Educating Emergency Department Registered Nurses (EDRNs) in screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT): Changes in attitudes and knowledge over time

• Published in: International emergency nursing Vol. 33; pp. 32 - 36
• Main Authors: Mitchell, Ann M., Kane, Irene, Lindsay, Dawn L., Hagle, Holly, Puskar, Kathy, Aiello, Jim, Boucek, Lynn, Knapp, Emily
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use; Alcoholism; Alcoholism - nursing; Attitudes; Brief interventions; Continuing education; Drug abuse; Education; Education, Nursing, Continuing - methods; Education, Nursing, Continuing - standards; Emergency department (ED); Emergency Department Registered Nurses (EDRNs); Emergency medical care; Emergency Service, Hospital - organization & administration; Emergency services; Falls; Female; Health care; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Injuries; Male; Medical diagnosis; Medical referrals; Medical screening; Middle Aged; Nurse's Role - psychology; Nurses; Nurses - psychology; Nurses - standards; Patient assessment; Patients; Professional knowledge; Professional practice; Referral and Consultation - standards; Referral and Consultation - trends; Registered Nurses (RNs); Road accidents; Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT); Substance abuse; Substance abuse treatment; Substance-Related Disorders - nursing; Training; Triage - methods; Triage - trends; Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT); Emergency Department Registered Nurses (EDRNs); Registered Nurses (RNs); Education; Alcohol and other drug (AOD) use; Emergency department (ED)
• ISSN: 1755-599X; 1532-9267; 1878-013X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ienj.2016.12.003

•SBIRT has been shown to be effective in reducing risky alcohol consumption.•Patients trust nurses, underscoring nurses’ ability to have a positive impact.•EDRNs can increase their knowledge and attitudes to routinely screen patients for risky substance use.•SBIRT training and educational reinforcement is key for continued implementation. Alcohol and other drug (AOD) diagnoses in the ED co-occur with injury-related presenting conditions including: falls, motor vehicle accidents, poisonings, and both intentional and unintentional injuries. Clinical attention to ED admissions resulting from hazardous AOD use can significantly improve patient care and reduce high cost utilization of ED visits and treatment. The EDRN-SBIRT project is designed to improve the knowledge and attitudes of ED nurses working in a large academic medical center to identify and address risky AOD use as it relates to an ED visit. ED nurses’ knowledge and attitudes toward patients with AOD use can be improved through SBIRT education. SBIRT education can establish an evidence-based standard of nursing practice to improve healthcare outcomes, but it must be reinforced with ongoing ED review and supportive educational sessions until practice is firmly established.