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Background Nurses are likely to encounter opportunities to engage patients in alcohol interventions, yet few have received preparation for this work. Although screening procedures are relatively straightforward and easily utilized by nurse professionals, developing a personalized, brief, and effective response to promote behavior change for indicated cases is a clinical skill that, for many nurses, requires deliberate effort to acquire [1,2]. To support development of alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) skills among nurses and implement alcohol SBI as a routine practice, Alaska Public Health Nursing (PHN) collaborated with the Arctic FASD Regional Training Center at the University of Alaska Anchorage. The objective is to describe ongoing training needs for nurses conducting alcohol SBI.

Background The Institute of Medicine recommends changing organizational policy as a key element of evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation; however, policy change alone may be insufficient to change provider practice behavior [1,2]. Engaging key organizational stakeholders in the policy change process may foster buy-in, particularly if the policy is piloted and refined alongside the new practice. As part of a two-year initiative funded by CDC to implement routine alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) into primary care settings, the Alaska Section of Public Health Nursing (PHN) collaborated with the University of Alaska Anchorage to pilot alcohol SBI policy and procedures in three clinics prior to systemwide dissemination.

Background The University of Alaska Anchorage partnered with the State of Alaska, Section of Public Health Nursing (PHN) to pilot routine alcohol screening and brief intervention (aSBI) in three of their 22 public health centers (PHCs) prior to system-wide dissemination. During this two-year project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the university research team facilitated aSBI implementation through collaborative planning with PHN leadership, providing training for nurses to conduct aSBI, and maintaining contact with PHN staff. Nurses at the pilot sites participated in regular phone calls with members of the research team acting as change facilitators. A Plan-Do-Study-Act approach was used to refine implementation protocols throughout the pilot.