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 the Young People NA meeting at the McShinn Foundation. There were
about 30 men and women ranging in socioeconomic status that attended the meeting.
When I first walked into the meeting I felt kind of out of place. I was nervous about how I
would be accepted by those there. The leader used a democratic leadership style. The
members of the group made me feel very welcomed. When one of the members walked
in he immediately noticed that we were new to the group and reached out to me and
said “Welcome, thank you for being here.” Prior to going I would have liked to know who
the leader of the group was going to be and I would have liked to know what room the
group was going to be in.

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.)
Instillation of hope: After several members spoke about their struggles that day
for staying sober, another member spoke up about his personal experience of running
from his feelings. By running from his feelings he was able to manipulate people to see
him as who he wanted himself to be and not what he was feeling. He spoke of how his
first drug used in his addiction was attention. He shared his journey of recovery and that
fixing the drug problem doesn’t always fix the person you are, that you have to work on
both. He said that we all screw up but will you come back to meetings when you do? Will
you be able to admit your wrongs? Will you be able to be humble enough to stay? This
young man instilled hope in another addict who had been struggling, which was evident
by his emotional response and him stating, “I really needed that man!”
Universality: One of the members spoke about how important coming to
meetings was for them and how thankful they were to be a part of a fellowship with
others going through the same thing.

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.)
Step 1: “We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had come
unmanageable”
Nursing Diagnosis: Ineffective denial related to weak, underdeveloped ego
1. Provide information to correct misconceptions about substance abuse to help
the patient focus on his or her own behaviors as an illness that requires help.
2. Identify recent maladaptive behaviors or situations that have occurred in
patient’s life, and discuss how use of substances may have been a contributing
factor.
3. Use confrontation with caring. Do not allow client to fantasize about his or her
lifestyle.
 Outcome: Patient will demonstrate acceptance of responsibility for own behavior and
acknowledge association between personal problems and use of substances.

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.)
Narcotics anonymous (NA) and alcoholic anonymous (AA) pograms are an
intrigal part to treatment systems for addicts in many countries throughout the word. Not
as much is known about the impact of NA due to it being a more recnet development.
With that being said, NA has grown from fewer than 200 groups in three countris in 1978
to more than 21,500 groups in 116 coungries in 2005.Unfortunately, NA is not as well
established as AA; therefore, less is known about its impact.
A research study done by Gossop, Stewart and Marsden aimed to investigate
the relationship between the frequency of attendance to NA and AA meetings and
substance use outcomes after treatment of drug dependence. They found that
abstinence from opiates was increased throughout the 5-year follow-up period compared
to pre-treatment levels. Those who attended NA/AA after treatment were more likely to
be abstinent from opiates at their follow-up appointments. In conclusion, the improved
alcohol outcomes of NA/AA attenders suggests that the effectiveness of existing
treatment services could be improvied by initiating increased involvement with such
groups.

Gossop, M., Stewart, D., & Marsden, J. (2008). Attendance at Narcotics Anonymous and
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings, Frequency of Attendance and Substance Use
Outcomes After Residential Treatment for Drug Dependence: A 5-year Follow-up
Study. Addiction, 103(1), 119-125. doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2007.02050.x

5. Did you enjoy this experience? Why or why not? (Minimum 1 paragraph)
Yes, very much. I found this to be a very humbling experience. I believe that everyone
should have to attend one of these meetings to better understand the challenges addicts
face on a day to day basis.