Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) as an integral part of nursing practice

Substance use screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) should be an integral part of the scope of nursing practice. This commentary is an appeal for nurses to advance their knowledge and competencies related to SBIRT. The question of how to move SBIRT into the mainstream of nursing practice was posed to several leaders of federal agencies, health care and nursing organizations, nurse educators, and nurse leaders. The authors provide recommendations for moving this set of clinical strategies (i.e., SBIRT) into day-to-day nursing practice.