2023 Consult the Internet or telephone directory for a listing of the self help group

· Consult the Internet or telephone directory for a listing of the self-help group (AA/CA/NA or Al-Anon/Alateen) meeting places.

· Do not select a meeting place that you, your family or your relatives are currently attending or have recently attended. 

· Contact the AA/CA/NA meeting place conveniently located for you.

· Call and ask for the AA/CA/NA schedule of the meetings.

· Explain that you are a nursing student and ask permission to attend a meeting.

· Contact the Al-Anon/Alateen meeting place conveniently located for you.

· Explain that you are a nursing student and ask permission to attend a meeting.

· Read Boyd, 2018, p. 560 before attending the AA/CA/NA meeting.

· Attend the one meeting (AA/CA/NA or Al-Anon/Alateen) outside of regularly scheduled class and clinical times before or by the third week of clinical. See your assignment due date sheet on when to submit your paper to faculty. At your fourth week of clinical, you will report your experience in post clinical conference.

· You are not expected to speak during the meeting. You are there to observe.

*Websites

http://www.aahouston.org/

http://www.houstonalanon.org/meetings.html

You will be able to obtain the local chapter locations and/or contact person from the support group web page.

  

Guidelines in Writing the Paper:

1.         The paper will be three pages in APA format, not including the cover page, the APA title page, and  

the reference page. See page 54 for the cover page format.  

2.         The paper will contain an introduction, body, and conclusion.

3. The introduction explicitly identifies the concept “self-help group” and the purpose(s) of the paper.

4. The body will include:

· The date, time, location of the meeting

· A description of the atmosphere of the meeting place (approximate number of people, environment, attitude of different people, etc.)

· Explain the step(s) that was (were) discussed in the AA/CA/NA meeting. If the step(s) were not discussed, then explain what was discussed. OR Explain what was discussed in the Al-Anon/Alateen meeting. Provide examples.

· A description of some of the interpersonal relationships you observed

· How you think a “newcomer” with a substance-related problem or mental illness disorder may feel attending the meeting for the first time.

· How you felt as an individual attending the meeting 

· A description of how AA/CA/NA or Al-Anon/Alateen is a therapeutic intervention for persons living with a substance-related or mental illness disorder.

5. The conclusion is based on your experience of observing the (AA/CA/NA or Al-Anon/Alateen) meeting. In addition, describe the significance to mental health nursing/nurses of the information presented in the paper.

6. Please take the utmost care in writing this paper to ensure that you do not reveal 

anyone’s identity. Confidentiality!