Introduction
Opioid use disorder is characterized by problematic patterns of opioid use, which leads to significant health impairment and distress. Such prescribed medications as morphine that are prescribed to relieve chronic pain in patients can be used nonmedically. Cicero and Ellis (2017) report that “25 million people initiated nonmedical use of pain relievers between 2002 and 2011, and by 2014, 10.3 million Americans were reporting the nonmedical use of prescription opioids” (p. 260). The widespread prescription of opioids as pain relievers and nonmedical use of this type of medication led to the development of the opioid epidemic in the USA. Many people develop opioid use disorder and adverse healthcare conditions related to it.
Additionally, people can develop an addiction to illegal opioid substances, such as heroin. Donroe et al. (2016) state that people with opioid use disorder are among the most frequent users of healthcare due to the high risk of negative healthcare outcomes development. They need frequent hospital readmissions, leading to increased healthcare costs and poor quality of care. Therefore, healthcare professionals need to know how to diagnose and treat opioid use disorders in patients.
Response to Problem
Specific guidelines were issued as a response to the opioid epidemic. In 2017, the guidelines for treating inpatient opioid withdrawal and opioid use disorders in adult patients who are not pregnant were adopted (Boston Medical Center, 2017). The guideline provides information on the process of diagnosis and treatment of opioid use disorder in patients. The guideline prescribes healthcare professionals to initiate specific interventions if a patient has symptoms and signs of opioid withdrawal disorder.
The Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) is used to determine the presence of the disorder in patients. The guideline outlines explicitly the steps healthcare professionals should take in various cases of opioid use disorder. It prescribes healthcare professionals to initiate specific treatment in the first hours of any withdrawal signs. It also elaborates on the administrative procedures and dealing with patients enrolled in the Methadone or Buprenorphine Program.
Conclusion
Opioid use disorder is common in hospital settings due to medical or nonmedical uses. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the best practices to diagnose and treat patients with the symptoms of opioid withdrawal disorder. It can help prevent them from engaging in opioid substance misuse in the future, improve their patient outcomes, and reduce the risk of readmission. However, there is also a problem with prescribed opioids that are used as pain relievers in some patients. After specific interventions and procedures, a patient may be prescribed opioids, which increases the risk of disorder development.
References
Boston Medical Center. (2017). Management of inpatient opioid withdrawal and opioid use disorders (addiction) in non-pregnant adult patients guideline. Boston Medical Center. Web.
Cicero, T. J., & Ellis, M. S. (2017). The prescription opioid epidemic: a review of qualitative studies on the progression from initial use to abuse. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 19(3), 259-269. Web.
Donroe, J. H., Holt, S. R., & Tetrault, J. M. (2016). Caring for patients with opioid use disorder in the hospital. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 188(17-18), 1232-1239. Web.