Alcohol education for patients: some nurses need persuading

Abstract

Nurses form the largest group of health care workers and given their repeated contact with patients are in a good position to develop their health education role. Alcohol is the third major cause of morbidity and mortality and alcohol education is an important part of patient care. As part of a prospective study to assess the effects of early identification and education for those patients drinking to excess, we assessed nurses' attitudes towards screening patients for alcohol related problems, their knowledge of what constituted harmful drinking and their views on alcohol education for those at risk of harming their health. While nurses themselves were receptive to alcohol education a sizeable proportion remained unconvinced of the long term benefits of education for those who drink to excess. Alcohol researchers and health education still have some way to go in persuading health professionals of the benefits of incorporating health education into their everyday practices.