuse, it can show up as less patience, less empathy, or not fully supporting the patient. Because of this, itís important to explore ways to improve nursesí responses to this population.
METHOD: The purpose of this study is to see if giving nurses implicit bias and stigma training can improve their emotional reactions toward patients admitted with alcohol withdrawal and substance use disorders, compared to nurses who do not receive any formal training. A quasi-experimental design will be used. One group of nurses will receive implicit bias and stigma training, while the other group will continue with their usual education. Nursesí emotional responses will be measured using the Emotional Reaction to Mental Illness Scale (NERMIS) before the training and again after more than 3 months.
RESULTS: It is expected that nurses who receive the training will have more positive emotional reactions toward these patients.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This could support adding more education on stigma and bias into nursing practice to help improve patient care. Patients admitted for alcohol withdrawal and other substance use disorders often experience stigma, which can affect the care they receive. Nurses play a big role in caring for these patients, and their emotional reactions can impact how patients are treated. Implicit bias toward substance abuse can lead to decreased empathy and communication. This study intends to examine whether implicit bias and stigma training can improve nursesí emotional reactions compared with no formal training. A quasi-experimental design will be used, with one group receiving training and another continuing usual education. Emotional responses will be measured using the Prejudice Towards People with Mental Illness Scale before and after the intervention. This scale demonstrated validity and reliability over the course of three months. It is anticipated that nurses who receive the training will show more positive emotional responses, which has the potential to improve patient-centered care.