Tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use are among the leading causes of preventable death in the United States today. So in some sense, all nurses are addictions nurses. Addictive disorders include alcohol and other drug dependencies, nicotine dependencies, eating disorders, and process addictions such as gambling. And we are all in key positions to promote prevention, identify people at risk, intervene before addiction progresses, and treat associated health problems.

Professional society

The International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA), an ANA organizational affiliate founded in 1975, is the professional organization for nurses committed to preventing and managing addictive disorders. IntNSA’s mission is to advance excellence in addictions nursing practice through advocacy, collaboration, education, research, and policy development. Membership is open to all registered professional nurses as well as graduate and undergraduate student nurses. Members receive the peer-reviewed Journal of Addictions Nursing and may attend annual educational conferences to keep up with the latest evidence-based information and findings from original studies.

Standards and certification

IntNSA also establishes standards of care and professional practice for addictions nursing, disseminates the Core Curriculum of Addictions Nursing, and serves as the parent society for the credentials of the Certified Addictions Registered Nurse (CARN) and the CARN-Advanced Practice (CARN-AP).

For more information about IntNSA, addictions nursing certification, and support for the Foundation for Addictions Nursing, visit www.intnsa.org.