33318 Drug-Seeking Patient Behavior

Course overview

Discussion of prescription drug use disorders including which drugs patients misuse and abuse, how to handle drug-seeking patients, and methods of drug diversion in medical settings. Misuse of prescription opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants is a significant public health concern in the United States, with approximately 54 million people having taken these medications for nonmedical reasons at least once in their lifetime. Often lack of education regarding the addictive properties of prescription drugs, as well as the belief that prescription drugs are less harmful than illicit drugs, are contributors to this serious problem. Prescription drug abuse affects many Americans with adolescents, young adults, and older adults at an increased risk. Hospital data analysis demonstrated a 72% increase in hospitalizations related to opioid use alone between the years of 2002-2012, as well as increased infection rates related to intravenous drug abuse, leading to inpatient hospital costs being quadrupled during this same time span. This program discusses prescription drug abuse disorders related to opiates, sedatives, and stimulants, including criteria for these disorders, withdrawal, treatment, drug-seeking behaviors, drug diversion, and special considerations for the older adult to ensure that nurses are able to effectively care for these individuals.