Publish date: 9 May 2024
International Nurses Day - In conversation with Linda Sample
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust commissioned 
The ACT has a mix of experienced practitioners from diverse backgrounds who understand the complexity of alcohol misuse, dependency, and the individuality of recovery. We believe everyone should be able to access the support they need, without shame or stigma. Those inpatients who have been referred to the ACT will undergo a holistic assessment process and encouraged to discuss their alcohol history, supported throughout their admission, and signposted to community services.
We endeavour to make every contact count, to promote health to those drinking at potentially harmful levels to minimise risks and encourage better health outcomes. We have forged effective relationships with local partnerships to facilitate a cohesive approach to the care pathway between primary and secondary care, thereby offering continuity of care to patients and their families.
I qualified as a registered nurse in 2003, my first post was working in ITU, followed by a period in the A&E department. During this post my interest in addictions particularly alcohol related harms and the impact not only on the individual but their loved ones and the greater community developed. A secondment opportunity occurred for the position of a community alcohol specialist nurse. This involved a shared care approach working with GPs, secondary and charity sector services specialising in addictions, while offering home alcohol detoxification, psychological intervention, training and education to patients and their families.
I am extremely proud to have been appointed lead in 2019 as an Advanced Alcohol Specialist Nurse and being part of the evolution of the Alcohol Care Team. Since then, the team has grown to its current status from a team of two Alcohol Specialist Nurses.
I love being an Alcohol Specialist nurse as I feel we really do make a difference to people’s lives.
I witness positive changes, whether it’s helping someone reduce their alcohol intake or supporting them during withdrawal. We address not only physical health but also mental and emotional well-being. We create tailored care plans, introduce psychosocial interventions behavioural counselling, and educate patients about alcohol-related issues.
Establishing rapport with our patients is crucial, our patients are vulnerable and require a non-judgmental, and honest approach. We create an environment where patients feel comfortable sharing their experiences and challenges. This enables us to identify potential safeguarding concerns, raising these safeguarding concerns will often result in additional support for these patients to support recovery and contribute to improved outcomes.
It is important to recognise this day, although most of us will be extremely busy and it will pass by in the blink of an eye, we all need to take a moment and celebrate our resilience and the critical role of nursing in healthcare. Nursing teams across all departments and specialities need to acknowledge and recognise our contributions to patient care. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our nursing colleagues for their valuable contribution toward the care of our patients.