From 1 January 2006 to 31 December 2010, 115 Fitness to Practise inquiries were carried out by the Irish Nursing and Midwifery Board. These inquiries were analysed in order to identify patterns and trends and, in particular, to look at what registrants and employers might learn from that analysis.

Of the 115 inquiries between 2006 and 2010, 28 cases involved drug abuse and 11 cases involved alcohol abuse. This represents one-third of all cases. In all of these cases, there were also allegations of professional misconduct. Combined alcohol and drug abuse was rare.