Alcoholics Anonymous
Clinical Observation Assignment
Students will attend one Alcoholics Anonymous meeting (open to the public).
OBJECTIVES:
1. Observe the role of AA meetings in a person’s recovery from alcoholism.
2. Compare and contrast societal views toward substance-related disorders versus the view of healthcare professionals.
· Review the following website explaining the 12 Steps of the AA Program:
http://www.the-alcoholism-guide.org/alcoholic-anonymous-12-steps.html
This assignment has two parts. Part A and Part B, the AA assignment should be completed in 4hrs which will be counted toward clinical hours
Part A
Reflective Journaling Assignment
What is Journaling
Journaling is a tool to assist you to develop appropriate clinical judgments by reflecting on your clinical practice, own behaviors, thoughts and feelings. You will be required to submit three journal entries using one of the statements noted below. You may only use a statement once during the course. The required journal entries are intended to be a guided resource to help you learn from your clinical experiences. It will only be as useful as you make it for yourself. Complete the journal entry and submit to your clinical faculty within 48 hours of your clinical experience. It is very important to complete the journal as soon as possible after the clinical experience is completed for the week. Submit the entry each week via email to your clinical faculty. Given thought and honest self-evaluation, your journal will help guide you in your learning. Each journal entry should be at least four paragraphs, typed, double-spaced, with correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Ideas should be organized and clearly communicated.
Assignment
In preparation for the AA clinical observation assignment, The student must watch the following movie:
· “My Name is Bill W.”
o This movie chronicles the life of Bill Wilson, who along with Dr. Robert Smith, founded Alcoholics Anonymous. The movie provides a realistic portrayal of alcoholism and how it was viewed by society in the 1920’s and 1930’s.
After watching the movie, the student must complete a journal assignment and use question below to complete the assignment
1. The first two paragraphs should give a DETAILEDSUMMARY of the movie, which should include the different characters and their roles.
2.This a “thinking out loud” process that deals with reasons, motives, and interpretation of your experience. Emotional responses are very telling so it is important to analyze how the situation made you feel. Some questions to think about when answering the analysis section are:
•What were you thinking during the Movie?
•After seeing the movie “My Name is Bill W.”, how do you think the societal view of
alcoholism has changed in the past 80 years (if at all)??
•In what way has this experience challenged your assumptions, prejudices, or biases?
3.In the third paragraph you need to reflect on your analysis and self-assessment. You want to determine the WHY. You might want to begin with “In retrospect I realize or When looking back I recognize that” Consider answering the following in this paragraph:
•How did this movie impact you?
•This has taught me…
4.Finally you want to improve your nursing practice. Look to the future and determine how you can use what you learnt and incorporate it into your personal life or nursing practice. Utilize these questions when developing this paragraph:
•How will you use the knowledge gained in the future?
•When a circumstance like this occurs again I will…?
•How will this experience alter your future behavior, attitudes, or career?
Part 2
Attestation of Attendance:
The Student Must Complete AA Clinical Observation Hours at a local AA meeting. The student must submit completed attestation below and AA report. DUE Week 6
1.Student’s name:
2. Name of Meeting
3. Date and time of meeting
4. Name of meeting Representative
To be completed by AA Meeting Representative/Supervisor:
Supervisor’s Name (Please print
Signature of supervisor____________________________
Date: ________________________________
Contact information (telephone or email
The AA Report
Answer the questions below to complete report
1. Discuss the concept of AA and how or why it helps people with addictions). Please cite at least one reference
2. Discuss your awareness of the physical, emotional, and spiritual issues you observed during the meeting (e.g., describe the meeting location, how you felt about attending, how you think other people felt about attending, etc.)
3. What impressions, assumptions, attitudes and/or systemic problems have you observed 4. How did this encounter affect you? This issue really made me think differently about people asking for help needing to have a meeting to express you’re feeling vs dealing with emotion and issues on your own.
5. How did you and/or others demonstrate compassion, and a healing presence? Others in the meeting and myself will congratulate others in their sobriety and contribute to serenity prayer, so compassion when expressing their troubles and emotions. Include any other learning from this experience.
