Screening and brief interventions strategies as possibilities for preventive nurses’ practice

Abstract

The screening and brief interventions may be considered effective resources for health assistance. This study aims to perform some reflections about the applications of these strategies and its utilization by nurses. Thus it was listed some elements in which the brief interventions are based, the nurses’ care assistance related to the preventive assistance for alcohol usage patients and potentials benefits resulting from its implementation. In this way, the nurses’ attributions on Primary Health Care are strategic to reduce damages caused by alcohol use. However, several factors limit these nurses’ to act, being necessary to focus efforts to give the issue a realistic and pragmatic discussion. Therefore, it is essential do disseminate trainings and qualification courses in order to enable nurses to approach, in a systematic way, the question of alcohol in a preventive perspective.

Descriptors: Role of Professional Nursing; Mental Health; Substance abuse detection.