Association Between Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes and Caring Behaviors Toward People with Opioid Use Disorder

Opioid use disorder (OUD) remains one of the leading causes ofpreventable deaths in the U.S. Each year, over 1 million U.S. adults seek hospital carefor OUD-related conditions. However, hospitals often provide inadequate treatment.Many patients with OUD encounter barriers such as limited overdose prevention,medication delays, and poor follow-up after discharge. Nurses can improve inpatientOUD care. Yet, research shows they often lack knowledge and hold negative attitudestoward patients with OUD. This gap may decrease the quality of care nurses provide topeople with OUD. This study examined the knowledge and attitudes of adult hospitalnurses toward OUD, their caring behaviors, and whether these differed based on theirdemographic and work-related factors. We also examined the relationship betweennurses’ knowledge and attitudes, and caring behaviors toward hospitalized adultpatients with OUD.