SBIRT provides an opportunity for psychiatric-mental health nurses at generalist and advanced practice levels to strengthen a prevention approach through direct practice and the education of colleagues.
Falls Church, VA (PRWEB) September 26, 2012
The American Psychiatric Nurses Association, as a part of its commitment to health and wellness promotion, adopts position in support of the Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) health approach. In a position paper adopted by the APNA Board of Directors on September 11, 2012, the APNA states that implementation of this evidence-based approach will facilitate and standardize screening and early intervention practices in psychiatric-mental health nursing. Further, adopting this intervention has the potential to reduce population risk for medical and psychiatric illnesses subsequent to excess alcohol consumption.
The provision of SBIRT enables clinicians in any setting to quickly determine a person’s level of risk related to alcohol and other drug use, provide brief motivational counseling about the risk, and refer the person to appropriate treatment. The prevention of disease and the reduction of harm related to mental health and substance use disorders are integral to practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing. SBIRT provides an opportunity for psychiatric-mental health nurses at generalist and advanced practice levels to strengthen a prevention approach through direct practice and the education of colleagues in the techniques and effectiveness of SBIRT.
“There is a great amount of evidence to support the effectiveness of the SBIRT approach,” says APNA President Marlene Nadler-Moodie, APRN, PMHCNS-BC. “Psychiatric mental health nurses are in a strong position to use and teach others about this approach, which can only benefit the people we serve, their families, and their communities.”
“Nurses specializing in addictions and psychiatric / mental health nursing have the knowledge and skills to respond to the whole spectrum of substance use and comorbid mental health disorders," says Al Rundio PhD, DNP, RN, APRN, CARN-AP, President of the International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA). "We are committed to developing a nursing workforce that is equipped and motivated to actively and collaboratively respond to the spectrum of substance use across practice levels and across practice settings.”
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The American Psychiatric Nurses Association is a national professional membership organization committed to the specialty practice of psychiatric-mental health nursing and wellness promotion, prevention of mental health problems and the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric disorders. APNA’s membership is inclusive of all psychiatric mental health registered nurses including associate degree, baccalaureate, advanced practice (comprised of clinical nurse specialists and psychiatric nurse practitioners), and nurse scientists and academicians (PhD). APNA serves as a resource for psychiatric mental health nurses to engage in networking, education, and the dissemination of research.
