Screening, Intervention, and Referral in the Clinical Setting

The prevalence of substance use disorder in the United States is rapidly growing, particularly in adolescents. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) has been used in clinical care for over 40 years, yet providers still do not incorporate this into daily practice. This article offers background information and describes a project that considered SBIRT in the clinical setting using two student-led focus groups to discuss a gap between education and practice noted by nursing students trained in this technique. We present findings for each group and a discussion that synthesizes the results and includes implications for education and practice. Data were analyzed using the scissor and sort method, with themes emerging about SBIRT benefits, barriers, training, and individual and system level factors. Study recommendations included incorporating SBIRT content across the nursing curriculum with repeated smaller training and practice sessions. Also noted is the need for ongoing SBIRT education for practicing nurses.