Direction, support, recommendations and advice

This case study discusses the role of a supervisor in guiding a healthcare professional in treating patients with drug abuse problems. It covers the best practice principles, steps for monitoring progress, and references to relevant books and journals.

CASE STUDY SHORT
QUESTIONS

Table of Contents
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Direction, support, recommendations and advice........................................................................3
Best practice principles................................................................................................................3
Steps for monitoring the progress................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

MAIN BODY
Direction, support, recommendations and advice
As Melinda’s supervisor, my primary responsibility is to guide her through the treatment
course that she should prescribe for patients who are suffering from the problem of drug abuse
after she has moved from ageing support team. I would direct her by teaching her to recognise
the symptoms that teenage patients shows i.e. psychological signs of moving towards drug
addiction like become restless and cannot concentrate, grades are slipping, having anxiety, anger
and depression issues and further the physical signs that patients develop such as weight loss or
gain, feeling shaky etc. Developing just psychological signs shows that there is scope of
improvement and I think Melinda can use Cognitive Therapy, SMART Recovery programme
and Relapse Prevention Therapy and other measures which will help teenage patients in
regaining the lost confidence (Bramness & Rognli, 2016). This would help Melinda in
recognising the symptom s and develop appropriate care plan that is to be used while serving at
local community welfare centre in Bankstown since she has previously worked in Ageing
support team only and there, such cases are not very frequent.
Best practice principles
I can suggest both pharmacological and Non Pharmacological treatments for curing the
problem of amphetamine drug consumptions to Melinda and with further cases in future, I will
guide her that what kind of treatments are to be suggested and developed for addicts of different
drugs. I would teach Melinda since to identify the time period of drug consumption and then
develop appropriate pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment methods particular for
a case. Also, I will guide her that there are no reliable pharmacological treatments yet for curing
the substance abuse of amphetamine addiction. I would suggest Melinda a combination of Non
pharmacological treatments that will assist in treating drug patients and these are usage of
Relapse Prevention Therapy, SMART Recovery programme and Cognitive therapy and all three
of them collectively will help in Melinda in formulating appropriate care practice (Cao and et.al.,
2016). SMART recovery will help Melinda in generating motivation in these patients where they
must be pushed towards leading balanced and successful life without dependence on drugs and
Relapse prevention will ensure that they do not fall back to the habit of drug consumption and
are able to shed it out and cognitive therapy will assist Melinda in uncovering the belief system
of patients and rectifying it in order to cure their habit of drug consumption.

Steps for monitoring the progress
Relapse can happen any time and it is crucial to avoid this in a patient. The monitoring
process should be initiated while such drug addicts are still in the curing stage and then it should
be integrated with the aftercare monitoring so that patients do not feel disoriented (Uddin and
et.al., 2017). For the patients with drug abuse or addiction, I would suggest following steps to
Melinda that will assist her in monitoring the progress and recovery:
 Substance Use disorder treatment needs progress monitoring by using different
instruments such as session rating scales, outcome rating scales etc.
 Regular evaluation of the mental health of patients and their progress.
 Make them participate in the recovery support services.
 Address biological symptoms as well in the process of allostasis.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Bramness, J. G., & Rognli, E. B. (2016). Psychosis induced by amphetamines. Current opinion
in psychiatry, 29(4). 236-241.
Cao, D. N., and et.al., (2016). Advances and challenges in pharmacotherapeutics for
amphetamine-type stimulants addiction. European journal of pharmacology, 780. 129-135.
Uddin, M. S., and et.al. (2017). Amphetamines: Potent recreational drug of abuse. J Addict Res
Ther, 8(4). 1-12.
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