Question

Describe your approach to completing a comprehensive assessment and health history in this case. 1: How will you address the patient's substance use? 2:What communication techniques will you use? Explain. 3: Are there any special implications for documentation? 4:What ethical dilemmas might surface in regard to this patient's care? 5. What resources would you consider recommending / referring for this patient? Include some of these resources in your post 6 What legal and or ethical principles apply? What health promotion is necessary for this patient? Please explain

Answer 1

Substance abuse or drug abuse is use of any drug illegally above the prescribed therapeutic dosage prescribed to achieve desired effect. Narcotics are the commonest drugs while it comes to substance abuse.

1) we must collect the history of the patient like what are the drugs he has aboused before coming to the heath care facility . The patient may give street name or brand names available in the market example patient may tell he used to abuse brown sugar so as a nurse you must know what is the pharmacological catagory and name like heroin . While adressing the nurse must adress it as heroin abuse and what is the stage of the abuser like withdrawal or intoxication . Example in case of intoxication she can adress the case as heroin intoxication.

2. There are many communication techniques but as a nurse I will first focus on to establish a 4 stage therapeutic communication followed by empathy, trust, respect and humor. During the conversation I will listen carefully to show that I am attentive to him. I will observe the patient's body language. Give him a btoad opening so that he can express . After that I will restate his statement to avoid misunderstanding. In between I may also ask questions to gain more information . At last I will teach the patient to manage stress and give a positive reassure of being nonjugnonjudg and nonpunitive during his treatment.

3. Special implications:

while planning the care we must keep the past history of substance abused by the patient and hence avoid the same group of drugs during treatment which can cause the patient more violent to get the desired substance.

We should also monitor the patients withdrawal symptoms, hallucinations, suicidal thoughts and manipulative behavior.

Monitor the vital signs during administering the antabuse medication and monitor GCS.

4. Ethical dillemas can occur like mostly the patient with substance abuse may face alot of regection from the family and society at that time as a nurse we must act as patient's advocator and protect the patient and his rights.

In case of a transference or counter transference between the patient and nuse we should handle the situation very carefully and slowly detach them from each other and introduce new nurse into the care.