As is widely known, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) exists to provide support for those struggling with alcoholism, and support generated by how other alcoholics share their experiences in a safe setting. The meetings may be found in cities and towns throughout the nation, they may exist as impromptu gatherings when several alcoholics require interaction, they offer opportunities for sponsorship when a member seeks guidance, and all of this occurs in an arena in which protecting personal identity is paramount, due to the stigma and risks common when an individual is publicly identified as alcoholic. The meeting I attended was in a church, but meetings in every region and city take place in any setting members may employ, from private homes to businesses providing spaces after working hours. Then, and while AA is centered on its twelve-step program, it nonetheless upholds personal autonomy, and judgment of others is absent; no matter the circumstances, only the individual may determine him or herself as alcoholic. All of this was evident to me as I attended a meeting and engaged in conversation with members before and afterward, just as I learned how various professional and social services are referred to, and suggested for, those seen as perhaps in need of them. Moreover, the atmosphere was welcoming and positive, and I had the impression that this environment as free from pressure is a vital component in the organization.

For the nurse, it is important to comprehend AA, not only as a program for alcoholics, but as community-driven. More so than ever before, nursing associations stress the critical role of the nurse in the community setting; the agenda is to recognize how, in addressing health concerns in these arenas, the individual is served because interventions impact on the surrounding population (Lundy, Janes, 2014, p. 34). My AA experience greatly affirmed this, and interesting ways. On one level, I recognized that the nurse’s role in any community initiative must acknowledge and respect how that effort exists as defined by those creating it. AA is very much about care and protection for alcoholics, and its emphasis on anonymity directly impacts on the community relationship. More exactly, and as improved health and well-being are the chief concerns of the nurse, involvement with AA translates to the need to appreciate how the individual’s role in their community cannot be compromised, and because alcoholism, like so many other afflictions and addictions, is inherently complex. Physical, emotional, communal, and psychological elements all come into play as the alcoholic works to achieve ongoing sobriety, and the nurse must comprehend the entirety of this reality if they are to positively impact on this particular community process.

In any community effort, the role of the nurse must be based on how that effort exists and, when AA is the subject, a number of imperatives demand attention. To begin with, the nurse’s thinking regarding the disease is critical, and: “Only a few studies have investigated the relationship between health professionals’ personal alcohol attitudes…and their professional alcohol-related health promotion practices” (Bakhshi, While, 2013, p. 245). This promotes the individual nurse’s need to understand their own perceptions and be as informed as possible, before seeking to intervene or assist. Given the fundamental ideology of AA, in fact, it seems most beneficial for the nurse involved in a group to be present as both professional and as community member; more exactly, they should make it known that they may be of service as a nurse, but never assume an authoritative or intrusive identity as such. AA is largely, if not completely, in place to enable and encourage alcoholics to achieve sobriety themselves, as no external force may “cure” or cease the substance abuse. This being the case, then, and as with other services, what the nurse may do is be passively present, and known as available for those who feel the need of a nurse’s expertise. Terminology alone is a challenge, also, if the nurse is to intervene in any meaningful way. Alcoholics identify themselves as such at AA meetings; it is, in fact, the standard introduction made before a member or guest speaks. However, when the term is used by an external party, the stigma is emphasized (Smith, 2012, p. 70). AA certainly understands the “shame” component, and the nurse is obligated to exercise consideration in all contact with AA members.

In essence, my experience with an AA meeting was informative in a variety of ways. I did know the challenges alcoholics face in pursuing recovery but, and as many members learn, these challenges become more appreciated when the individual struggles of others are shared. Moreover, and from a nurse’s point of view, I perceived the importance of health care professionals in such a setting, if only because some alcoholics place themselves in physical danger through attempts to binge drinking. Some people, I observed, come to the meetings while not yet sober, and the nurse is then empowered to educate and help them before they undergo withdrawal. Beyond this, I cannot overstate how critical it is that the nurse within the AA environment act as a passive, but known, presence. The organization’s foundation is to “be there” for others in distress and the nurse, professional identity notwithstanding, cannot be of service if they too overtly intervene. Lastly, my impression is that AA is an ideal forum in which the nurse motivated to impact positively on the community may do so in respectful ways, through awareness and a considerate presence as being available to those most vulnerable, and desiring a nurse’s interest and abilities.