Spanish for addiction nurses — ED, detox, outpatient, and harm reduction settings

Spanish for addiction nurses: SBIRT, CAGE-AID, CIWA-Ar, MAT counseling, and naloxone education — phrase by phrase.

Substance use assessment in Spanish demands the same clinical precision as any other assessment — but two barriers compound: the language gap and the stigma gap. A patient who fears judgment will not disclose to a clinician who cannot communicate in their language without an interpreter. This page gives you the specific phrases for SBIRT universal screening, CAGE-AID questions, alcohol and opioid withdrawal assessment, naloxone education, and MAT counseling — in stigma-free language you can use without waiting for interpretation.

Stigma-free language principles for substance use assessment

Language choice in addiction nursing shapes whether a Spanish-speaking patient discloses, engages, or shuts down. These principles apply to every conversation below.

• Use consumo de sustancias (substance use) rather than vicio (vice/habit) or adicción (addiction) unless the patient uses those words first.
• Use síndrome de abstinencia (withdrawal syndrome) rather than síntomas del mono — a slang term that carries stigma in many communities.
• Use trastorno por uso de sustancias (substance use disorder) for documentation language; explain it as a medical condition, not a character flaw.
• No estoy juzgando — le hago estas preguntas a todos mis pacientes porque me importa su salud. — I'm not judging — I ask these questions of all my patients because I care about your health. Say this before every screening.
• Lo que me diga aquí es confidencial — a menos que haya un riesgo inmediato para su vida o la de otros. — What you tell me here is confidential — unless there is an immediate risk to your life or someone else's. State this before alcohol and drug questions.

SBIRT universal screening

SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment) recommends universal screening for all adult patients, not just those with known substance use history.

Single-question alcohol screen

• ¿Cuántas veces en el último año ha tomado cinco o más bebidas alcohólicas en un solo día — para los hombres — o cuatro o más bebidas — para las mujeres? — How many times in the past year have you had five or more alcoholic drinks on one day — for men — or four or more — for women?
• Any answer greater than zero is a positive screen. Follow with CAGE-AID or AUDIT-C.

Single-question drug screen

• ¿Cuántas veces en el último año ha usado una sustancia que no le recetaron — marihuana, cocaína, heroína, pastillas para el dolor que no son suyas, u otras — o ha usado un medicamento recetado en una dosis mayor de lo que le indicaron? — How many times in the past year have you used a substance that wasn't prescribed to you — marijuana, cocaine, heroin, someone else's pain pills, or others — or used a prescribed medication in a higher dose than prescribed?

Brief intervention after positive screen

• Gracias por ser honesto conmigo. Lo que me dijo me ayuda a darle la mejor atención posible. — Thank you for being honest with me. What you told me helps me give you the best possible care.
• En una escala del 1 al 10, ¿qué tan listo está usted para hacer un cambio en su consumo? — On a scale of 1 to 10, how ready are you to make a change in your use?
• ¿Qué tendría que pasar para que ese número fuera más alto? — What would have to happen for that number to be higher?
• Tengo información sobre recursos que pueden ayudar — ¿le gustaría que habláramos de eso? — I have information about resources that can help — would you like us to talk about that?

CAGE-AID questions in Spanish

CAGE-AID screens for alcohol and drug use disorders. Two or more "sí" answers is a positive screen. Introduce with the destigmatizing frame above.

• C (Cut down): ¿Alguna vez ha sentido que debería tomar menos alcohol o consumir menos drogas, y le ha costado trabajo hacerlo? — Have you ever felt you should drink less or use less, and found it hard to do?
• A (Annoyed): ¿Le ha molestado alguna vez que otras personas critiquen su manera de tomar o de consumir? — Have you ever been annoyed by others criticizing your drinking or drug use?
• G (Guilty): ¿Alguna vez se ha sentido mal o con culpa por su consumo de alcohol o drogas? — Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking or drug use?
• E (Eye-opener): ¿Alguna vez ha necesitado tomar o consumir algo por la mañana para calmar los nervios, quitarse la resaca, o simplemente para funcionar? — Have you ever needed a drink or drug in the morning to steady your nerves, cure a hangover, or just to function?

CIWA-Ar: alcohol withdrawal assessment

The Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol monitors ten domains. Never rely on a Spanish-speaking patient minimizing symptoms if you cannot verify their understanding of the questions.

• ¿Tiene náuseas, ganas de vomitar, o ha vomitado desde que llegó? — Do you have nausea, feel like vomiting, or have you vomited since you arrived? (Nausea/vomiting)
• Abra los brazos y estire los dedos hacia arriba — ¿nota que le tiembla la mano? — Open your arms and stretch your fingers upward — do you notice your hand trembling? (Tremor — observe as well as ask.)
• ¿Está sudando mucho aunque no haga calor? — Are you sweating a lot even though it's not hot? (Diaphoresis — observe.)
• ¿Se siente muy nervioso, ansioso, inquieto — más de lo normal? — Do you feel very nervous, anxious, restless — more than usual? (Anxiety)
• ¿Ha visto cosas, escuchado cosas, o sentido cosas en la piel que otros no pueden ver o escuchar — como si fueran reales? — Have you seen things, heard things, or felt things on your skin that others cannot see or hear — as if they were real? (Perceptual disturbances)
• ¿Tiene dolor de cabeza? — Do you have a headache? (Headache/fullness in head)
• ¿Sabe qué día es hoy? ¿Sabe dónde está? — Do you know what day it is? Do you know where you are? (Orientation — score 0 if both correct, 1 if one wrong, 2 if both wrong.)
• A score ≥10 requires provider notification for benzodiazepine dosing decision, regardless of communication language.

COWS: opioid withdrawal assessment

The Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale monitors eleven objective and subjective items. Key Spanish questions:

• ¿Cuándo fue la última vez que usó opioides — heroína, fentanilo, oxicodona, o cualquier pastilla para el dolor? — When was the last time you used opioids — heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, or any pain pill?
• ¿Está sintiendo dolor en músculos o huesos — como un dolor profundo que no va con ninguna lesión? — Are you feeling pain in muscles or bones — like a deep ache not from any injury? (Bone/joint aches)
• ¿Tiene diarrea, calambres en el estómago? — Do you have diarrhea, stomach cramps? (GI distress)
• ¿Tiene escalofríos — piel de gallina aunque esté en un cuarto caliente? — Do you have chills — goosebumps even though the room is warm? (Piloerection — observe.)
• ¿Está muy inquieto — que no puede quedarse quieto? — Are you very restless — unable to stay still? (Restlessness — observe.)
• Objective items (pupil size, rhinorrhea, lacrimation, diaphoresis, tremor, yawning) are observed. Do not ask the patient to self-report what you can see directly.

Naloxone (Narcan) education

Naloxone education should be offered to any patient using opioids, any patient being discharged with opioid prescriptions, and family members of patients with opioid use disorder. It is a harm-reduction intervention with zero contraindications in overdose.

• Este medicamento se llama naloxona — muchos lo conocen por el nombre Narcan. — This medication is called naloxone — many know it by the name Narcan.
• Es el antídoto para una sobredosis de opioides — heroína, fentanilo, oxicodona, hydrocodona, o cualquier pastilla para el dolor fuerte. — It is the antidote for an opioid overdose — heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, or any strong pain pill.
• Si alguien está muy difícil de despertar, está respirando muy despacio, o los labios se están poniendo morados o azules — use la naloxona inmediatamente y llame al 911. — If someone is very hard to wake up, is breathing very slowly, or their lips are turning purple or blue — use naloxone immediately and call 911.
• La naloxona no hace daño si la persona no tiene opioides en el cuerpo — no hay riesgo de dársela si no está seguro. — Naloxone does not cause harm if the person has no opioids in their body — there is no risk of giving it if you're not sure.
• Inserte el aplicador en una fosa nasal, apriete el émbolo. Si en dos o tres minutos no responde, use la segunda dosis en la otra fosa nasal. — Insert the applicator into one nostril, press the plunger. If they don't respond in two to three minutes, use the second dose in the other nostril.
• Llame al 911 aunque parezca que está mejor — el efecto de la naloxona dura menos que el efecto del opioide y puede necesitar otra dosis. — Call 911 even if they seem better — naloxone's effect lasts less than the opioid's and they may need another dose.

MAT counseling — buprenorphine (Suboxone)

• Este medicamento se llama buprenorfina — también lo conocen como Suboxone o Subutex. — This medication is called buprenorphine — also known as Suboxone or Subutex.
• No es cambiar una adicción por otra — es un tratamiento médico igual que la insulina para la diabetes. El cerebro de una persona con trastorno por uso de opioides necesita tiempo para recuperarse, y este medicamento le da ese tiempo. — It is not trading one addiction for another — it is medical treatment just like insulin for diabetes. The brain of someone with opioid use disorder needs time to recover, and this medication gives it that time.
• Se pone debajo de la lengua y se deja disolver completamente — no se traga ni se mastica. — It is placed under the tongue and left to dissolve completely — do not swallow or chew it.
• No puede tomar la primera dosis mientras todavía tiene opioides en el sistema — necesita estar en síndrome de abstinencia moderado primero, o puede causarle un síndrome de abstinencia agudo muy difícil. — You cannot take the first dose while opioids are still in your system — you need to be in moderate withdrawal first, or it can cause a severe acute withdrawal.
• Si toma alcohol o pastillas para los nervios — alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam — mientras toma buprenorfina, el riesgo de parar de respirar es muy alto. Eso es muy serio. — If you drink alcohol or take benzodiazepines — alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam — while taking buprenorphine, the risk of stopping breathing is very high. That is very serious.
• El tratamiento puede durar meses o años — no hay un tiempo "correcto". Lo que importa es que funcione para usted. — Treatment can last months or years — there is no "right" time. What matters is that it works for you.

MAT counseling — methadone

• La metadona es otro medicamento para el trastorno por uso de opioides. A diferencia de la buprenorfina, tiene que venir a la clínica cada día para tomarlo — al menos al principio. — Methadone is another medication for opioid use disorder. Unlike buprenorphine, you must come to the clinic each day to take it — at least at first.
• No puede mezclar metadona con alcohol ni con benzodiacepinas — el riesgo de sobredosis es muy alto. — You cannot mix methadone with alcohol or benzodiazepines — the risk of overdose is very high.
• Con el tiempo y la asistencia regular, le pueden dar dosis para llevar a casa. — Over time and with regular attendance, you may be given take-home doses.

FAQs — Spanish for addiction nurses

ClinicaLingo is a language-training product, not medical interpretation. Substance use assessment, withdrawal monitoring, and MAT counseling with Spanish-speaking patients should be conducted with a qualified interpreter for consent conversations, CIWA/COWS scoring in clinically ambiguous cases, and all medication-safety education. Always follow your facility's language-access policies.