Comparison of chemically dependent and nondependent nurses on familial, personal and professional characteristics.

The characteristics associated with professional impairment due to chemical dependency in nurses are examined. A sample of 139 recovering chemically dependent nurses was compared with a random sample of 384 registered nurses not identified as chemically dependent on familial, personal and professional characteristics. Respondents completed an extensive mailed questionnaire requesting information on demographic variables, family history (past and present), education, employment, medical history, lifestyle characteristics and alcohol- and drug-related behaviors. Significant differences between the two groups were found in gender, familial alcoholism and depression, sexual trauma and functioning, sexual preference, parenthood status, marital history, physical health, depressive illness and alcoholism in spouse. No differences were found in sibling rank, basic nursing education, nursing school class rank, highest educational degree held, academic achievement and length of nursing experience. Recommendations for future study include improved methodology, study of recovery variables and longitudinal follow-up of recovering nurses.