EIP Rough Draft

INTRODUCTION TO VIDEO:

**describe the Opioid Epidemic, including statistics and pictures

The opioid epidemic is a rising public health issue in the United States and is the
result of increased use of prescription and nonprescription opioid medications. In 2013,
a study done on individuals 12 and older revealed that nearly 2.8 million use illegal
drugs - 20% of the drugs abused involved the nonmedical use of prescription drugs and
60% of those were narcotics. The opioid epidemic began in the 1990’s when
pharmaceutical companies assured the practitioners of medicine that those who were
prescribed the pain killers would not be addicted and there would be no long-term side
effects. Healthcare providers since then have been prescribing opioids at a larger rate
which has prompted a severe public health issue (Opioid Overdose Crisis, 2019).
Between 1999 to 2013 the occurrence of opioid overdose deaths nearly quadrupled. In
2015, more than 33,000 Americans died as a result of overdose after abusing opioid
drugs, including prescription opioids.
**explain groups that are affected and why
While the opioid epidemic has had an extensive effect on the whole population of
the United States, there are some groups that are more affected than others. Three
groups that stand out in particular are war veterans, NFL players and athletes, as well
as pregnant women and newborn babies.

- War vets
Opioid addiction among veterans is very high and unfortunately rose 55%
between 2010 and 2015. A record number of veterans survive their war
experience but are left with pain and mental health problems. Life, after
the war, for these individuals can prove to be very difficult. The chronic
pain from war injuries and traumatic experiences is most commonly
treated with opioids. PTSD is a very common diagnosis for war veterans
and approximately 17.8% of veterans with PTSD receive opioid
prescriptions. PTSD patients are more likely to receive higher-dose
opioids which leads to an increased risk of substance abuse (Why
Veterans Are Prone to Opioid Abuse, n.d.).
- NFL players/athletes
Opioid misuse is more prominent in professional athletes because of the
physical aspect of their sport. Opioids, like Oxycontin, are often abused
among NFL players to alleviate the pain they experience from playing their
sport. These players often seek out opioids for that reason and find
 themselves addicted to the opioid pills because they begin to rely on them.
In addition to the physical nature of the sport, there is an extreme amount
of pressure put on athletes to perform exceptionally and this affects their
mental state as well. The athletes take opioids to alleviate their
psychological pain, just as they do for their physical pain. A 2017 report
found that the average NFL team dispensed nearly 5,777 doses of
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and 2,213 doses of controlled
medications, such as Vicodin, to its players (Gonzales, 2019).
- Pregnant Women and Newborns
From 1999 to 2014, the National Institute on Drug Abuse analyzed nation
and state trends in opioid use disorder throughout the United States. Over
the course of this time frame, the prevalence of “opioid use disorder”
documented for women hospitalized for delivery more than quadrupled.
Babies being born suffering from a withdrawal syndrome called “neonatal
abstinence syndrome” or “neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome” is the
result of women abusing opioids during pregnancy.Every 15 minutes a
baby is born suffering from opioid withdrawal (National Institute on Drug
Abuse, 2015). In 2014, approximately 32,000 babies were born with this
syndrome in the United States (Dramatic Increases in Maternal Opioid
Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, 2019).

Inquiry Question: What can healthcare workers do to combat the Opioid

Epidemic?
- In the hospital setting, nurses act as the “trusted patient and family educator”
which permits them to inform these individuals of the dangers and risks of taking
opioid prescriptions following surgery or as a treatment.
- 71 percent of diverted prescription drugs are purchased, stolen or given away by
a friend or relative. As a professional health care provider, nurses must inform
their patients on how to properly dispose of the medication when they are no
longer needed.
- Nurses can also suggest other safer alternatives to narcotics.

INTERVIEW PORTION:
- During your experience, what have you noticed in regards to the opioid
epidemic?
- In your opinion, why has the opioid epidemic been overlooked for so long?
(started in the 1990’s and is an ongoing issue today)
- Do prescription opioids do more harm than good? Why?
 - What approach should nurses/healthcare workers take to help minimize the
effects of the opioid crisis?

References

“How Can Nurses Help Solve the Opioid Crisis?” UAH Online, 6 Mar. 2018,

online.uah.edu/articles/rnbsn/nurses-opioid-crisis.aspx.

“Journals & Articles.” Nursing Articles and Publications | Lippincott NursingCenter,

 www.nursingcenter.com/journals.

Gonzales, Matthew. “Opioids: A Painful Problem for the NFL.” The Recovery Village, 26

Mar. 2019,ww.therecoveryvillage.com/recovery-blog/opioid-misuse-nfl/#gref.

“Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).” Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 9 Aug. 2018,

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/wr/mm6731a1.htm.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Dramatic Increases in Maternal Opioid Use and

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.” NIDA, 22 Jan. 2019,

www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/dramatic-

increases-in-maternal-opioid-use-neonatal-abstinence-syndrome.

National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Opioid Overdose Crisis.” NIDA, 22 Jan. 2019,

www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis.

“Opioids: A Painful Problem for the NFL.” The Recovery Village, 26 Mar. 2019,

“Why Veterans Are Prone to Opioid Abuse?” Recovery First Treatment Center,

www.recoveryfirst.org/veterans/opioid-abuse/.