The United States is facing a drug epidemic within its borders. According to the website drugabuse.gov (n.d.), abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and especially illegal drugs has cost $700 billion dollars annually. Illicit drugs in particular are responsible for $11 billion in health care costs annually, and $193 billion in total costs which includes law enforcement, lost productivity, and healthcare. These growing costs and the recent heroin epidemic is prompting lawmakers to look into policy implementation to save money, and more importantly saves lives. On the national level, President Barack Obama, is introducing policy that would aim to decrease addiction rates across the country. According to the Whitehouse website, Drug Policy Reform (n.d.),
…show more content…
As front line providers, we are able to see patients who currently suffer from addiction and are able to see it from a more personal perspective. Talking with patients is an easy intervention, and can get them to open up about issues they are facing which includes addiction. This class has shown me how a nurse practitioner can become involved in the political aspect of policy change. Involvement can be at both the national and local levels. According to Milstead (2016), nurses have the opportunity to impact the political landscape be the sheer numbers alone. We currently make up the largest group of healthcare workers worldwide. According to Maryland & Gonzalez (2012), “Nurses have hundreds of patient experiences upon which to draw in order to impact public policy.” It is through this vast experience that we will be able to shape and change public policy. Personal experience with the dangers of drug use and the idea of addiction as a disease makes nurses instrumental in helping to spread the drug …show more content…
These arenas include economic matters and the educational and healthcare systems.” The annual costs to taxpayers, and especially healthcare costs are staggering and a hot point of contention in elections. ARNP’s are in the position to share their knowledge about addiction and healthcare costs, and to inform both voters and legislators of how money can be saved in the long run by support and implementation of the drug policies. Money is a topic that is easy to understand for both of these groups and could be more effective than playing to sympathy or talking about how overall health can be improved. This is an exciting time to become an ARNP, and have the possibility to be involved in policy implementation, and to shape the future of drug policy in the
As front line providers, we are able to see patients who currently suffer from addiction and are able to see it from a more personal perspective. Talking with patients is an easy intervention, and can get them to open up about issues they are facing which includes addiction. This class has shown me how a nurse practitioner can become involved in the political aspect of policy change. Involvement can be at both the national and local levels. According to Milstead (2016), nurses have the opportunity to impact the political landscape be the sheer numbers alone. We currently make up the largest group of healthcare workers worldwide. According to Maryland & Gonzalez (2012), “Nurses have hundreds of patient experiences upon which to draw in order to impact public policy.” It is through this vast experience that we will be able to shape and change public policy. Personal experience with the dangers of drug use and the idea of addiction as a disease makes nurses instrumental in helping to spread the drug …show more content…
These arenas include economic matters and the educational and healthcare systems.” The annual costs to taxpayers, and especially healthcare costs are staggering and a hot point of contention in elections. ARNP’s are in the position to share their knowledge about addiction and healthcare costs, and to inform both voters and legislators of how money can be saved in the long run by support and implementation of the drug policies. Money is a topic that is easy to understand for both of these groups and could be more effective than playing to sympathy or talking about how overall health can be improved. This is an exciting time to become an ARNP, and have the possibility to be involved in policy implementation, and to shape the future of drug policy in the