The Ethics of Opiate Use in Health Care

THE ETHICS OF OPIATE USE IN HEALTH CARE
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The ethics of opiate use in health care
The opioid epidemic has been known as the worst drug crisis in American history. Devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic include the highest increases in opioid abuse and related overdoses, just as the rising frequency of babies encountering withdrawal syndrome due to opioid use and misuse during pregnancy. According to the moral framework of Care Ethics, medical practitioners should consider opioids as the last drug of choice for pain to prevent long term use, addiction and overdose to prescribed patients.
Ms. Z is a divorced, and a 40-year-old female was one of my patients admitted to cascade hospital with a diagnosis of major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Ms. Z had total Knee replacement surgery six months before this hospitalization. Oxycodone 5mg every four hour was presented to her by her Doctor. Ms. Z was consuming Oxycodone 5 mg and reported insufficient pain control with negative capability in caring for herself and her children. The usage of oxycodone by Ms. Z increased to 15mg for six months. However, after six-month, Ms. Z was unsuccessful in reducing her medication dose. Although she requested help so that she can discontinue the medicine. Ms. Z got admitted to the detox center for seven days then 14 days to drug rehabilitation. Ms. Z discharged home, but a few weeks later she became depressed, anxious, unhappy, craving for those medications, started cutting her arms and legs. Ms. Z brought to our hospital for treatment of depression, generalized anxiety, and self-harm. Ms. Z was a danger to herself; lost custody of her children and her job was at risk. Her boyfriend also refused to continue her relationship with her.
In Ms. Z's case, the moral framework of care ethics can be used. Opioids must be considered by medical practitioners as the last drug of choice for the pain to prevent overdoses, addiction, and usage to prescribed patients as per the moral framework of Care Ethics.
In Ms. Z's case, some of the moral principles were at risk. For considering decisions related to prescription of opioid, the physicians can consider the fundamental ethical principles of justice, respect for autonomy, nonmaleficence, and beneficence as they need to assure that the proper management and assessment of the pain of the patients is performed. Principle of nonmaleficence tells us to avoid risk (Munson & Lague, 2017, p. 934). Physicians who are prescribing opiate should educate patients and offer different therapy to control pain to prevent risks from long term use of opioid.
Premise One: If when the physicians gave Ms. Z oxycodone drug as a treatment for her condition, the benefits on its usage did not outweigh the harm caused by the drug then it was wrong. (According to the principle of nonmaleficence)
Premise Two: When the physicians gave Ms. Z oxycodone as a treatment for her condition, the benefits on its usage did not outweigh the harm caused by the drug.
Conclusion: Administration of oxycodone drug on Ms. Z may not have explored all the pain management options and other ethical issues but took into consideration one premise only, never abandon any pa...