Safe Prescription Assignment Paper

Drug and substance abuse is one of the leading social vices that challenge the overall development of the United States. Evidently, the country posts one of the highest addiction rates in the world. Based on this aspect, various institutions in conjunction with government agencies, for instance, the Drugs and Enforcement Agency (DEA), endeavor to minimize the vice. Individuals abuse prescribed drugs unsuitably. In fact, they engage in drug abuse for recreational purposes. However, over-indulgence in the substances deteriorates the overall health condition of communities. Notably, drug and substance abuse has been linked to numerous cases of mental instabilities. It is important for relevant bodies in society to team and eradicate the behavior, to warrant a stable and healthy society. Safe Prescription Assignment Paper

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Role of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Pertaining PMHNP

The Drug and Enforcement Agency is integral in minimizing the usage and abuse of drugs and substances in the United States. Particularly, nurse practitioners in some states in the U.S. enjoy the privilege of prescribing drugs directly to patients. However, it is important to note rogue clients abuse prescribed drugs. Such practice is tantamount to jeopardizing the integrity levels of clinicians. Based on this aspect, the DEA provides guidelines on which drugs should be prescribed by nurse practitioners. Additionally, the DEA guides PMHNPs by classifying drugs in accordance with the possibility of being abused. Safe Prescription Assignment Paper

Duties of a PMHNP Holding DEA Number

The United States government advises nurse practitioners, especially those in states which allow the full practice to apply for DEA numbers. Holders of DEA numbers are entitled with the responsibility of advising patients on appropriate drug use (Tierney, Finnell, Naegle, LaBelle, & Gordon, 2015). Besides, they ought to report any incidence of drug abuse and involvement amongst their clients to the DEA.

Procedure in Applying for DEA Number

The DEA number helps identify practitioners in accordance to the area of specialization with precision. However, practitioners ought to register in their states of work prior to applying for the DEA number (Davis, Carr, Southwell, & Beletsky, 2015). Besides, applicants divulge personal data through an online platform, followed by information regarding their specialization. Similarly, applicants are required to ascertain their licensure, before displaying their knowledge about drugs controlled by the DEA. Finally, applicants pay commitment fee and submit their applications for approval.

Requirements for Safe Prescription in Texas

The Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (TPMP) oversees safe prescription and monitors data regarding drugs from pharmacies in the state. Notably, all licensed pharmacists are required to submit all dispensed controlled substance information to the T-PMP before the start of a new business day (Texas Prescription and Monitoring Program, n.d). Additionally, a new legislation effective 2019 demands prescribers to assess patients’ PMP histories before prescribing benzodiazepines and opioids (Texas Prescription and Monitoring Program, n.d). Currently, pharmacists are required to countercheck the PMP to avert cases of over-prescription of controlled substances

Schedule II-V Level Drugs

The safety and use of substances and drugs in the U.S. are overseen by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). Under the Controlled Substance Act, Schedule Two drugs have a high potentiality of being abused for instance Percocet (Brady, McCauley, & Back, 2015). Besides, Schedule Three drugs involve drugs with over 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage. The substances can lead to psychological dependence if used inappropriately. Additionally, Schedule Four drugs include those that have mild effects in the physiological operation of a person, for instance, diazepam. Schedule Five drugs include ezogabine. Safe Prescription Assignment Paper

Conclusion

Drug and substance abuse is a menace in society, especially in the United States. However, efforts from various agencies especially the DEA help contain the situation. For instance, the DEA provides guidance to PMHNPs in identifying drugs based on the level of severity of abuse. For instance, Schedule Two drugs like Percocet are likely to cause dependence if abused.

References

Brady, K. T., McCauley, J. L., & Back, S. E. (2015). Prescription opioid misuse, abuse, and treatment in the United States: an update. American Journal of Psychiatry, 173(1), 18-26. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.15020262

Davis, C. S., Carr, D., Southwell, J. K., & Beletsky, L. (2015). Engaging law enforcement in overdose reversal initiatives: authorization and liability for naloxone administration. American journal of public health, 105(8), 1530-1537. https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302638

Texas Prescription and Monitoring Program (n.d) Texas State Board of Pharmacy. Retrieved from https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/PMP/

Tierney, M., Finnell, D. S., Naegle, M. A., LaBelle, C., & Gordon, A. J. (2015). Advanced practice nurses: Increasing access to opioid treatment by expanding the pool of qualified buprenorphine prescribers. https://doi.org/10.1080/08897077.2015.1101733

Safe Prescription Assignment Paper