Description/Overview: Misuse of alcohol and drugs is a significant problem for worldwide health and economic welfare. Alcohol-attributable injuries and violence are of growing concern to the World Health Organization in response to over 2 million premature deaths reported worldwide as a result of harmful use of alcohol (2009). In the United States, 20.9 million persons (8.3 percent of the population aged 12 or older) needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol problem but did not receive treatment at a specialty substance abuse facility in the past year (SAMHSA, 2009). Evidence-based public health strategies and effective interventions must be implemented broadly to reduce alcohol-related injuries (WHO, 2009). To respond to this need, an evidence-based screening and brief intervention model for hazardous alcohol and substance use was integrated into an undergraduate nursing curriculum through an innovative partnership of a School of Nursing and a nonprofit community-based research organization. The Addiction Training for Nurses using Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (ATN-SBIRT) supports the practice-research interface in nursing education in the new millennium. Nurses have a unique opportunity to screen and intervene with patients who may be at-risk users of alcohol and drugs. Health professionals have access to populations that are otherwise difficult to reach(WHO, 2009) and nurses are a vital part of any effort to address addiction as nurses spend the most time with patients (Richards & Hubbert, 2007). This symposium describes the innovative strategy of an academic-community partnership to integrate an evidence-based practice into an undergraduate nursing curriculum. The educational curriculum was unique in addressing both alcohol and drug screening and intervention. Student and faculty/preceptor training and development will be discussed in addition to culturally diverse simulation lab scenarios, and project findings demonstrating an effective curriculum integration model that can be replicated in schools of nursing worldwide.

Learner Objective #1: The learner will be able to describe the integration of an evidence-based practice model into the nursing curriculum.

Learner Objective #2: The learner will be able to identify opportunities for incorporation of a similar model into his or her School of Nursing.