Citation

Broyles LM, Kraemer KL, Kengor C, Gordon AJ. J. Addict. Nurs. 2013; 24(3): 130-141.

Affiliation

Lauren M. Boyles, PhD, RN, and Adam J. Gordon, MD, MPH, Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, and Veterans Integrated Service Network 4 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, and Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kevin L. Kraemer, MD, MSc, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, and Center for Research on Health Care, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Caroline Kengor, MPH, Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pennsylvania.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Informa Healthcare)

DOI

10.1097/JAN.0b013e3182a4cb0b

PMID

24621542

Abstract

A package of clinical strategies known as alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is increasingly recommended for reducing unhealthy alcohol use, the spectrum of alcohol consumption from at-risk drinking (defined as consumption above recommended guidelines) to alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence. The United States' Joint Commission issued new SBIRT-related hospital accreditation measures for alcohol. Ongoing initiatives aim to promote, support, and sustain SBIRT implementation in hospital settings. In hospital settings, nurse-delivered SBIRT may be a particularly viable and efficient model for SBIRT implementation. However, like physicians, most nurses have not been trained in how to perform SBIRT, and few authors have described alcohol-related curricula specifically for nurses. In addition, historical differences in nurse and physician professional scopes of practice, role perceptions, and patterns of care delivery suggest the need for effective SBIRT initial and continuing education and training that are tailored to the nursing profession and inpatient environments. In this article, we provide an in-depth description of the registered nurse SBIRT curriculum and describe its development and contents as well as various nurse- and setting-specific adaptations. In addition, we describe how we engaged nursing stakeholders in the development and implementation of the curriculum and discuss potential implications for future SBIRT training and delivery by nurses. SBIRT continuing education and training for nurses represents one of the first steps in expanded SBIRT implementation. Comprehensive workforce and organizational development of inpatient and nurse-delivered SBIRT may provide the means to address the entire spectrum of unhealthy alcohol use across healthcare settings.

Language: en