Questions and Answers
How has this presentation influenced the care you will provide to this population? Why?
Adult patients with opioid addiction need special care and regular monitoring by a professional healthcare provider. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (2016), more than 435,000 young and older adults suffer from heroin, and approximately 4.3 million people report nonmedical use of opioids. This presentation influences the attitude towards care that may be provided to the chosen population and shows how medication treatment and control improve the quality of life.
What cultural implications are associated with this specialty population?
In the city of Miami, FL, the population has a diverse background and a variety of cultures. Despite the intentions to provide the best services and options for the locals, addiction remains a serious problem for the city. Being a seaport city, Miami is the place when many Cuban immigrants earn a living and choose different job opportunities even if some of them are illegal (e.g., drug storage, use, and selling). As a result, the presence of multiple cultures, traditions, and customs determine human behaviors and contribute to decision-making.
What resources are available in your community for this population? What gaps in service do you see? What can be done to address these gaps?
Miami communities take care of addicted people and develop special programs and rehabilitation centers. At this moment, Miami has about 25 various services for people with substance use disorder (SUD), and the majority of them remain privately funded, meaning high prices and good quality of care (“Treatment programs for drugs and alcohol addiction,” n.d.). The gap that is based on costs and the inability to pay for the required services prevents the population from asking for help and solving their SUD-related problems. The government should pay more attention to this mental health problem and support the organization of new centers to which all the population can address anytime.
What more do you need to know in order to best serve this population as a PMHNP?
As a psychiatry mental health nurse practitioner, I plan to focus on palliative care methods. This approach helps to improve the quality of life in SUD patients and their families by cooperating with volunteers and healthcare professionals (Ebenau et al., 2018). To best serve the chosen population, my task as a nurse is to involve not only patients but also families and friends and make sure that all-sided support is offered.
References
American Society of Addiction Medicine. (2016). Opioid addiction treatment: A guide for patients, families, and friends. Web.
Ebenau, A., Dijkstra, B., Stal-Klapwijk, M., ter Huurne, C., Blom, A., Vissers, K., & Groot, M. (2018). Palliative care for patients with a substance use disorder and multiple problems: A study protocol. BMC Palliative Care, 17(1), 97. Web.
Treatment programs for drugs and alcohol addiction in Miami, Florida. (n.d.). Web.