What is competence? Its simplest definition is to do something both successfully and efficiently. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, competence involves quality and doing something well. Competence is important for substance abuse professionals because our success intimately hinges on whether or not our clients succeed. But how do you, a substance abuse pro, become and remain competent? Let’s consider seven steps that you can take to achieve maximum competence.
#1: Employ Your Knowledge and Skill
Your job is to use your repository of specialized knowledge in combination with your skills and proficiencies to competently provide services that fall within your scope of practice. This automatically means that you will be forever learning. The greater your repository of knowledge, the greater your skillset and the more competence you will develop.
Substance abuse professionals must invest in ongoing education. It is just as vital to your success as it is to your clients’.
#2: Striving to Connect
How long have you been in the substance abuse field? If you had to estimate how many different cultures your clientele have come from, what number would you guestimate?
According to Charles A. Heatwole of the Department of Geography at Hunter College, the Earth’s 6.3 billion people are almost all culturally different. Cultural regions are not limited to different countries or continents. Within our local community, diverse cultures exist in urban, suburban, and rural settings. Ethnic neighborhoods make up our city, and over time cultures expand and contract, some appearing while others disappear.
Becoming and remaining a competent substance abuse professional involves striving to connect with the people we assist. We accomplish this by learning about their culture and ethnic values, which grants us the opportunity to provide the highest level of care.
#3: Recognizing Boundaries
How we act directly reflects our level of competence. Think about the last time you saw your primary care physician for an annual exam. Portions of the exam were likely in areas you keep private, but you trust your PCP to conduct the exam because of their competence. If they overstep their boundaries by becoming too friendly, lapsing in professionalism, or making a jocular comment at the wrong moment, you will immediate question their competency.
Similarly, substance abuse professionals must clearly recognize their boundaries and work within them at all times. We operate under a clear list of dos and don’ts that if compromised could negatively affect our ability to remain competent.
In addition, it is our responsibility to ensure others within our field continually maintain proper boundaries. If we ever see unethical conduct or unprofessional practices, it is our duty to report those violations to the Board.
#4: Identifying Needs Beyond Our Scope of Practice
When was the last time your PCP referred you to a specialist? There are all kinds of specialists in the medical field. Acute skin problems land you in front of a dermatologist. Cardiovascular issues put you in the office of a cardiac or heart specialist. You are a substance abuse professional and you specialize.
Becoming and remaining competent as a substance abuse professional involves identifying needs that are beyond your scope of practice. For example, you might assess a client and see where a specific treatment or service could benefit them. If that treatment or service falls outside of your scope of practice, it is your duty to refer them, just as your PCP refers you to a specialist. We are not one-stop shops, and trying to act like one can quickly undermine our competence.
#5: Seeking Supervision
What if you are endeavoring to expand your scope of practice? What if you want to learn a new treatment? If you identify a need for a service that falls outside of your skills, training, or experience, the first course of action should be to refer your client to the appropriate professional. After all, the sooner they receive qualified help, the better. But that doesn’t mean you cannot expand your scope of practice.
You can seek supervision and training to provide new treatments or services. You might not be in a position to help the first person who needs something that is new to you, but you can use it as an opportunity to expand your horizons in the future. Supervision programs are the substance abuse professional’s ticket to expanding their scope of practice.
#6: Focus on Details
Reports and records are your best friends. It’s important to focus on the details, and your job demands orientation to detail. It is and shall remain your duty to complete reports and maintain record keeping functions in a manner that supports your client’s treatment experience and welfare. Your ability to do so will reflect—even grow—your competency.
#7: Avoid Impairment
There is no greater threat to competence than impairment. Maintaining professional boundaries is a major step in avoiding situations where your judgment could become impaired. But on a daily basis, it is the substance abuse professional’s task to recognize any negative impact impairment may have on their performance and seek assessment.
We are not perfect. We are just as susceptible to substances as our clients. If we drink socially, take a prescription medication, or are otherwise exposed to addictive substances, we must remain vigilant. A substance abuse problem can quickly impair our judgment, affect how we function, and ultimately put ourselves, our practice, and our clients at great risk.
The Journey to Greater Competence
Becoming and remaining a competence substance professional is a journey. We are tasked with continually learning, expanding our skill set, discovering new and diverse ways of assisting our clients, and safeguarding the professionalism of our practice. While our training might not be as in-depth as that of a physician, we uphold similar principles in the areas of competency.
These are just seven ways to achieve even greater levels of competence as a substance abuse professional. What have you done to increase your success and efficiency? Share your successes by leaving a comment below!