A Model to Prevent Substance Use/Abuse by Student Nurses at Limpopo College of Nursing, South Africa

Background: Substance use/abuse is a global challenge that has detrimental effects on nations’ health, wealth, and security. Substance users in Africa make up roughly 17% to 21% of global illicit drug users in Africa and cannabis abuse (63%) (UNODC, 2010). Purpose: We aimed to develop, describe, and evaluate a model that could be used as a framework of reference to prevent substance use/abuse by student nurses at Limpopo College of Nursing, South Africa. Method: A mixed-method study approach was used following a qualitative exploratory, descriptive, and contextual design to explore factors contributing to substance use/abuse by student nurses and quantitatively examine the impact of substance use/abuse on students’ academic achievements in Limpopo Province. Findings: The results of the first empirical phase reveal two themes and seven subthemes from the semi-structured interviews with lecturers, students, and support staff. The literature supported the results. In phase 2, we analyzed the concept of the “prevention” of substance use/abuse by student nurses following the process of a concept analysis by Walker and Avant (2016). The results were conceptualized within the six elements of practice theory: context, agent, recipient, dynamic, process and procedure, and outcome. Conclusions: The relational statements provided the basis for the model description. A reliable method was used to describe and evaluate the model.