This course made me aware of judgements and prejudices that I didn’t realize I had. As I completed the assignments, I had occasion to reflect on past experiences. Becoming more educated on the subject helped me become aware of some of my faulty viewpoints. For example, I gained a much greater appreciation for the grip that addictions can have on people. I am grateful for the shift in perspective that naturally happened as my awareness grew. I believe it will help me to more effectively care for patients afflicted with SUD. I’ve felt my sympathy and my desire to help those struggling with SUD increase throughout this course.
The explanations on the brain reward system were fascinating to me. I specifically found the video about addiction that explained the intensity of cravings for those addicted to opioids to be the most interesting and impactful. Learning about the high effective rate of MAT was very encouraging. However, the extremely low percentage of people who have access to it was equally discouraging. Overall, it did still leave me hopeful that there are strategies to help people with SUD and progress is being made to increase awareness of the problem and availability of treatment.
The most uncomfortable topic was also one of the most helpful. As we explored the topic of stigma, I was made more aware of the damaging effects on those who struggle with substance use. As I watched videos, some assigned and some not, from those who had struggled in the past, my eyes were opened to the ease with which this disorder can develop in a person’s life. I also realized that some attitudes and terminology that don’t seem to be offensive could still subtly cause patients to feel discouraged or shameful.
No matter where I end up practicing as a nurse, I hope to be able to raise awareness about the importance of preventing SUD and the availability of treatment. In order to more effectively do that, I would like to become adept at screening those at risk with one of the several tools we learned about. I especially liked one of the questionnaires in a toolkit on the MOMSOhio website I research for my project. Another part of that website that I would love to emulate as a practicing nurse was from the decision-making module. A MOMS care coordinator was shown having a conversation with a young pregnant mother about her opioid use. The coordinator’s tone was empathetic and non-judgmental, and she was effectively able to instill hope so that the client felt empowered and more optimistic about her potential for change. Instructional videos showing the ideal can sometimes be discouraging when real practice is often so far less than ideal; however, the techniques and attitude demonstrated would certainly help me to more effectively care for all patients regardless of their particular challenges.