Advancing Addiction Nursing: Linking past and future in the heart of Europe

Authors

1.Ms. Vendula Pokorná (⚑ Czech Republic) 1

2.Prof. Michal Miovsky (⚑ Czech Republic) 1

1. Department of Addictology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

Abstract

This conference contribution aims to present the development of addiction nursing in the Czech Republic in the context of international colaboration with IntNSA, Colombo plan and WHO. Addiction nursing is an emerging field in the Czech Republic, with a historical focus on specialized training for prison and army nurses.

The absence of a structured framework for addiction nursing resulted in the development of a certified online course (10 hours) for general nurses focus on early diagnostic and brief interventions and short introduction to addiction science and practice. This self-led on line course is beeing evaluated as a doctoral postgraduate project by Vendula Pokorná. We have submitted a project for the continuous enhancement of this course, marking a significant step towards the establishment of addiction nursing in the Czech Republic. The collaboration with international entities, particularly IntNSA and Colombo plan and WHO has been pivotal in aligning our efforts with the newly developped international competency framework in addiction nursing.

As we continue to forge partnerships at the national level, our aim is to establish a specialization in addiction nursing, ensuring a robust and well-rounded response to the growing challenges of substance use disorders in our country.To further our commitment to addiction nursing, we are actively working with the Ministry of Health, IPVZ (Institute of Postgraduate Education in Healthcare), and the President of the Czech Association of Nursing. Our collective goal is to create a specialized track for addiction nursing in the Czech Republic, fostering a comprehensive approach to addressing substance use disorders.