A nursing perspective on barriers to implementing harm reduction in acute care hospital settings: A scoping review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29173/cjen240Abstract
Harm reduction strategies focusing on substance use have been largely implemented in communities. However, it has been underutilized in managing in-patient environments. When patients with substance use disorder (SUD) are hospitalized, without harm reduction management, they may engage in risky behaviours, leading to unsafe opioid use. Negative encounters with the healthcare system and discriminatory attitudes towards patients with SUD by healthcare professionals also contribute to health issues and safety concerns. This study reviewed existing literature on barriers to implementing harm reduction strategies in acute care hospitals. Three databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published from 2014 to 2024. After screening 987 articles, ten met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlighted challenges nurses and patients encounter in implementing harm reduction in acute care hospitals, including stigma, safety concerns, educational gaps, and clinician burnout. Addressing these challenges entails nurse education and organizational changes. While the current research provides some insights, further studies should examine standardizing care plans for individuals with SUD, healthcare agencies' roles in promoting harm reduction education, and nurses' perspectives to enhance harm reduction strategies in in-patient settings.
Keywords: nurses, substance use disorder, in-patient, harm reduction
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