Author Question: The nurse is managing care for a group of substance abusers. The patients have completed group ... (Read 114 times)

swpotter12 · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The nurse is managing care for a group of substance abusers. The patients have completed group education about the disease of addiction. The nurse determines that learning has occurred when the patients make which statements?

1. A heroin addict can die from heroin withdrawal.
2. Substance abuse depends on complex variables.
3. Most addicts became addicted from pain medication in a hospital.
4. Addiction includes a compulsion to use a mood-altering substance.
5. There is most likely a genetic component to addiction.

Question 2

The adolescent patient is in a drug rehabilitation program. The mother of this patient says to the nurse, The doctor said my son has a physical addiction to alcohol. What does this mean? What is the best response by the nurse?

1. His brain remembers the euphoria he had with alcohol, and he has a craving to return to it.
2. He will have an intense craving for alcohol; this is best managed in group therapy.
3. His body is used to alcohol; he will have specific withdrawal symptoms when it is stopped.
4. He will have feelings of depression when stopping alcohol; we need to monitor him for suicide.

adammoses97 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 2,4,5
Rationale: Addiction is an overwhelming compulsion that drives someone to repetitive drug-taking behavior, despite serious health and social consequences. Substance abuse depends on multiple, complex, interacting variables. Children of alcoholic parents are four times more likely to become alcoholics than children of nonalcoholic parents. Prescription drugs rarely cause addiction when used according to accepted medical protocols. While extremely unpleasant, withdrawal from opioids is not life threatening.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale: Over time, the body's cells become accustomed to the presence of the unnatural substance. Specific, physical withdrawal symptoms will occur; the patient needs to be medically withdrawn from the substance. Psychological dependence, or craving, does not involve physical withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol does produce euphoria, but a craving for the substance is not a medical issue. Depression may accompany physical withdrawal, but physical signs are what require medical management.