NR503 week 7-Discussion post

Opioid abuse/addiction is a serious public health challenge. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported nearly half a million Americans died from drug overdoses from 2000 to 2014 (CDC, 2015). The number of fatal overdoses rose from 22.6 per 100,000 people in 2013 to 27.3 per 100,000 in 2014. This phenomenon has been driven primarily by an epidemic of pharmaceutical opioid abuse such as oxycodone, methadone and fentanyl. it is not surprising considering the U.S. retail pharmacies dispensed 245 million prescriptions for opioid pain relievers (Volkow, & McLellan, 2016). The drug overdose epidemic is sweeping the nation and tearing communities and families apart. This emerging trend underscores the importance of continuing to provide support for substance use disorder treatment and recovery services. To really combat the opioid epidemic, we have to take into consideration the driving factors that influence the emergence of addiction: patient- availability of drug and excess prescribing by physicians. As stated, Keller et al. (2012), many physicians admit that they are not confident about how to prescribe opioids safely, how to detect abuse or emerging addiction, or even how to discuss these issues with their patients. As an Advanced Practice Nurse, I will care for patients who are at risk for opioid abuse or addiction. My plan to cure their addiction will encompass: education and awareness- counselling- referral to detoxification and residential treatment- medication assisted treatment. As Advanced Practice Nurse with prescribing authority, I will do my due diligence not to contribute to the rise of the opioid problem .....................................CONTINUED....................................