Addiction to drugs and alcohol is a global health crisis affecting millions of people (Campbell, 2014). APRNs must have a firm grasp of the dynamics of addiction, its root causes, and the best treatment methods. The guidelines and implications for clinical practice are essential to ensure patients get the most excellent treatment and have the best results.
Increase Awareness and Screening for Addiction
Nurse practitioners and other advanced-practice nurses need to take the initiative to raise addiction awareness and implement screening programs. For this reason, it is essential to test all patients for substance abuse risk using a validated instrument, such as the CAGE questionnaire, AUDIT, or DAST-10. Healthcare providers should be taught how to utilize screening tools properly and include them in routine clinical examinations (Sher, 2016). In order to enhance outcomes and slow or stop the growth of the illness, early detection of addiction is crucial.
Use Evidence-Based Treatments
Effective management of drug and alcohol addiction requires using therapies supported by scientific evidence. Medication-assisted therapy (MAT) is a successful method for dealing with opioid addiction, as proved by several studies. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) combines medicine (such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone) with psychotherapy (talk therapy). Patients have better results when they use MAT because it lessens withdrawal symptoms, cravings, and the likelihood of recurrence (Jongsma Jr et al., 2021).
Another therapy option for substance abuse is motivational interviewing, which is effective. This patient-centered method increases patients’ innate drive to alter their actions. When appropriately utilized, motivational interviewing may help people overcome internal resistance to making positive behavioral changes. It is a method of teamwork that focuses on hearing each other out and responding appropriately (Corcoran & Roberts, 2015).
Evidence-based treatment options for substance abuse include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT treats addiction by altering the thought and behavior patterns that contribute to it. It aids patients in recognizing erroneous ideas, disputing them, and building resilience to resist temptation and avoid relapse. CBT has been demonstrated to enhance patient outcomes and decrease the likelihood of recurrence (Corcoran & Roberts, 2015).
Provide Education and Support to Patients and their Families
Management of substance abuse requires education and assistance. The advanced practice nurse is responsible for educating the patient and their loved ones about the disease of addiction, the significance of medication adherence, and the value of social support in the rehabilitation process. Addiction is a chronic condition that has to be managed over the long term, and patients and their loved ones must realize this. In addition, they need to know that taking their medications as prescribed is crucial to achieving the best possible results (Corcoran & Roberts, 2015).
Having a solid social network is essential for overcoming substance abuse problems. Positive results are more probable for patients who have strong social networks. The role of the advanced practice nurse is to assist patients in establishing and using a network of social supports, which may include family, friends, and community organizations (Corcoran & Roberts, 2015). Educating patients on the value of social support and assisting them in developing coping mechanisms to deal with stress and triggers is another valuable tool at their disposal.
Summary of Study and Limitations
The project’s sample size needed to be expanded to draw firm conclusions. The sample size was small, and data was only collected from one primary care clinic; thus, the results may not apply to other clinics. More patients from different backgrounds and locations in the sample might lead to more reliable results (Grove & Gray, 2018). Randomized controlled trials might be used to assess the efficacy of the therapies in future investigations. The therapies’ long-term viability could not be evaluated due to a lack of follow-up studies. Although early findings were encouraging, it is crucial to assess the project’s lasting effect on patient outcomes (Horst & Houston-Price, 2016). Long-term follow-up in future studies might evaluate how well the therapies hold up over time.
Directions for Future Research
Technology’s potential to expand patients’ access to addiction treatment should be investigated in future studies. Access to treatment for people with addiction who may encounter impediments to in-person care may be improved by the rise in popularity of telehealth during the ongoing COVID-19 epidemic. Recovering patients may also benefit from telehealth’s potential for continuous follow-up and encouragement (Finnell & Dixon, 2016). The role of peer support groups in influencing treatment success should also be studied. Abstaining from substances of abuse and decreasing the likelihood of relapse are both goals of peer support organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Researchers may examine how well peer support groups work with other proven therapies like CBT and medication (Stefanac & Nesbit, 2016).
Finally, future studies might analyze how public policies affect addiction treatment. Addiction sufferers now have better access to treatment because of policies like Medicaid expansion and the Affordable Care Act (Chapin, 2014). The effect of these regulations on the results of addiction management might be evaluated in future studies. While the change project’s findings suggested positive directions for enhancing the treatment of substance abuse disorders in primary care, the research is not without its caveats. Technology, peer support group efficacy, long-term follow-up, and the influence of public policy on addiction treatment are all promising areas for further study. These results may have implications for clinical treatment and public policy aimed at bettering the lives of those struggling with addiction.
Tie the Theoretical Framework to the Overall Product
The treatment of chronic illnesses may be improved by adopting the Chronic Care Model. It highlights the significance of a patient-centered, team-based approach to treatment that encourages self-management, proactive follow-up, and evidence-based interventions. The paradigm acknowledges the necessity for continuous, coordinated treatment that meets medical and psychological requirements in managing chronic diseases like an addiction (Guzys et al., 2020).
The Chronic Care Model was helpful in the context of the change project because it offered a framework for implementing treatments better to manage drug and alcohol addiction in primary care. Screening rates, the adoption of evidence-based therapies, and patient and family education and support were all areas where the initiative intended to make strides by using a patient-centered, team-based approach. The multifaceted character of addiction is acknowledged, and the patients’ needs for resources and encouragement are met by these approaches (Guzys et al., 2020).
Many significant objectives were accomplished by adapting the Chronic Care Model for use in addiction treatment. Addiction is a complicated disorder that demands a multidisciplinary response, and this paper first stresses the significance of cooperation and communication among healthcare experts (Potter et al., 2019). Second, it put an emphasis on patient-centered treatment, which is essential since addiction is a chronic illness that needs constant attention. Finally, it emphasized therapies supported by scientific evidence, acknowledging that addiction is a manageable illness (Potter et al., 2019). Overall, the change project’s implementation of the Chronic Care Model for addiction management gave patients the care and support they needed to recover. The experiment showed this paradigm’s potential to enhance addiction treatment in primary care settings by adopting a patient-centered, team-based strategy emphasizing evidence-based therapies and continuing support (Guzys et al., 2020).
Concluding Remarks
To sum up, the goal of the change initiative was to enhance primary care’s capacity to treat substance abuse disorders. Evidence-based therapies and a focus on the individual patient were effective in this study, proving the project’s viability. A road map for tackling the complicated addiction problem in healthcare settings is provided by the guidelines for clinical practice, suggestions for future research, and the use of the Chronic Care Model.
References
Campbell, R. J. (2014). Campbell’s psychiatric dictionary. Oxford university press.
Chapin, R. (2014). Social policy for effective practice: A strengths approach. Routledge.
Corcoran, K. J., & Roberts, A. R. (Eds.). (2015). Social workers’ desk reference. Oxford University Press, USA.
Finnell, J., & Dixon, B. (2016). Clinical informatics study guide. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Grove, S. K., & Gray, J. R. (2018). Understanding nursing research e-book: Building an evidence-based practice. Elsevier health sciences.
Guzys, D., Brown, R., Halcomb, E., & Whitehead, D. (Eds.). (2020). An introduction to community and primary health care. Cambridge University Press.
Horst, J. S., & Houston-Price, C. (Eds.). (2016). An open book: What and how young children learn from picture and story books. Frontiers Media SA.
Jongsma Jr, A. E., Peterson, L. M., & Bruce, T. J. (2021). The complete adult psychotherapy treatment planner. John Wiley & Sons.
Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G. E., Hall, A. E., & Stockert, P. A. (2019). Fundamentals of nursing. Elsevier Mosby.
Sher, K. J. (Ed.). (2016). The Oxford Handbook of Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders: Volume 2. Oxford University Press.
Stefanac, S. J., & Nesbit, S. P. (2016). Treatment Planning in Dentistry-E-Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
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