Background Information
The American Psychological Association’s DSM V (2013) defines substance use as disorders that result from recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs, causing clinically and functionally significant impairment such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school or home (SAMHSA, Substance Use Disorders, 2015). Substance abuse disorders have increasingly come to the forefront of the national conversation due to rising rates of opioid abuse and overdose in the United States. Following stricter monitoring of previously over-prescribed pain relievers, addicted populations have turned to heroin as a readily available and affordable alternative (CDC, 2016a; Perdue, Sherba, Gersper, & Martt,
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The goal of drug-free workplace initiatives is to reduce rates of alcohol and narcotic abuse among employees, to improve overall quality of life and to ensure a safe work environment for all individuals. This approach not only reduces workers’ personal risk of negative health outcomes, but also reduces company costs. Such initiatives began with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988, which specifies six components for a drug-free workplace program: clear written policy, minimum 2 hours of training for all employees, additional training for working parents, drug testing by a certified institution, access to an EAP (employee assistance program), and a continuing drug and alcohol abuse program (SAMSHA). Even with this guiding legislative framework, interventions can be interpreted and executed in various ways by different workplaces and can encompass a variety of internal, external, blended, management-sponsored, member assistance, or peer-based …show more content…
Individuals may include individuals currently using or abusing opioids, individuals who have recently abstained from opioid or heroin use (individuals recently released from jail or treatment facilities are susceptible to relapse, and accidental overdose), as well as individuals with health issues concurrently taking CNS depressants. As the victims of the current opioid crisis do not fit the “typical” profile of a substance abuser (many communities affected are suburban or rural and racially homogenous), many populations are not regarded as being at high-risk, and may not receive the necessary potentially life-saving support or health interventions. Project DAWN follows a unique framework by not only targeting emergency responders, but also drug users, their friends, and their families. Not only does the program provide training for intervention it also acts as a lasting touchstone for drug users, their support networks, and health professionals. It is also offered regularly (every Friday afternoon at the Portsmouth County Health Department) for individuals to access the training and receive the
On the typical day, over 90 people will die at the hand of opioid abuse in America alone (National). In fact, as of 2014, nearly 2 million Americans were dependent and abusing opioids. The Opioid Crisis has affected America and its citizens in various ways, including health policy, health care, and the life in populous areas. Due to the mass dependence and mortality, the crisis has become an issue that must be resolved in all aspects.
The documentary Heroin Cape Cod, USA focused on the widespread abuse of pain medication such as Vicodin, Percocet, and Oxycodone that has led the U.S. into the rise of an opiate addiction. Many of the users within the video explained that it doesn’t matter where you go, there is no stopping, and you can’t just get high once. Instead, those who do it want that high forever. I think that this is a very important concept that those who aren’t addicted to drugs need to understand, no matter how hard it is to. The documentary featured many addicts including Marissa who first popped pills when she was 14 years old, Daniel who stated he started by snorting pixie sticks, and Arianna who started smoking weed and drinking before age 12. Additionally, the documentary interviewed Ryan and Cassie. These addicts explained that in Cape Cod you either work and you’re normal, or you do drugs.
Prescription and pharmaceutical drug abuse is beginning to expand as a social issue within the United States because of the variety of drugs, their growing availability, and the social acceptance and peer pressure to uses them. Many in the workforce are suffering and failing at getting better due to the desperation driving their addiction.
The methadone program at Rosthern Hospital is a very active and intense program. Boast over 20 patients that are regular methadone users, the involvement of the physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and addiction counselors are key (Melle, 2016). Dr. Melle is the coordinator of the methadone program at Rosthern Hospital. His roles include, patient recruitment, patient care management, follow up care, and most importantly prescription and dosage of the methadone (Melle, 2016). Pharmacist’s role in methadone treatment is providing the methadone to the hospital, as well as in Warman pharmacy they monitor and dispense some methadone to some of the patients in the methadone program. Addiction counselors are an outside resource that the staff at Rosthern hospital can utilize. There are not social workers or counselors at Rosthern, but Dr. Melle and the nurses prefer if their patients are regularly seeing an addiction counselor while in the methadone program. Finally, the nurses role in the methadone program is early treatment and monitoring of patients during detox, the continued monitoring or patients when methadone doses change, dispensing methadone and monitoring our patients in the recovery program, and observation of patient’s success during the program. Together the interprofessional team has successfully treated dozens of patients, and the methadone program address the needs of both the patients and the addiction issues that are plaguing the surrounding communities (Melle,
Chasing Heroin is a two-hour documentary that investigates America’s heroin crisis. The documentary details the opioid epidemic and how police offers, social workers, and public defenders are working to save the lives of addicts. The documentary explores the origins and continuing causes behind the heroin epidemic such as; massive increases in opioid painkillers starting at the turn of the century, Mexican drug cartels who are now rooted in upper-middle-class neighborhoods, and the cheap price of heroin when compared to prescription pain killers. A program in Seattle called LEAD is explored. This program channels addicts into a system that points them toward help (rehab, temporary housing, counseling, methadone treatment) instead of prison
It has been said that addiction is the plague of the 21st century. In an age of unprecedented life expectancy and medical breakthroughs, people are dying from both disease and overdose that are self inflicted and the cure is currently out of reach. Implementing progressive ideas such as safe injection sites have been a battle, both for caring social workers and front line emergency workers looking to minimize the health risks associated with risk taking behaviors that inevitably occur with intravenous drug use. While the addicted population currently uses considerable government funding by way of shelter services as well as prison and jail time, safe injection sites are a necessary step in the battle against drug abuse as is a major prevention
This leads to the second school of thought on medically assisted treatment. There has been a great deal of debate about the medication used to treat Opiate addiction, methadone. Many feel that the drug methadone is simply trading one drug in for another, as the addiction to methadone is quick and almost more powerful than an opiate addiction (Nelson, 1994). The withdrawals effects are far more intense with methadone and for this reason it is a lifetime maintenance medication. Some suggest that more rehabilitative programs are needed that would address the social problems the users have to help them recover, instead of the methadone program that is viewed...
While employment screening in the healthcare sector is decidedly standard, the law does often not require drug and alcohol testing. Substance abuse is one of the leading causes of disciplinary action against a nursing license in the U.S. Random drug screenings are used to detect the use of unapproved or illegal drugs for the purpose of upholding patient safety (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2006). The American Nurses Association (ANA) estimates that six to eight percent of nurses use alcohol or drugs to a degree that would impair professional judgment (National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2011). Approximately one-third of the one percent of actively licensed nurses are disciplined each year for their substance misconduct (Kenward, 2008). Protecting patients from unsafe practices and personnel is the primary responsibility of each supervisory board of nursing. However, the fear of punishment from the board or termination keeps many nurses unwilling to come forward (Maher-Brisen 2007). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the viability of mandating random drug testing for nurses and other health professionals. The objective of this would be to address the rooted issues of substance abuse and decrease the risk of harm to patients under the healthcare provider’s care.
Substance abuse in the field of nursing has become a serious problem. Every day exposure to drugs in addition to other factors have contributed to the issue of substance abuse among nurses and the impact on patient care. Some may still be unaware of the substance abuse problem nurses struggle with, and they don't realize until they see the consequences on overall patient outcomes and work productivity. Learning to recognize the chemically impaired nurse has allowed the health care field to expand its awareness and begin to take action on this issue. “To ensure productivity, safety, and quality of care, most hospitals have instituted drug-free workplace programs...that identify prohibited behaviors and the consequences of violating the policy” (Epstein et al., 2010, p. 515). In hope of change to this issue, further action continues to be a work in progress.
Young adults with opioid addictions worry what their friends, family and even doctors will think of them and hesitate to seek professional help. The result is that teen addiction often remains unaddressed, and it inevitably worsens without treatment. As a society, there is a lack of education about addiction as a disease, so most people simply don’t know how recovery works. Recovery from addiction is long and painful, and the stigma around addiction only prevents people from getting the help they need, making it crucial for society to look past the stigma that people in recovery are always on the brink of relapse, a false perception that affects self-esteem and relationships.
Substance addiction is becoming an epidemic. While some people can quit using a substance without any help, most people need help to their recovery. Narcotics anonymous is an important support group for our society. There are many different narcotic anonymous programs to join that have meetings throughout the week. The members of the support group all share one thing in common, they suffer from different types of chemical dependency. Members help each other because they have the same problems and worries that everyone in the room has. Though they may be struggling with different stages in their life, for the most part, they all relate to what each is going through. Just as AA, NA focuses on the 12-step program. The members of
Drug test have been done in many sectors nowadays worldwide. It is being popular in the business sector where the employers do drug testing of the employees. Drug testing in the workplace is done to assist safety mainly. Some companies do drug testing in order to gain public trust. In many of the organization there is an policy, where a person have to take an pre-employment testing for the job. It helps to prevent hiring of individuals who uses illegal drugs. It also ensures, and informs both parties their rights, and responsibilities. Drug testing also ensures the employee to give a reasonable procedures in the workplace for reporting injury or illness. According to OHS Inc, national company with drug testing, drug
Before I start to discuss the various ways to get control of substance abuse I
The first policy I would like to address is the drug free workplace policy. San Juan School District drug free workplace policy states that any person on school grounds, using school vehicles, fieldtrips, athletic events, and any school sponsored event can’t possess, use, distribute, dispense, or be under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Any such person means teachers, parents, students, administrators, and others during any school sponsored event.
The Journal of Neuroscience Dobler-Mikola, A. Gschwed, P. Gutzwiller, F. Steffen, T. Rehm, J. Uch engagen, A. Feasibility, Safety, and Efficacy of Injectable Heroin Prescription for Refractory Opioid Addicts: a follow-up study. The Lancet, volume 358, pg. 1417-1420. Everitt, B. Robbins, T. (1999) Drug addiction: bad habits add up. Macmillian Magazines, volume 389, pg.