Direct-Care Staff Perceptions of Patient Engagement and Treatment Planning in Detox

As the prevalence of substance use disorders and drug-related deaths continue to rise, addiction treatment facilities are charged with providing effective and efficient services to curb the national substance use crisis. Direct-care staff in treatment service facilities play a crucial role in whether or not evidence-based practices are incorporated. Without their understanding and utilization of patient engagement best practices, an organization risks maintaining the status quo rather than actively pursuing improved outcomes through empirically supported approaches. Through in-depth interviews (N=13) with nurses, counselors, and behavioral health technicians in an inpatient detoxification facility, this study evaluates the perspectives and experiences of direct-care staff through a lens of patient engagement in treatment planning. The findings from these interviews elucidate how participants' personal characteristics and values, perspectives of patient engagement, understanding of treatment planning, and organizational culture and operations facilitate or inhibit the integration of patient engagement for treatment planning in detox.

Automated summary

As the prevalence of substance use disorders and drug-related deaths rise, addiction treatment facilities are faced with the challenge of providing effective services to combat the national substance use crisis. Direct-care staff's understanding and utilization of patient engagement best practices are crucial to incorporating evidence-based practices and pursuing improved outcomes. Personal characteristics, values, organizational culture, and operations of direct-care staff in treatment facilities can either facilitate or inhibit the integration of patient engagement in treatment planning.