Effects of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) education and training on nursing students' attitudes toward working with patients who use alcohol and drugs.

Background: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) can reduce alcohol use and negative health outcomes in patients with risky substance use. However, negative attitudes that some health care professionals have toward patients who use substances are a barrier to implementing SBIRT.

Methods: The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, in partnership with the Institute for Research, Education, and Training in Addictions (IRETA), developed a curriculum to train baccalaureate student nurses to deliver SBIRT.

Results: Following SBIRT education and training, students' perceived attitudes toward patients who use alcohol became more positive. Less robust changes were found for attitudes related to patients who use drugs.

Conclusions: Nurses composing the largest group of healthcare workers are in key positions to screen, intervene, and provide education about substance use.