The Need for Alcohol Abuse-Related Education in Nursing Curricula

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Primary care includes providing patients with guidelines and information for maintaining good health as well as providing the screening, diagnosis, intervention, and treatment of basic health problems, including alcohol abuse and dependence. Nurses play a crucial role in the primary care setting. They assess client needs; formulate and deliver care to individuals and families; and often are responsible for detecting, addressing, and referring patients who exhibit alcohol, tobacco, and other drug-related(1) problems.

Yet basic knowledge about alcohol abuse and its related problems has not been included in general nursing education in any consistent manner. Indeed, significant gaps …