Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
Data analysis was done using SPSS-PC. Demographic data was
evaluated using descriptive statistics including frequencies and
percentages. The SI nurses were 87% female with a mean age of
45. The NSI nurses were 93% female with a mean age of 41.7.
The SI nurses had a higher percentage of those with a German,
Irish, and English ethnic background. There was little difference
between racial backgrounds with the highest percentage in both
groups being Caucasian (SI = 95%, NSI = 94%). There were a
higher number of SI nurses who were divorced (SI = 37%, NSI =
13%). More SI nurses were left-handed than SI nurses (SI = 19%,
NSI = 6%). More SI nurses also smoked in comparison to NSI
nurses (SI = 40%, NSI = 9%). The NSI nurses had more
educational preparation with a higher percentage of BSN’s (NSI =
41%, SI = 27%) and MSN’s (NSI = 23%, SI = 7%). There were a
higher number of diploma (SI = 40%, NSI = 26%0 and associate
degrees (SI - 15%, NSI = 6%) within the SI nurses. As expected,
more of the NSI nurses (96%) were presently employed in nursing
compared to the SI nurses (75%). There were no significant
differences in clinical areas where nurses worked. Amount of
continuing education on addiction/alcoholism was low for both
groups (SI = 45%, NSI = 38%), with the SI nurses having more
hours (15% of the SI nurses had 36 - 40 hours). There were no
major differences between groups in religious affiliation and
attendance at services. As would be expected, the SI nurses knew
more impaired nurses than the NSI nurses.
Inferential statistics were used to analyze data for the research
questions. Pearson’s Correlations demonstrated a significant
relationship between the EARS and Sensation Seeking Scale (r =
.37, p = .01), and the EARS and CAST (r = .51, p = .01) for the
impaired nurses. For the non-impaired nurses, the Pearson’s
Correlations demonstrated a significant relationship only between
the EARS and CAST instruments (r = .31, p = .01). Independent ttest
scores demonstrated the impaired and non-impaired groups
differed on all three of the instrument total scores (SSS: t = 8.30,
df = 181.6, p = .001) (EARS:
t = 18.71, df = 182.1, p = .001) (CAST: t = 7.91, df = 185.7, p
= .001). Discriminant analysis strongly supported the significance
of the three variables as predictors of the impaired and nonimpaired
nurses. Classification results indicated a correct prediction
of SI membership in 87% of the cases and correct NSI membership
in 95% of the cases with an overall percent of 91% for grouped
cases correctly classified. Scores on the EARS had the largest
correlation and was the strongest predictor (.99) followed by scores
from SSS (.44) and scores from CAST (.42).
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