Alcohol and Alcoholism Vol. 35, No. 2, pp. 216, 2000
© 2000 Medical Council on Alcoholism
Book Reviews
Substance Use and Misuse: Nature, Context and Clinical Interventions.
This book is written by nurses from a wide cross-section of specialities and aims to illustrate how substance use is the business of all nursing professionals, not just those working in the addiction field. The book draws on current government policy including The Health of the Nation (1992) and the white papers Tackling Drugs Together (1995–1998) and Drugs Misuse — To Building a Better Britain — A 10-Year Strategy for Substance Misuse (1998). It reflects the current trend to focus interventions in a variety of healthcare settings rather than just specialist units. It is a comprehensive text which will probably give non-specialist nurses more confidence and efficiency in tackling substance-use issues.
The book is divided into four sections presenting a broad overview of the context, prevention, and treatment of substance-use problems. The first section provides a historical background to drug use, basic information about substances used, and some discussion and insight into different theories of addiction. The author is wisely unbiased towards any particular model and there is appropriate concentration on the most common substances, i.e. tobacco and alcohol.
The second section examines prevention, recognition, and intervention strategies. Screening and assessment tools are described, the role of nurses in health education is discussed, and a range of interventions are highlighted. It is outside the scope of the text to go into great detail about each intervention but the text is well referenced and is thus a useful springboard for finding more in-depth information.
The third section illustrates how substance use is relevant to, and can be treated in, a variety of generic settings. Roles examined are those of the midwife, health visitor, practice nurse, school nurse and casualty nurse. Medical problems pertinent to substance users are also discussed. Each discussion is exemplified by case vignettes which highlight how nursing skills can be utilized simply and practically to improve care. The chapter on drug use, pregnancy and care of the newborn shows particular sensitivity. The section as a whole is useful in demystifying addiction interventions.
The last section concentrates on nurse-specialist responses and the care and management of clients with specific substance problems. The final chapters include discussions on the problems of the homeless, elderly, young people, ethnic minorities, and those with dual diagnoses. The last chapter provides encouragement for nurses to take a more pro-active role in developing addiction nursing as a specialty and implementing further research in the field of addiction.
Overall the book is readable, well-organized and presented. It provides an ambitious range of information in a succinct skills-orientated style. Student and qualified nurses alike will find it a useful text and the excellent references provide the direction necessary for further reading.
FOOTNOTES
Edited by G. Hussein Rassool. Blackwell Science, London. 1998, £19.99. ISBN: 0-632-04884-0.
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