This week is National Nurses Week. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the nurses who work specifically in the field of substance use disorder treatment. Nurses play a vital role in substance use disorder treatment across many different levels of care.
Nurses who specialize in substance use disorder treatment need to be trained in both general medicine and mental health care. They provide medical and emotional support to patients and their families, often as they begin the treatment process for substance use disorder. Which can be a very scary and uncertain time for patients and their families.
Patients in both outpatient and inpatient substance use disorder treatment interact with nursing staff throughout admittance, treatment, and follow-up care. The care and compassion of nursing staff play an important role in a patient’s transition into long-term recovery.
We also would like to thank nurses in many different fields of medicine who practice harm reduction when treating patients who use drugs and other substances. Harm reduction in nursing helps improve health outcomes for individuals who are actively using substances and increases the chances that these patients will seek a pathway to recovery.
Nurses who treat these patients with compassion and without judgment help reduce stigma for people who use drugs and other substances. Their compassionate care increases the likelihood that someone who uses substances will return for necessary medical care.
On behalf of the entire team at IRETA, we wish you a very happy Nurses Week and encourage you to thank a nurse in your life!
