Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment and the role of nursing

The first article is a good starting place for building an SBIRT program. It provides a good overview of the evidence and explains SBIRT as defined by SAMHSA. It should only serve as a starting point since it leaves questions unanswered. It does not clearly explain how to actually do each part of SBIRT. Other resources, such as National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s guide to clinicians or the American College of Surgeon’s guide, are recommended reading prior to implementing SBIRT. The major issue appears to be the lack of clear evidence that referral to treatment actually results in positive long-term outcomes for those with a substance use disorder. In addition, the development of an SBIRT program in an institution should utilize an interdisciplinary approach with a nurse lead program as a promising alternative to a hierarchical program that requires physician oversight.