A young African American adult is admitted to the emergency department in sickle cell
crisis with a report of 10/10 pain. The patient is known to several of the nurses and
physicians in the department who have labeled the patient as a “drug seeker”.
Initial Discussion Post:
Identify one intervention that can be taken by the RN to reduce the stigma and improve
management of acute and chronic pain associated with sickle cell disease.
Does the intervention apply only to the patient? Does it apply only to the entire health care
team? Does it apply to both the patient and the members of the healthcare team? Explain
and support your answer.
Base your initial post on your readings and research of this topic.
Initial Discussion Post
Basically, there is an agreement that the drug seekers, in relation to Sickle Cell Disease,
are the hardest group of patents that healthcare professionals can ever help or deal with. If well
investigated, there may be revelations of prescription selling, altering, and substance abuse. One
of the interventions that can be used to deal with the patient is using opioids to help in relieving
and managing the pain, as well as reducing the stigma (Jenerette, Brewer & Ataga, 2014). Worth
The intervention does not only apply to the patient. Rather, it involves the entire
healthcare team and patient. Including the whole healthcare team is important in ensuring that
there is intensive psychiatric evaluation, counseling, rehabilitation, as well as proper pain control
during all real events. In addition, making a treatment contract is very appropriate when dealing
with such a patient, where one of the goals would be relief of pain. The contract should also have
a component encompassing of the stringent limits in the context of the consistent pain
management plan (Jenerette, Brewer & Ataga, 2014). Worth noting, the family members of the
patient should not be excluded from the care plan as they too have to understand that the pain
complaint will be addressed. Nonetheless, regardless of how effective the opioids might be in
INITIAL DISCUSSION POST
managing and relieving the pain, healthcare professionals should not forget the significance of a
coordinated and consistent plan which includes family and patient involvement and behavior
modification, which are equally vital. More importantly, the healthcare professionals should be
keen on assessing and evaluating all the underlying factors, and ensuring that the treatment is
founded on the evaluation.
INITIAL DISCUSSION POST
Reference
Jenerette, C. M., Brewer, C. A., & Ataga, K. I. (2014). Care seeking for pain in young adults
with sickle cell disease. Pain Management Nursing, 15(1), 324-330 7p.