DRUG SEEKING BEHAVIOR AND THE ELDERLY 2
Drug Seeking Behavior and the Elderly: An Ethical Essay
This paper will discuss the ethical issue surrounding the older adult and the misuse of
prescription medication, specifically the act of selling prescribed pain medication to help
alleviate personal hardships. This paper does not support the statement that all older adults fit
into this category, however, the small amount of older adults that do or have been charged with
legal actions. For clarification, older adult is defined as those persons over the age of sixty-five.
Approximately 13% of the population of the United States is comprised of older adults
(Setnik & Roland). This population group is also responsible for over 1/3 of all prescription pain
medication prescribed by physicians (Setnik & Roland). These statistics alone place the older
adult population at a higher risk for the misuse of prescription pain medication. The risk does
not come from an addiction standpoint, but rather the financial deficit that many older adults are
facing, and their attempts to alleviate or diminish that deficit.
This author believes that any basis for research in nursing should begin with the nursing
process. The first step that must be followed would be the assessment of each individual elderly
person. This assessment should initially include a full health history, review of each diagnosis,
and include a detailed comprehensive pain assessment (Harrison, 2014). By following the
nursing process one would complete a proper assessment, evaluate nursing care, and provide
patient education so that one may find that various alternative methods that can be identified and
that may eliminate or decrease the need for prescription medication (Burchum & Rosenthal,
2016). Taking an interdisciplinary team approach may find alternative non-pharmacological
methods that would support the decrease use of prescription medications in the older adult
patient.
DRUG SEEKING BEHAVIOR AND THE ELDERLY 3
The largest ethical concern revolves around the apparent knowledge deficit related to the
lack of understanding of the legal implications that follow selling of illegal prescription
medications. Patient teaching is required in the aging population as well as involvement and
assistance of community resources and assistance to decrease the incidence of the older adult
selling their prescription pain medication.
From a Christian standpoint, this author believes that 1 Timothy, verse 5:8, appropriately
states, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he
has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” Furthermore, this author believes that as a
Christian nurse providing patient teaching and ensuring the access to available community
resources will assist in meeting the needs of the aging population, whether with economic
hardships or with an understanding of the illegal behavior that is being exhibited when the older
adult sells prescription medication. As a Christian and a human being, it is paramount that we
take care of one another.
DRUG SEEKING BEHAVIOR AND THE ELDERLY 4
References
Burchum, J., & Rosenthal, L. (2016). Lehne's Pharmacology for Nursing Care (9th ed.).
St. Louis: Elsevier.
Harrison, E. (2014). Quality and Safety Education for Nurses: A Nursing Leadership Skills
Exercise. Journal of Nursing Education J Nurs Educ, 356-361.
Setnik, B., & Roland, C. (n.d.). Results from a chronic pain prescription opioid misuse, abuse,
and diversion self-report instrument. The Journal of Pain.
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