Mapping the role of nurses in Methadone Substitution Therapy (MST) programmes across Europe: core competencies

Abstract

The World Health Organisation and the International Council of Nurses (WHO/ICN, 1991) broadly define addiction nurses' roles into eight domains that suggest a set of core competencies required to work effectively within this challenging area of nurse practice. This paper reports on a survey of addiction centres across eight European countries. The survey explored the role of the nurse specifically within methadone substitution therapy programmes, with the intention of mapping perceived key roles against the ICN/WHO domains. While many of WHO/ICN domains were evident (provider of care; educator; counsellor; advocate) significant limitations were revealed in other domains.

Citation

Clancy, C., Oyefeso, A. and Ghodse, A. (2002), "Mapping the role of nurses in Methadone Substitution Therapy (MST) programmes across Europe: core competencies", Drugs and Alcohol Today, Vol. 2 No. 4, pp. 19-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/17459265200200029