Let not forget about the most precious commodities our children, Members of the general public, including children, can also be exposed. In various areas of the state of Massachusetts syringes can be easily obtained from some pharmacies or even from mobile walk up clinic stations. These methods are not only more convenient, but encourage the use of clean needles by intravenous drug user who may be reluctant to signal their addiction by going to a needle exchange program. Needle exchanges are valuable in bringing addicts into a formal, institutional system, through which they can be connected to various treatment programs, without the scrutiny. Without a needle exchange program we as a society must accept the fact that the incidence and mortality of HIV / AIDS and Hep C will increase drastically.
Is it reasonable to provide an intravenous drug user with sterile needles in exchange for their dirty needles? Does it promote IV drug usage or does it in fact save lives? These are the questions that people have been asking for years and years. The needle exchange program (N.E.P) has been a litigious topic of discussion among many people and for good reason. The answer to whether or not to give these drug users a sterile needle is simple: these people deserve to be supplied with clean needles.
As stated in a publication issued by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “The abuse of prescription pain medications is increasing among adult Americans as well. Among young adults aged 18 to 25, the rate increased from 22.1 percent in 2002 to 23.7 percent in 2003, NSDUH data show. Abuse of oxycodone increased among all age groups from 2002 to 2003: by more than 10 percent among Americans aged 12 to 17, by nearly 40 percent among 18- to 25-year-olds, and by 60 percent for Americans aged 26 or older” (Volkow, 2005). The NIDA is responding to the rise in prescription drug abuse in numerous areas, one of which is geriatrics. The NIDA also reported, “Age-related changes may influence the way in which their bodies metabolize and respond to prescription drugs.
The nurse’s role is to break the chain of infection. (NES) To break a link in the chain of infection the nurse must wash their hands before or after treating the patient. The Health Protection Agency (HPA 2009) states that hand washing is one of the most important ways of reducing (HAI) in the hospital or any other healthcare environment. Hands carry infection from nurses to patients or fellow colleagues in any clinical area or health care environment. Hand washing is one of the most important ways of reducing and controlling the spread of infections.
Welfare Recipients have never been required to have drug tests to acquire benefits. Some think that drug testing would decrease the amount of people abusing the system. People who are drug users and refuse to stop or get help will not apply for welfare. Also, drug testing would send a message to society that abusing the system will no longer be tolerated and it would free up extra funds for families who actually need the help. Some also think that drug testing will make people stay clean in order to receive any assistance they would have to stay off drugs.
Diabetes Speak Up NR-224: Fundamentals Diabetes Speak Up Diabetes is one of the most prevalent disorders among the American people. A brochure published on November 3, 2010 by The Joint Commission, “Speak Up”, lists five ways to be active in your care at the hospital, highlighting the fact that you don’t have to be a victim of negligent care. This brochure would be highly beneficial to anyone currently living with Diabetes Type 1 and 2, nursing home geriatric patients, diabetics going into outpatient surgery, or people with delayed verbal communication skills. Knowing your right as a patient and how you can participate in your plan of care makes all the difference. Five Steps Diabetes continues to be a leading problem
There was an enormous increase in the birth rate, from 1947 to 1970, after the Second World War, this increased the population of countries such as Canada and the US(Canada’s Aging Population). The people born in this generation are called the baby boomer. What is interesting about baby boomer is that as they start to retire the population of seniors is expected to hit, “around 6.7 million in 2021, and around 9.2 million in 2041”( Canada’s Aging Population Pg. 9). Economists have also confirmed that these increases in the growth of the senior population will approximately account for fifty percent of Canadian population growth for the next 3 decades (Canada’s Aging Population).
These efforts will not prevent every incident, but they can help reduce incidents. At Infectious Disease Specialists, nurses are exposed to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids daily. Wound care, peripherally inserted central catheters (picc) maintenance and removal, lab draws and peripheral intravenous catheters (IV’s) maintenance and removal are risk areas for nurses. “Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major infectious hazard for health-care personnel. Workers performing tasks involving exposure to blood or blood-contaminated body fluids should be vaccinated” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1997, p. 3).
The instructions given by doctors are to be followed strictly or side-effects may occur. According to the CDC, 48% of Americans have used a prescription drug in the last month. Millions and millions of lives have been saved because of the use of prescription drugs. However
Many of the drugs that are abused by our youth were manufactured and marketed to Americans by big pharmaceutical companies. These drugs are supposed to be used to lessen pain, but more times than not they are prescribed with little regard to the risks they pose. This is where the problem lies, doctors throwing prescriptions to people for small injuries which in turn into a dependency problem. ”Drugs like fentanal, codene, oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone (which is used to help treat people with opioid addictions) together are linked to 75% of prescription drug overdoses each year. These dangerous drugs are all over our streets in urban and in rural parts of the U.S.