Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment: Implementation Into an RN-BSN Curriculum.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Nursing Education
• Public Health

Background:

• Workplace alcohol and substance misuse remains a significant concern.
• Early intervention is crucial for non-dependent substance users.
• Licensed nurses require specialized training to address these issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) curriculum for nurses.
• To enhance nurses' skills in identifying and managing patients at risk of alcohol and drug misuse.
• To assess the perceived value of SBIRT training in nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• A partnership developed an online SBIRT curriculum integrated into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing course.
• The 7-week, 3-credit course targeted licensed nurses.
• 119 students completed the curriculum over seven semesters.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated significant knowledge gains regarding standard drink sizes and the AUDIT questionnaire.
• Nurses reported increased confidence in patient assessment, treatment decision-making, and referral.
• The majority of students found SBIRT highly valuable for their practice.

Conclusions:

• The SBIRT curriculum is an effective tool for equipping nurses to screen and refer patients at risk of substance misuse.
• Occupational health nurses are optimally positioned to intervene with workers facing alcohol and drug misuse challenges.
• Continuous practice of SBIRT skills is encouraged for all nurses in patient encounters.