Welcome to IntNSA

The International Nurses Society on Addictions (IntNSA) is a professional specialty organization founded in 1975 for nurses committed to the prevention, intervention, treatment, and management of addictive disorders including alcohol and other drug dependencies, nicotine dependencies, eating disorders, dual and multiple diagnosis, and process addictions such as gambling.

Active membership is open to all registered professional nurses. Graduate or under-graduate student nurses are encouraged to join and vote but cannot hold an office.

For more information about joining IntNSA, please click here.


2009 Annual Educational Conference — "Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment: Working with the Criminal Justice Systems"

Register for the Conference! Details are now online - click here for full conference information!

Download the registration form, return it to the IntNSA Executive Office, and be registered early for great educational opportunities and exciting events!

Invitation to Exhibit

Want to present a product, service, or idea to Annual Educational Conference attendees? Download the IntNSA Invitation to Exhibit! Inside you'll find all the information necessary to reserve your exhibit at the conference. Space is limited, so act fast!

Call for Awards

The International Nurses Society on Addictions is soliciting nominations for its awards, which will be presented at the yearly conference. Please consider nominating colleagues for these awards. Download and complete the nomination form and return it to the IntNSA headquarters by August 1, 2009.  IntNSA appreciates your input.

Call for Sponsors

Show your support for IntNSA while receiving some great benefits by sponsoring the 2009 Annual Educational Conference!

Lois Widley Student Scholarship

Each year IntNSA awards up to four Lois Widley Scholarships to nursing students. This award covers the cost of registration for the Annual Educational Conference. For eligibility requirements and to apply online, click here. You may also download a printable application.

Cathy Buffington Memorial Scholarship

The Cathy Buffington Memorial Scholarship is awarded to one IntNSA member who is currently employed as an Addictions Nurse and is not eligible for the Lois Widley Scholarship. The Buffington Scholarship winner is a nurse who would be otherwise unable to attend the IntNSA Conference. For eligibility requirements and to apply online, click here. You may also download a printable application.


IntNSA Board of Directors and Officer Nominations Are Now Open

Deadline for Nominations is July 1, 2009

Open positions include (terms are two years):

• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Board of Directors positions (2)
• Nominating Committee (2)

Candidates for IntNSA board and officer positions are required to be present at the 2009 Conference in Albuquerque.

Please submit the name, completed bio form, and a candidate statement of no more than 300 words describing the nominee’s:
• Professional background
• Involvement in IntNSA
• Experience and strengths related to the position

Newly elected board members will be expected to attend the board meeting in Albuquerque on Wednesday, September 30, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. which will include an orientation to your role.  More importantly, you must also attend the meeting on Sunday, October 4, 2009 ending at 12 noon. Please make travel plans accordingly.

The biographical data and consent to serve form can be downloaded here.

National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month letter from SAMHSA and CSAT

Read a letter from SAMHSA and CSAT about National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month!

CSAT Buprenorphine GuideThe Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is releasing a 98-page Technical Assistance Publication (TAP #30) titled "Buprenorphine: A Guide for Nurses).  The Guide is intended to provide nurses with current information about the use of buprenorphine products (Suboxone(r) and Subutex(r)) for the treatment of opioid addiction, including assessment, induction, stabilization, maintenance, medication monitoring, addiction counseling and relapse prevention.  The Guide was prepared for SAMHSA by Katherine Fornili, MPH, RN, CARN (Assistant Professor, Department of Family and Community Health) and Sara Azimi-Bolourian, MSN, MHA, MBA.  Sara received her MSN in Community/Public Health Nursing from the UM-SON in 2001, and is a Lieutenant with the U.S. Public Health Service working at CSAT's Division of Pharmacologic Therapies in Rockville, MD.  The "Buprenorphine: A Guide for Nurses" document is available online at http://buprenorphine.samhsa.gov.

To read the letter from CSAT director H. Westley Clark, click here.


FAN Announces Grant

The IntNSA Grant for the Advancement of the Science of Addictions Nursing will be awarded to "stimulate research that has direct or indirect impact on addictions nursing." To download the complete information packet, click here.