When Adam McInnis was first studying to become a nurse, he was also grappling with the challenges of addiction and substance use. After losing his father to head and neck cancer at the age of 16, McInnis says he coped with the grief through alcohol use and suffered some severe outcomes including hospitalizations and a brief period where he lost access to housing.
He knew then he needed to choose a different path.
“I’ve been in recovery for over eight years now and I feel lucky to have made that decision,” he says. “My challenges and experiences have shaped who I am and where I am today.”
This fall, McInnis graduates from the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing with a Master of Nursing, Nurse Practitioner degree. He has made it his goal to integrate his lived experience with mental health and addiction challenges into his clinical expertise and interactions with patients as an NP, providing a unique perspective and a message of hope.
“If anyone is experiencing a struggle with substance use, I always want to assert that there is hope for recovery, and recovery is achievable, folks can go on to do some wonderful things,” says McInnis.
“NPs are the cornerstones of addiction medicine”
His time in the MN-NP program was tough – he continued working full-time as a nurse throughout his studies – but ultimately, he found it to be a rewarding experience, made memorable because of the support from faculty members, his NP peers, and mentors he found along the way.
“I think Bloomberg Nursing’s MN-NP program provides a foundation for NPs to be leaders in the care they provide to patients, and that is something I hope to continue in my work. I see NPs as the cornerstones of addiction medicine because they lead with empathy and advocacy, challenging stigma and transforming how care is delivered for people living with substance use disorders,” says McInnis.
Advocating for change in addiction medicine
As a new NP, McInnis is eager build on his previous experience working to reduce stigma associated with substance use, and to create an environment for more trauma informed and culturally sensitive care.
He often speaks to other nurses about the factors involved in addiction and substance use, including how a person’s trauma, social determinants of health, and genetics can all play a part. He has previously worked with organizations like Ontario Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Centre of Excellence to advise on best practice guidelines in addiction medicine, bringing his story and clinical expertise to the table. He continues creating best practice guidelines through his work with META:PHI as the Nurse Advisor.
“When I first sought help for my addiction, I was restricted by the barriers in place to access that care, from lengthy assessment forms to a lack of trauma informed care, and long wait times for counseling services,” says McInnis. “It is why I continue to advocate for policy changes that create enhanced access to care for people who seek recovery, because that ‘moment of change’ can be fleeting.”
McInnis recently presented at the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine on new medication protocols for long-acting buprenorphine injections, a medication used to manage addiction and cravings along with best practices in community alcohol withdrawal. Rapid access to addiction medication (RAAM) is an area of addiction medicine he hopes to see advanced further with NPs and their expertise at the helm.
“I take great pride in the work that I do, and the ways in which I can help people,” says McInnis. “I look forward to my future as a nurse practitioner.”