Learning Center
Compassionate Care of the Patient with a History of Substance Use
Recorded On: 06/05/2022
It is estimated that more than 1.6 million people in the United States have an opioid addiction. As the availability of prescription opioids decreases each year, there has been a rise in the use of heroin and other illicit injectable drugs. When these patients present with cellulitis, endocarditis, and other illnesses which require a vascular access device and intravenous therapy, it becomes a costly challenge for our hospitals. This session will address what hospitals are doing to provide effective, efficient, and compassionate care to these patients.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, learners will be able to:
- Quantify the substance use problem in the United States
- Discuss the resources needed to care for the patient with a substance use history as an inpatient
- Identify cost-effective strategies to protect the patient, the nurse, and the facility when caring for a patient with a history of substance use
Chris Cavanaugh
Chris Cavanaugh has been a RN for more than 25 years, and has experience in critical care, radiology, home care, long-term care, and industry. The focus of her career has been in vascular access and infusion therapy. She has also done legal nurse consulting and provided vascular access services and education as an entrepreneur. She has served on the national boards of directors for the Association for Radiologic and Imaging Nursing and the Association of Vascular Access Foundation. She is also the founder and a past president of the FLAVAN network and a past president for the Central Florida Infusion Nurses Society. She has presented at local and national meetings of INS, AVA, and APIC. She has also published articles in the Journal of Radiology Nursing, E-VAN, and IQ. This presentation is the result of research done during her MSN program.