Objective: The purpose of this paper is to report on the implementation and evaluation of a Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) educational program into an undergraduate nursing curriculum and to recommend modifications for future trainings.
Design and sample: A one-group pre-test/post-test design was used. The sample consisted of senior level undergraduate nursing students.
Measures: Core knowledge, perceived competency, and program satisfaction were measured. Process evaluation activities were performed to gather feedback on the training and solicit ideas and recommendations for improvement.
Results: Of the 354 nursing students enrolled in the training, 249 (70%) participated in the research portion, with 240 (96%) completed the pre- and post-training evaluations. All four core knowledge components and 13 perceived competency indicators were statistically significant (p ≤ .001) when comparing pre- and post-t test values. Process evaluation data collected through 25 telephone interviews found that the training improved the students' confidence and ability to screen for substance misuse with patients.
Conclusion: Findings support the implementation of SBIRT training into an undergraduate nursing curriculum. Modifications for future training and research are proposed.
Keywords: SBIRT; simulation; standardized patients; substance use disorders; undergraduate nursing education.
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