Practitioner series: Alcohol and Drugs Nurse Specialist
- NHS Addictions Provider Alliance
- Jan 31
- 2 min read
This blog provides an insight into the role of an Alcohol and Drugs Nurse Specialist at one of our member trusts.
I've worked in hospitals, as a specialist in substance use, for 30 years. My job title has changed around, from alcohol liaison to alcohol health worker to alcohol care team coordinator to Alcohol and Drugs Nurse Specialist, currently. It’s a role that has many variations guided by expert bodies such as NICE, NCEPOD, BGS and latterly the Royal College of Psychiatry.
When people hear that I am an alcohol nurse, they often joke about their own drinking, or less so, about someone they know who is experiencing an alcohol problem. The other side of this is that patients will sometimes ask if I have had a problem with drinking.
I get a lot of questions from patients and it's important to judge which answer to use on which occasion. Is the question being asked by someone who is uncertain about my understanding or my motivations? Are they looking for a kindred spirit? Or someone with shared experiences surrounding addiction?
Alcohol might not even be related to certain patient admissions, and while the patient might have been spoken to about their drinking, it's often a conversation they see as judgemental or critical.
Firstly, I find that people rarely come to the hospital to discuss their drinking. Whether it’s a planned admission or an unexpected visit to the emergency department, the reason is usually something else. That reason should always be the focus, but by making connections we can help someone avoid future visits. We might be able to give them information to steer them away from longer-term experiences with alcohol, or addiction. So, the way we hold this conversation is important to our patients.
These are the steps we take:
1 ) Alcohol brief advice
The purpose of an intervention should be to elicit what people have noticed about their drinking and give them feedback about risks and consequences. Especially where these are relevant to them.
2) Alcohol care management
If someone has signs of alcohol addiction, withdrawals or compulsion to drink – this will most likely have an impact on their treatment or recovery. Besides helping with medicaI management, we can explain options to the patient and their family and we can offer our colleagues training on various aspects of care.
3) Education of colleagues
This has helped change attitudes over the years. By giving people the confidence to take on alcohol treatment to prevent withdrawals or longer term consequences and even more important, to make an impact on someone’s life. We should always consider the why.
Addiction to alcohol can affect anyone—patients, loved ones, and even colleagues. It isn’t always obvious, and stigma often prevents people from seeking help when they need it most. By showing understanding, we can create a more supportive environment where individuals feel respected, listened to, and able to access support without fear of judgement.
Did you know? We have created a training guide to support people working in healthcare to access useful resources and training focused on reducing stigma around co-occurring conditions.
Find out more about the actions you can take here:
Start the conversation. Break the stigma.