I use the “single story” concept and talk about how patients with addiction/substance use (SU) history are often marginalized and treated poorly. I write a script from the perspective of a nurse who is acting judgmentally (and unethically) toward a patient with SU. For example, poorly informed nurses are reluctant to offer patients pain medication with the reasoning that they do not want to “feed the patient’s addiction”. I assign articles about this like “Harm reduction as an approach to ethical nursing care of people who use illicit substances.”

Some from the patient’s perspective about how they are treated (or mistreated), and some educational about how to properly care for these patients. We could role-play appropriate actions and the nurse’s ethical duty to provide equitable care for all people. Often substance users are those with socioeconomic barriers and challenges who are marginalized.

In my bachelor’s program, I followed a public health nurse who worked with new mothers who were in recovery from substance use and it really opened my eyes and gave me compassion for what these people have experienced that led them to substance use in the first place. I usually share that story with students and tell them that we have an opportunity to be ambassadors for healthcare because these patients are often fearful about entering into healthcare. But if we can look them in the eye, treat them respectfully, and meet their needs as possible, we can give them hope and a better perspective on getting appropriate treatment.