Your nurse is likely stoned

No one in their right mind could ever argue that nurses are not the lifeblood of the healthcare industry. These men and women are doing everything they can to ensure that both patients and doctors can fight one more day.

Let’s be clear, without nurses, the kind of American bedside medicine would undoubtedly crumble into nothing, and many more sick people would now lie in hospital beds, eating lousy food, and watch Andy Griffith repeats with little to no hope. So next time you’re having a face-to-face encounter with a nurse, why not show some appreciation? The best way to do this is to give them marijuana, according to a new study.

Photo by Karolina / Kaboompics via rawpixel.com

It seems that researchers from the University of Arizona’s College of Nursing have uncovered a shocking truth: many nurses across the country regularly use cannabis. If not, they probably want it. This may not shock anyone who has a personal relationship with any of the nearly 4 million registered nurses in the United States. But the idea of ​​many frontline health workers getting red-eyed and torn apart would certainly surprise Mr. Smith in Room 315, which is scheduled to be primed for a vasectomy by one of them in just a few hours.

Snap, snap.

The reason nurses get stoned, according to the study, is to deal with the mental and physical stress that comes with work. Most of these people have worked non-stop over the past year to fight the COVID debacle. The tension builds to the point where, if they don’t cool down, they could go right over the edge. It’s a benefit that many nurses are closer to than you think. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 50% of healthcare workers suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Almost 10% have thoughts of suicide. Some also pull it off. Actually, Suicide rate for nurses have increased over the years.

RELATED: Healthcare Professionals At Risk of COVID-19 Burnout

So yes, nurses smoke weed. Not only is it now legal in over half the nation, but there is growing evidence that marijuana can help relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression. It probably also helps some of these people get some much-needed sleep. But don’t worry about screwing up this vasectomy, Mr. Smith. No sir, you are in good hands. It’s not that they gather in the break rooms to be fumigated before or during their shift. Researchers found that most cannabis use in the care world occurs after hours.

RELATED: Study: Marijuana Reduces Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression, and Stress

“We really found that nurses do these things to recover after work,” Dr. Jessica Rainbow, Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing at U of A, told KOLD News 13. “So they came home from work, they were in a lot of pain, and then they used these different coping strategies instead of using them before work.”

Photo by Irwan iwe via Unsplash

Rainbow’s team plans to examine cannabis use among nurses in an extensive study that is slated to begin shortly. The aim is to understand the reality of the situation and to give honest, data-based recommendations on cannabis products to government agencies. As it stands, nurses can’t test positive for marijuana and keep their jobs – not even in legal states.

Trying to defeat the system is undoubtedly causing them even more stress than the job itself. To this end, researchers will also study how cannabis use in the care community affects patients. Make no mistake about it, Mr. Smith wants to be sure that a nurse with THC in her veins won’t put him or his boys at risk if he shows up on his date.