AA /NA Observation Reflection Assignment Template

1. Describe what type of AA/NA meeting you attended: group size, composition of the
group members. How did you feel when you entered into the meeting? What leadership
style did you identify in the group leader? How did the members of the group make you
feel? What additional information do you wish you had prior to attending the
meeting? (Minimum 1 paragraph.)

I attended a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. The meeting consisted entirely of women; it

was closed to men. There were about 25 people in all including the leader. The
leadership style consisted of guiding the group at first with the group statement and the
reading of the rules. She passed around laminated papers and had group members
volunteer to read. Then she opened the group up to open discussion and story telling.
This seemed to me to be a guided democratic leadership. She grounded the group by
letting them decide how to steer the group. At first the members stared at me a lot, and it
made me uncomfortable. But as the meeting progressed, and I heard their stories mostly
consisting of physical trauma and accidents such as burns and car accidents that led to
the over use and abuse of narcotics, I started to feel that these women had an incredible
resilience and strength. Addition information I wish I had prior to the start of the meeting
is how it would be run. A lot of the common prayers and saying the members knew by
heart and recited together and I felt out of the loop and the odd one out.

2. Identify 2 Yalom's Curative factors utilized in the group meeting. How did the Yalom's
Curative factors influence the group meeting? Explain how the Yalom's Curative factors
may influence your care delivery in the future (Minimum 2 paragraphs.)

Two of Yalom’s Curative factors I witnessed during the NA meeting were the instillation of
hope and universality which is defined as “helping group members realize that they are
not alone in their impulses, problems, and other issues.” These factors influenced the
meeting by providing a safe space for members to share. A common theme was hope.
Some members where celebrating milestones in their recovery journey and this served as
a positive reminder to others that recovery is possible.

In addition, I felt like other members were able to share as much as they did because they
felt safe and that there were others just like them that had addiction struggles. It was
unsaid but I felt like they knew they were not alone and not outcasts. Several of their
stories were similar in that they experienced a physical trauma that needed narcotic
painkillers and they became dependent on and addicted to them. These Curative factors
will influence my nursing care in the future by utilizing the social and mental aspects of
these patients whether or not they are mental health patients. Being actively treated for
any medical issue can leave patients feeling isolated and it is important for them to
realize that they have others just like them and they are not alone.

3. Description Step 1 in the Alcoholic Anonymous/Narcotic Anonymous. Identify a NANDA

that can be used in your plan of care which correlates with step 1. List 3 interventions
 that can be implemented in your plan of care related to the NANDA. (Minimum 1
paragraph.)

The first step in NA is “We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction; that our lives
had become unmanageable.” A NANDA nursing diagnosis that correlates with step 1 is
Powerlessness related to addiction as evidenced by the expression of having no control or
influence over their situation. Three interventions that we as nurses can use is assessing the
patient’s power needs or need for control, assess for feelings of hopelessness, depression, and
apathy, and identify the patient’s locus of control.

4. Compare and contrast the utilization of the AA/NA program related to patient outcomes
with an evidence-based nursing journal article from the Nursing Reference Center
(NRC). (Minimum 2 paragraphs.)

According to Cinahl Information System, which looks at the cost of substance aduse,
narcotic abuse can lead to costly secondary diagnoses such as depression, HIV, and
skin infections to name a few. This article speaks about the use of drug therapy such as
methadone and NA to treat those with substance abuse. In addition, people suffering
from substance abuse and receiving treatment such as NA can lessen their financial
health burden down the road.

This article was difficult to locate in the Nursing Resource Center but it is relevant to the
idea behind NA. There are successes behind AA and similar principles and steps have
been applied to NA. Patients should continue to use this resource in the course of their
life-long treatment and battle against substance abuse, specifically narcotics. As health
care is a hot topic in the US, the NA program will be a valuable resources for years to
come.

5. Did you enjoy this experience? Why or why not? (Minimum 1 paragraph)

I did enjoy this experience, although at first I felt uncomfortable and out of the loop. I
definitely admired the resilience and strength of these women and the struggles they
face for even just one day at a time. They also discussed issues other than their
addictions such as their social interactions with other people, how the world views them,
and the struggles they faced with family, friends, and the workplace. I definitely have a
greater respect and empathy for these patients and I will be more mindful of their care in
the future.

References:
Schub, T., BS, & Schub, E., RN, BSN. (2014). Substance Use Disorders: Health Care
Costs. Cinahl Information Systems. Retrieved September 30, 2017.