Too frightened to care? Accounts by district nurses working with clients who misuse substances

摘要: Drug misusers have complex health and social care needs, experience considerable difficulties in accessing the assessment, treatment that they require. Despite development of specialist services many parts UK, substance misuse is often marginalised within mainstream general healthcare, practitioners are unprepared for challenges working with this client group. The present paper reports findings from a qualitative study aimed to explore district nurses' understandings practices relation discrimination inequalities issues. research took place during 2003 two city-based primary trusts North England. Semistructured interviews were undertaken 18 'G' grade nurses. authors highlight some tensions nurses encounter when providing clients who substances. discourses 'prejudice' 'risk' intertwined throughout data, served shape service provision This was reflected accounts their own practice other services, suggesting these receive suboptimal care. discourse also used by construct themselves as 'vulnerable', helped explain provision. Many participants acknowledged limited knowledge There an urgent need professionals develop clients, may both vulnerable dangerous, order ensure provided equitably safely.