Alcohol & other drugs training
AOD courses
Courses in this section are offered at no cost due to funding provided by the Allan Government.
The area of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) is complex and rapidly changing. To assist nurses and midwives to continue to provide best-practice interventions, care and treatment, the Allan Government has again provided funding for the development and delivery of contemporary continuing professional development initiatives.
The ANMF (Vic Branch) and Turning Point, Eastern Health, have partnered to bring you a series of AOD workshops and masterclasses.
Alcohol and other drugs: webinar series for nurses and midwives
Turning Point is offering an interactive program on alcohol and other drugs (AOD). These sessions are run by a social worker with over 15 years experience working in clinical AOD settings. This training has been developed in partnership with the ANMF for nurses and midwives who want to learn more about how to work effectively with people with substance-use issues. This training is relevant for nurses and midwives across all clinical areas in non-AOD-specific settings or roles. Please note that this is only for nurses and midwives working in public services, as per funding requirements from the Department of Health.
This practical and theoretical program provides the latest evidence-based information on substance use, including effects and impacts, factors which influence risk, harm-reduction strategies, and ways to engage people in behaviour-change processes. Group discussions and activities will enhance learning and enable participants to share their knowledge. The aim is to increase your confidence and competence in working with people who have substance-use issues. Whether your role involves short or longer-term treatment, inpatient treatment (such as hospital wards or custodial settings) or outpatient services, nurses and midwives will often encounter AOD use as a presenting theme. For some people, having open conversations with nurses and midwives about AOD can give them the knowledge, hope and confidence they need to make changes and go on to live healthy and fulfilling lives.
Modules A & B – Alcohol and other drugs effects and harm reduction strategies
The first two modules explore the reasons why people use substances from a psychosocial perspective, as well as understanding the pharmacokinetics underpinning this. We discuss mechanisms of intoxication, overdose, tolerance, dependence, withdrawal and cravings. We also discuss principles of harm minimisation, including supporting people to make changes – whether their goal is to control their use, cut down, pause for a time, stop or stay off. In doing this we will discuss a range of substances, focusing on their effects and risks associated with use, as well as harm-reduction strategies, including pharmacotherapies.
On completion of these modules, participants will be able to:
- identify reasons why people use and different patterns of use
- discuss how dependence and other problems with substance use develop
- explain the physiological effects of substance use on the body
- describe withdrawal symptoms and management for different substances
- describe the principles of harm minimisation and the merits of this approach
- identify harm-reduction approaches for different substances and methods of using.
Modules C & D – Treatment matching and enhancing motivation for recovery
The next two modules cover the Stages of Change model for supporting people to make changes to their substance use. We discuss ways to engage people in harm-reduction conversations by matching interventions to the person’s readiness and intention to make changes. We explore motivational interviewing approaches, discuss overcoming barriers to change, and discuss the public AOD service sector and treatment options. Lastly, we explore pathways to recovery and reflect upon how we show empathy and compassion in our work.
On completion of these modules, participants will be able to:
- assess a person’s readiness to make changes based on the Stages of Change model
- adapt interventions to the needs and wants of the individual
- develop treatment plans to match a person’s circumstances
- develop skills to enhance motivation for change in people
- develop understanding of the AOD service system and treatment options
- identify the factors that support recovery.
Presenter: James McGregor, Senior Education & Training Officer, Turning Point.
The online training covers these modules over four half-day sessions, one per week. All sessions: 9.30am – 12.30pm
- 2026 WEBINAR SERIES: WEDNESDAY 16, 23, 30 SEPTEMBER & 7 OCTOBER
- 2026 WEBINAR SERIES: WEDNESDAY 21, 28 OCTOBER & 4, 11 NOVEMBER
- 2027 WEBINAR SERIES: MONDAY 1, 8, 15, 22 FEBRUARY
- 2027 WEBINAR SERIES: WEDNESDAY 7, 14, 21, 28 APRIL
Suitable for nurses and midwives working across all areas of the health sector.
Alcohol & other drugs: two-day workshop for nurses and midwives
Turning Point is offering an interactive program on alcohol and other drugs (AOD). These sessions are run by a social worker with over 15 years experience working in clinical AOD settings. This training has been developed in partnership with the ANMF for nurses and midwives who want to learn more about how to work effectively with people with substance-use issues.
This training is relevant for nurses and midwives across all clinical areas in non-AOD-specific settings or roles. Please note that this is only for nurses and midwives working in public services, as per funding requirements from the Department of Health.
This practical and theoretical program provides the latest evidence-based information on substance use, including effects and impacts, factors which influence risk, harm-reduction strategies, and ways to engage people in behaviour-change processes. Group discussions and activities will enhance learning and enable participants to share their knowledge. The aim is to increase your confidence and competence in working with people who have substance-use issues.
Whether your role involves short or longer-term treatment, inpatient treatment (such as hospital wards or custodial settings) or outpatient services, nurses and midwives will often encounter AOD-use issues as a presenting theme. For some people, having open conversations with nurses and midwives about AOD can give them the knowledge, hope and confidence they need to make changes and go on to live healthy and fulfilling lives.
Modules A & B – Alcohol and other drugs effects and harm reduction strategies
The first two modules explore the reasons why people use substances from a psychosocial perspective, as well as understanding the pharmacokinetics underpinning this. We discuss mechanisms of intoxication, overdose, tolerance, dependence, withdrawal and cravings. We also discuss principles of harm minimisation, including supporting people to make changes whether their goal is to control their use, cut down, pause for a time, stop or stay off. In doing this we will discuss a range of substances, focusing on their effects and risks associated with use, as well as harm-reduction strategies, including pharmacotherapies.
On completion of these modules, participants will be able to:
- identify reasons why people use and different patterns of use
- discuss how dependence and other problems with substance use develop
- explain the physiological effects of substance use on the body
- describe withdrawal symptoms and management for different substances
- describe the principles of harm minimisation and the merits of this approach
- identify harm reduction approaches for different substances and methods of using.
Modules C & D – Treatment matching and enhancing motivation for recovery
The next two modules cover the Stages of Change model for supporting people to make changes to their substance use. We discuss ways to engage people in harm reduction conversations by matching interventions to the person’s readiness and intention to make changes. We explore motivational interviewing approaches, discuss overcoming barriers to change, and discuss the public AOD service sector and treatment options. Lastly we explore pathways to recovery and reflect upon how we show empathy and compassion in our work.
On completion of these modules, participants will be able to:
- assess a person’s readiness to make changes based on the Stages of Change model
- adapt interventions to the needs and wants of the individual
- develop treatment plans to match a person’s circumstances
- develop skills to enhance motivation for change in people
- develop understanding of the AOD service system and treatment options
- identify the factors which support recovery.
The in-person training covers these modules over two consecutive full-day sessions.
CPD: 12 HOURS
- WORKSHOP 2026: TUE 8 & WED 9 SEPTEMBER 2026, 9.30am–4pm
- WORKSHOP 2026: TUE 24 & WED 25 NOVEMBER 2026, 9.30am–4pm
- WORKSHOP 2027: TUE 2 & WED 3 MARCH 2027, 9.30am–4pm
Delivered in-person at ANMF Education Centre, 535 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne
Presenter: James McGregor, Senior Education & Training Officer, Turning Point
Suitable for nurses and midwives working across all clinical areas.
Opiods: An Online Masterclass for Nurses and Midwives Working in the AOD Sector
CPD: 3 hours
Delivered online via Zoom
Tuesday 18 August 2026, 9.30am-12.30pm
Presenter: Rose McCrohan, Nurse Practitioner, Uniting Mother and Baby Withdrawal Unit
This interactive webinar has been developed to provide an in-depth focus on the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of opioid use. Information on the adverse effects of a range of pharmaceutical and illegal opioids will be presented as well as nursing and midwifery management and responses. Develop a better understanding of opioid addiction, intoxication and withdrawal. Treatment and nursing/midwifery interventions, including implementation and maintenance of pharmacotherapy, will be covered.
Participants will be provided with information to develop a better understanding of opioid addiction, intoxication and withdrawal. Treatment and nursing interventions including implementation and maintenance of pharmacotherapy will be covered. This webinar will also cover the management of acute pain in the opioid dependent person.
Suitable for nurses and midwives working in AOD services.
About Rose McCrohan:
Rose began working in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in 1992 at Pleasant View. Rose has continued to work in residential and non-residential withdrawal services at Eastern Health and Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) before moving to Uniting in 2005. Rose became Victoria’s first AOD Nurse Practitioner in 2009. Rose manages Curran Place, Uniting’s 16-bed (4 mother-baby beds) residential Adult and Mother Baby Withdrawal service. Rose is a co-convenor of Victoria’s AOD and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner collaborative.
Opioids and acute pain: Foundations of harm reduction in health care settings
CPD: 3 hours
Delivered online via Zoom
Wednesday 2 September 2026, 1pm-4pm
Presenter: Megan, Nurse Practitioner, Co-ordinator Addictions Consultation and Liaison Service, Alfred Health
This webinar provides nurses and midwives with a practical, evidence-based framework for caring for people who use opioids in acute care settings. The session covers an overview of opioids and opioid pharmacology, contemporary approaches to managing acute pain in the context of co-occurring substance use disorders, and the principles of harm reduction within hospital environments. Participants will build confidence in understanding analgesic options, balancing this with patient safety, minimising stigma, and responding to risk in a way that supports engagement, dignity and recovery-oriented care across emergency, inpatient and peri-operative settings.
Suitable for registered and enrolled nurses working in acute care.
About Megan:
Megan is an Addiction Psychiatry Nurse Practitioner who currently coordinates the Alfred Health Addictions Consultation and Liaison service, as well as working at Access Health in St Kilda to increase access to opioid agonist treatment in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne.
he has experience across both acute and community services in mental health and alcohol and other drug treatment, including within emergency departments, acute psychiatric inpatient units, consultation and liaison, homeless outreach and project management. In 2015, Megan was awarded Nurse of the Year for her work improving access to alcohol and other drug treatment for those presenting to emergency departments with substance use disorders.
Megan has a particular interest in improving access to acute care for patients with substance use disorders and developing systems which promote flexible models of care to meet the needs of individual patients. This includes building harm reduction into acute care as part of core business rather than relying on AOD services to provide these interventions.
Crystal clear care: Nursing responses to methamphetamine use
CPD: 3 hours
Delivered online via Zoom
Tuesday 1 December 2026, 9.30am-12.30pm
Presenter: Dr Vicky Phan, Addiction Psychiatrist, Director of Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry (Victoria)
This three-hour masterclass is for nurses and midwives working with people who use methamphetamines. In this masterclass participants will explore the impacts of methamphetamine use, clinical challenges associated with methamphetamine presentations and effective health response strategies to methamphetamine use.
About Dr Vicky Phan:
Vicky (she/her) is an Addiction Psychiatrist with strong interests in mental health comorbidity, harm minimisation, pharmacotherapy, training and education. She is Medical Lead at Hamilton Centre Eastern Health and undertakes further clinical practice at Turning Point Eastern Treatment Service. Vicky is the current Director of Advanced Training in Addiction Psychiatry in Victoria and Chair of the RANZCP Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry Victorian Subcommittee. Previously she has worked as a Course Coordinator and Lecturer in the Monash University Graduate Program of Addictive Behaviours and as a Senior Medical Officer at the North Richmond Community Health Medically Supervised Injecting Room.
Alcohol: an online master class for AOD nurses
CPD: 3 hours
Delivered online via Zoom
Wednesday 17 February 2027, 9.30am-12.30pm
Presenter: Rose McCrohan, Nurse Practitioner, Uniting Mother and Baby Withdrawal Unit
Over 80% of Australians consume alcohol each year and of these at least 20% will encounter or develop problems in relation to their alcohol use. For AOD nurses this comes as no surprise and regardless of the clinical setting in which they work providing care to patients with alcohol problems is an important focus.
This three-hour webinar has been developed to provide an in-depth focus on the cumulative impact of alcohol use by using a physiological systems base approach. Information provided will focus on alcohol related harms to the central nervous system and neurobiology, gastro intestinal, endocrine and cardio respiratory systems. Participants will be provided with information to develop a better understanding of alcohol effects, intoxication and withdrawal. Treatment and nursing/midwifery interventions including implementation and maintenance of pharmacotherapy will be covered.
Suitable for nurses and midwives working in in AOD services.
About Rose McCrohan:
Rose began working in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in 1992 at Pleasant View. Rose has continued to work in residential and non-residential withdrawal services at Eastern Health and Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) before moving to Uniting in 2005. Rose became Victoria’s first AOD Nurse Practitioner in 2009. Rose manages Curran Place, Uniting’s 16-bed (4 mother-baby beds) residential Adult and Mother Baby Withdrawal service. Rose is a co-convenor of Victoria’s AOD and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner collaborative.
Benzodiazepines: Online Master Class AOD Nurses
CPD: 3 hours
Delivered online via Zoom
Wednesday 17 March 2027, 9.30am-12.30pm
Presenter: Rose McCrohan, Nurse Practitioner, Uniting Mother and Baby Withdrawal Unit
This webinar provides an in-depth focus on the pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of benzodiazepine, cannabis and GHB use. Information on the adverse effects of these psychoactive drugs will be presented as well as nursing management and responses. Participants will be provided with information to develop a better understanding of benzodiazepine, cannabis and GHB addiction, intoxication and withdrawal. Treatment and nursing/midwifery interventions including pharmacotherapy will be presented.
Participants will be provided with information to develop a better understanding of benzodiazepine, cannabis and GHB addiction, intoxication and withdrawal. Treatment and nursing interventions including pharmacotherapy will be presented.
Suitable for nurses and midwives working in in AOD services.
About Rose McCrohan:
Rose began working in alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in 1992 at Pleasant View. Rose has continued to work in residential and non-residential withdrawal services at Eastern Health and Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS) before moving to Uniting in 2005. Rose became Victoria’s first AOD Nurse Practitioner in 2009. Rose manages Curran Place, Uniting’s 16-bed (4 mother-baby beds) residential Adult and Mother Baby Withdrawal service. Rose is a co-convenor of Victoria’s AOD and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner collaborative.