Obviously, nurses, and the work they do, plays a role in the treatment of substance use disorder of varying types, which is also called addiction. Addiction should be treated with the help of medical professionals, as substance use disorder is a serious and dangerous disease. Substance use disorder kills thousands of people every year in the US alone, whether that is through overdoses, accidents, or health issues caused by addiction, which includes lung cancer and liver failure amongst many other debilitating and deadly health problems. Nurses play a role in all aspects of medical care, and substance use disorder treatment is no different. Why then, do I want to talk about the role of nurses in treating addiction today? The answer is because just like dentists and anesthesiologists, the role of nurses in this field is expanding and changing. I want to specifically talk about how nurses help prevent substance use disorder illnesses, including opioid use disorder and alcoholism. As always, if you or a loved one has found this website because you may need the services of the best drug rehab in the Florida Panhandle region, there is a lot of information on this website about treatment options and our experts are ready for your call at any time.
I will do this using the help of a paper published by the World Health Organization. Parenting approaches and childhood experiences, including childhood trauma, are considered key factors in the development of substance use disorder later in life. Parents who are even mildly verbally abusive, even a small number of times, are likely contributing to a higher likelihood that their children suffer from substance use disorder at some point, which is a scary thought on a societal level. We know that childhood trauma, both mild and worse than mild, is common in our society, and we also know that substance use disorder has been on the rise for decades. These two facts are likely somehow related, by it is hard to measure the exact extent of the correlation. Nurses play a huge role in the care of young people. Including preventative medicine in children, such as vaccinations and routine physicals. The WHO wanted to study the connection, specifically linking nurses, and preventing childhood addiction.
Including the traumatic experiences that I have already touched on; the researchers point to six key areas where nurses play a role in childhood addiction prevention. They are “inappropriate parenting approach, Lack of knowledge and a tolerant attitude toward drug use, turning a blind eye on the threat of drug use, nurses’ poor experience of drug use prevention, and the lack of a clear definition of the nurse’s role in prevention of drug use.” I think the inclusion of inappropriate approaches to parenting is of particular importance. I write all the time on this website about the deep-seeded nature of bad information and misunderstandings about addiction and people who suffer from these disorders in our culture. The same bad ideas can get passed on to children and they can make a child more likely to suffer bad outcomes. The last two clearly point to the issue of education. If nurses had good education and experience related to preventing childhood addiction, it would get rid of 2 of the 6 items on that list, and it would make it easier and less uncomfortable for nurses to intervene when they encounter a child who is at risk for substance use disorder. It is also incredibly important to diligently train nurses and future nurses on the proper ways to intervene to help minors, as the rules and standards of care for minors, and how one relates to and deals with a young patient, can be completely different than caring for adults.
The study ultimately found that nurses who work with young people and their families “have a special opportunity for prevention, early detection and timely intervention for drug dependency.” As you can see, knowledge about how to do those things is of paramount importance. This is similar to what we saw with dentists. Dentists, like nurses, are on the front lines in the fight against substance use disorder, but people must be taught what to look for and how to properly act when those situations appear. If you have recently found yourself needing medical intervention for a substance use disorder, the best drug rehab in Florida has openings for new patients right now, and a counselor can be reached using the phone number on this website. Florida Springs, the best drug rehabilitation center in Florida or anywhere else, has treatment options for every individual and they have a perfect record when it comes to keeping patients and staff safe from the virus that causes Covid-19. Please do not hesitate to call.
By T.A. Cannon (Contact me at TACannonWriting@gmail.com)
References
MIRLASHARI, J.; JAHANBANI, J.; BEGJANI, J. Addiction, childhood experiences and nurse’s role in prevention: a qualitative study. Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit, [s. l.], v. 26, n. 2, p. 212–218, 2020. DOI 10.26719/2020.26.2.212. Disponível em: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mnh&AN=32141600&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Acesso em: 28 dez. 2020.
