Comprehensive Report: Harm Reduction Strategy Against Substance Abuse

This report provides a comprehensive overview of harm reduction strategies against substance abuse, detailing the role of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) in implementing these strategies, including screening, emotional support, education, and resource provision. It identifies key players such as the government, healthcare management, and NGOs, and discusses their respective roles in strategy implementation. The report also emphasizes ethical considerations like beneficence, nonmaleficence, and respect for autonomy, highlighting the importance of building therapeutic relationships and providing compassionate care. Additionally, it addresses cultural considerations, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches to address the underlying causes of substance abuse and create a welcoming environment for individuals. The report references multiple sources to support its findings and recommendations.

Running head: HARM REDUCTION STRATEGY AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Harm Reduction Strategy Against Substance Abuse
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1HARM REDUCTION STRATEGY AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE
d. Role of LPN in promoting and implementing harm reduction strategy
A licensed practical nurse is involved in taking care of fundamental duties in a
hospital and act as an assistant for the registered nurse. Nurses play a significant role in
helping patients with substance abuse(Gfroerer, Hughes and Bose, 2017). They conduct the
screening of the mental health of the patients and deliver emotional support to them along
with their families, educate them about the dangers or risks that are associated with substance
abuse and provide resources and adequate information about the various treatment options for
their addiction(Maina et al, 2017).
e. Key players in implementing the strategy
The key players who are inlvolved in the successful implementation of harm
reduction strategy against substance use are government, the healthcare management and
NGOs. The government implement the harm reduction strategy for reducing illicit and other
harmful drug abuse, reduce the demand of drugs and restrict the supply of drugs. The
healthcare management adopts the strategy of harm reduction, ensures that the nurses and
health practitioners abide by them while treating such patients(Deschamps et al, 2019). They
aim to provide the nurses with adequate resources and intervention strategies which will
guide the nurses in delivering efficient patient care. The NGOs play a big role in preventing
substance abuse by helping the addicted person to detoxify and also provide treatment and
rehabilitation for those individuals.
f. Ethical consideration in the implementation of this strategy
Beneficence: Nurses should try to establish a robust and friendly relationship with the
patients, which helps the nurses to earn their trust and ultimately brings a positive
behavioural change within them. The nurses should conduct routine screening of substance

2HARM REDUCTION STRATEGY AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE
use disorder by engaging in conversion with the patient and interrogating them with various
questionnaires.
Every nurse should have an ethical responsibility to show sufficient respect and dignity to the
patients with a substance disorder, value their needs and treat them as just another human
being. They should try to build a therapeutic relationship with such patients. They should
engage themselves in providing adequate care and educate the patients about the ill effects
and health risks which are associated with substance use(Leone et al, 2018).
Nonmaleficence: Nurses should not impose the harm of omission on such patients. The
physicians also should be adequately educated and aware of the substance use disorder;
otherwise, it will lead to an incorrect diagnosis which may result in psychological harm of the
patient. They should consider substance abuse as a clinical issue and not as a moral failure.
The nurses should seek the help of empathy and compassionate care for treating such
patients, facilitate a healthy therapeutic communication with them, respect their feelings and
needs rather than criticizing and neglecting them.
Respect to Autonomy: Every patient has the right to know about their health condition and
the different strategies and treatment plans that have been undertaken for them. It is the
responsibility of the nurse to inform the patient about their health. This strengthens the nurse-
patient relationship, promoting patient autonomy, supporting their self-efficacy and providing
hope and belief.
g. Cultural considerations in implementing the strategy
With the help of cultural support and resources, the harm reduction strategies will
address the underlying causes behind substance abuse and help in delivering long term
holistic treatment for people and improve their mental health and well being. Moreover, it is
important to provide a safe and welcoming environment and surrounding for such individuals

3HARM REDUCTION STRATEGY AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE
where they will feel safe and secured, increasing their social acceptance by welcoming them
back into the community circle. Several cultural factors also influence the manifestation of
substance abuse among people(Greene et al, 2018). The cultural differences based on age,
gender, religion and socio-economic status are the crucial factors in understanding the needs
of the patient.

4HARM REDUCTION STRATEGY AGAINST SUBSTANCE ABUSE
REFERENCE
Deschamps, J., Gilbertson, J., Straube, S., Dong, K., MacMaster, F.P., Korownyk, C.,
Montgomery, L., Mahaffey, R., Downar, J., Clarke, H. and Muscedere, J., 2019. Association
between harm reduction strategies and healthcare utilization in patients on long-term
prescribed opioid therapy presenting to acute healthcare settings: a protocol for a systematic
review and meta-analysis. Systematic reviews, 8(1), p.88.
Gfroerer, J., Hughes, A. and Bose, J., 2017. Sampling Strategies for Substance Abuse
Research. In Research Methods in the Study of Substance Abuse (pp. 65-80). Springer, Cham.
Greene, M.C., Kane, J.C., Khoshnood, K., Ventevogel, P. and Tol, W.A., 2018. Challenges
and opportunities for implementation of substance misuse interventions in conflict-affected
populations. Harm reduction journal, 15(1), pp.1-10.
Leone, F.T., Carlsen, K.H., Chooljian, D., Crotty Alexander, L.E., Detterbeck, F.C., Eakin,
M.N., Evers-Casey, S., Farber, H.J., Folan, P., Kathuria, H. and Latzka, K., 2018.
Recommendations for the appropriate structure, communication, and investigation of tobacco
harm reduction claims. An official american thoracic society policy statement. American
journal of respiratory and critical care medicine, 198(8), pp.e90-e105.
Maina, G., Mishak, B., Strudwick, G., Docabo, A. and Tahir, H., 2017. Nurses Taking the
Lead: A Community Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Forum on Substance Abuse and
Addiction in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Nursing leadership (Toronto, Ont.), 30(3), pp.80-
92.