J Clinical Research and Reports Copy rights@Julius C. Daño. Auctores Publishing – Volume 2(4)-036 www.auctoresonline.org ISSN: 2690-1919 Page 8 The Journey of Drug Dependent Persons Cared by Jail Nurses Julius C. Daño Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Cebu Normal University, Philippines. *Corresponding author: Julius C. Daño, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Cebu Normal University, Philippines. Received date: February 01, 2020; Accepted date: February 10, 2020; published date: February 13, 2020 Citation: Julius C. Daño (2020) The Journey of Drug Dependent Persons Cared by Jail Nurses. J Clinical Research and Reports, 2(5); DOI:10.31579/2690-1919/036 Copyright: ©2020 Julius C. Daño. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Abstract Nurses are hired to care for drug dependents who undergone rehabilitation. These nurses do not have sufficient training to care for the drug dependents. Having exposed to an environment where nurses are not competent in drug-dependent care may cause the drug-dependent persons to react and behave differently. Hence, this study is would like to explore live experience of drug- dependent persons cared by nurses in drug rehabilitation centers. Utilizing qualitative research design specifically the descriptive phenomenological approach, the investigation revealed the following interpretive themes which aroused from their lived experiences: (a) concerned/thoughtful nurse emanates from counselling, instructing, and solicitous nurse, (b) upholding professionalism that stems from safeguarding care, warranting care, and comforting care, (c) depicting a robust behaviour that derives from reinforcing, ranting and raspy behaviour, and (d) dedicated nurse that comes from devoted, steadfast, and warm- heartedness. These lived experiences of drug-dependents shows the significant essences that may convey drug-dependent persons being cared by jail nurses. Key words: drug-dependents; jail nurses; qualitative case study; purposive sampling; semi-structured interviews Introduction Background and Rationale of the Study Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences to the drug addict and those around them. Drug addiction is a brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain (WebMD, 2016). One of the popular drugs that cause addictions in the Philippines is Amphetamine which also includes methamphetamine It is a powerful stimulants that can produce feelings of euphoria and alertness and its effects are particularly long- lasting and harmful to the brain. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2014), drug addiction may affect the body of the users that eventually cause them to suffer lung or cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and mental disorders. Many of the Filipinos are not aware why many people are hooked to drugs and how the drugs affect the brain in order to foster uncontrollable drug use. Some of the Filipinos view the drug dependents as morally weak and they see it as a social problem. Others even believed that drug dependents can just stop using it and change their behaviour of drug use. However, there are so much to know the complexity of drug use and how to stop it. It is not merely just willpower but more is expected. With the high rise of drug addiction, the Philippine government boldly launched the crusade to eliminate the production, distribution and use of drugs in the country. The social media (facebook, twitter, instagram,) reports resonates the movement of eliminating the illegal drug traders and users either to surrender or be killed. The Philippine newspaper reported that this drug users and drug peddlers became victims of shoot-out and summary execution by the policemen and unknown gunmen (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2016). The results of these campaign against the drug users and drug peddlers causes a rise of mortality particularly those who are in the watch-list of the Philippine National Police through the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency. The moved of the government causes the many drug-dependents to surrender to authorities and voluntarily submitted themselves for treatment and rehabilitation. In the treatment and rehabilitation of these surrendering drug dependent persons, one of the care providers that assist them in the recovery are the nurses. Naegle (2006) describe nurses as uniquely positioned to deliver interventions for drug use, abuse and dependence. However, nurses dealing with drug-dependents in the rehabilitation centers lack the exposure in handling them properly. These nurses hired to work with the drug-dependents in the rehabilitation centers do not have enough experience in dealing them. In their nursing education, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) memorandum order no 14 provides competencies for clinical/hospital and community based nursing particularly dealing with sick and well individual, family and communities. But sad to note that experience handling with drug- dependents were not emphasized. Having exposed to an environment where nurses are not competent in drug-dependent care may cause the drug-dependent persons to react and behave differently. It is assumed that the goal of helping the drug-dependents to be treated and rehabilitated will become in jeopardy. The drug dependent perceptions maybe affected to some degree if nurses are not ready to care for this drug dependent persons and they may feel strange in what is like dealing with these nurses. Hence, this study is would like to explore live experience of drug-dependent persons cared by nurses in drug rehabilitation center in order to understand the care provided by these nurses. The result of the study would be used in designing and conceptualizing nursing care plans in caring drug dependent persons as well as develop a theory to guide nursing practice. Open Access Research Article Journal of Clinical Research and Reports Julius C. Daño AUCTORES Globalize your Research