How nurses at Namma Clinics turned health warriors against substance abuse with NIMHANS training

NIMHANS has trained 60 nurses from South Bengaluru Namma Clinics to equip with advanced skills in managing psychoactive substance use.

Chetana Belagere

Published Nov 25, 2023 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Nov 25, 2023 | 9:00 AM

Dr KV Thrilok Chandra handing over the certificate to one of the participants. (Supplied)

In a unique initiative, 60 nurses from Bengaluru’s Namma Clinics have been equipped with advanced skills to manage psychoactive substance use, all thanks to a specialised workshop conducted by the Department of Nursing, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS).

Under the leadership of Dr Prasanthi Nattala, this training session marked a significant step towards enhancing community healthcare practices.

“Nurses are often the first point of contact for patients in healthcare settings. By equipping them with knowledge and skills to address substance abuse, they can play a crucial role in early identification and intervention, which is vital for effective treatment and prevention,” Dr Nattala tells South First.

Substance abuse — a significant public health issue

Dr Nattala says that substance abuse is a significant public health issue that can lead to a variety of physical and mental health problems. Training nurses in Namma Clinics, which serve as primary healthcare centres in local communities, ensures that these issues are addressed at the community level where they can have the most direct impact.

The workshop, on Wednesday, 22 November, centred around integrating substance use interventions with everyday health advice, aimed to bridge a crucial gap in health education.

Dr Nattala, emphasising the importance of this training, states, “We are now enabling nurses to identify and address substance use issues, which are often the hidden culprits behind various common health problems.”

A key focus of the workshop was on the health challenges faced by women related to substance use, especially tobacco chewing. “Our training specifically targets educating women about the risks associated with tobacco use, particularly during critical phases like pregnancy and breastfeeding,” explains Dr Nattala.

By training nurses in substance abuse intervention, the focus shifts from treating the consequences of substance abuse to preventing it. This aligns with the broader goal of promoting wellness and reducing the incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are often exacerbated by substance abuse.

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Innovative training and resources

Participants, who were mainly from Namma Clinics located in the south of Bengaluru, were provided with unique training materials, including:

Release of ‘Nitya Amulya’ by Dr KV Thrilok Chandra, Dr Rajani Parthasarathy, Dr Pratima Murthy, and Dr Muralidharan K. (Supplied)
Nitya Amulya — a video-based learning resource for promoting a substance-free life in women, developed by Dr Sunitha Sreenivasan from the College of Nursing, under the guidance of Dr Nattala and Dr Girish N Rao (Professor of Epidemiology).
Integrated Intervention for Psychoactive Substance Use in General Healthcare Settings — a module in a flipbook format for guiding healthcare providers to provide substance use cessation interventions to individuals seeking care for various health problems. This was developed by Dr Sugavanaselvi from the College of Nursing, under the guidance of Dr Pratima Murthy (Director), Dr Nattala, and Dr Arvind (Additional Professor of Epidemiology).

These resources were developed after comprehensive community research to ensure that they accurately address the local population’s needs.

By equipping nurses at Namma Clinics, which operate in various neighbourhoods across Bengaluru, the institute aims to disseminate critical health education directly to the grassroots level.

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Targeted counselling approach

“Nurses trained in substance abuse issues can provide targeted health education and counselling to patients. This is particularly important in addressing the needs of specific groups, such as pregnant women or the youth, who might be at higher risk of substance abuse and its harmful effects,” Dr Nattala says.

The workshop was a collaborative effort between the Departments of Nursing, Epidemiology, Mental Health Education, and the College of Nursing.

The workshop was appreciated by all the nurses as well as the Health Department Special Commissioner Dr KV Thrilok Chandra, Special Commissioner (Health), BBMP, Bengaluru; Dr Rajani Parthasarathy, Deputy Director, Mental Health; Dr Pratima Murthy, Director of NIMHANS; and Dr Muralidharan K, Medical Superintendent of NIMHANS.