A nurse is assisting in the admission of a 30-year-old client to an inpatient mental health facility. Exhibits Complete the following sentence by using the lists of options: The nurse should anticipate prescriptions for dropdown as well as dropdown.
Explanation & Rationale
The nurse should anticipate prescriptions for methadone as well as group therapy. Rationale for correct answers Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for heroin withdrawal and opioid dependence. Given the client’s history of heroin use and symptoms suggestive of withdrawal, methadone can alleviate withdrawal symptoms while preventing cravings and relapse. Group therapy is a key component of substance use disorder treatment, providing peer support, relapse prevention strategies, and coping mechanisms. The client has already expressed willingness to participate in outpatient therapy and identified cravings as a challenge, making group therapy beneficial for sustained recovery. Rationale for incorrect Response 1 options Disulfiram: Used for alcohol dependence, but this client does not report alcohol use. Naltrexone: Used to prevent opioid or alcohol relapse but does not treat withdrawal symptoms, making methadone a better choice during acute withdrawal. Lorazepam: A benzodiazepine used for alcohol withdrawal and anxiety, but it is not first-line for opioid or methamphetamine withdrawal. Rationale for incorrect Response 2 options Electroconvulsive therapy: Primarily used for severe depression or treatment-resistant mood disorders, not substance use disorder management. Antidepressant medication: The client has no history of depression or psychiatric disorders, making behavioral therapies a better fit for recovery. Antipsychotic medication: No psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations are reported, so antipsychotics are not indicated.