Abuse of prescribed drugs
In the United States, the most abuse prescription drugs are opioids, stimulants and central nervous system depressants. Due to the increase of case of pain management prescription, it has fuelled the opioid epidemic. To help in combating the epidemic from prescription drugs that are abused American Nurses Association has generated resources highlighting the best guidelines to control unproductive pain management that has brought opioid epidemic. When the nurse is provided with detailed instructions and are trained on how to report a person under prescription drug abuse can lead to earlier detection, and appropriate treatment is given. Also, the nurse can abuse a prescription drug like any other health professional. With the guidelines, it helps to notice them and provide necessary help so that not to endanger patient safety. When guidelines are not documented nurse can cover up their teammates.
Nurses spend a lot of time with patients, therefore, can conduct the assessment for patients who has histories of using opioids and link them to resources that free lives of addict. Although there is challenges nurse are encountering during caring of patients with prescription drug-related addiction, they have the chance to change the stigma concerning addiction. Nurses involvement in check-up of patients can impact positive outcomes when the persons with addiction are looking for treatment and resources. Giving nurses’ moments to create rapport it enhancing the nurse-patient relationship and give a safe forum for patients to share about drug usage. After gathering information and analysing it, nurses can create awareness by sharing the truth about prescription drug abuse epidemic recommending changes and interacting closely with individuals affected by this epidemic.
Common misnomers that are mostly associated with the drug are the preconceived opinion that can negatively affect person struggling with addiction. Example of misnomers are once addicted, always addicted, mostly addiction is for men and addicted individual lack willpower.