Nursing process care for elderly drug user

Abstract

Introduction: Worldwide, 296 million people use some type of drug, which translates into 5.8 % of the world's population between 15 and 64 years of age. Objective: Develop a nursing care process in a person who is a major drug user by employing the general theory of the Self-Care Deficit by Dorothea Orem. Methodology: Clinical case, using Dorothea Orem's assessment guide, completing the stages of the nursing care process, applying Pesut's clinical reasoning model that allows making way to the plan care, where the study followed ethical guidelines while respecting the rights of the participant.  Results: Person over 60 years of age, male, unemployed, collects cans on the street, lives by himself, does not undergo medical checks, understands his poor health status, uses legal drugs and is a former user of illicit drugs. Fourteen diagnosis labels emerged from the risk conditioning factors, of which 11 were according to reality and 3 were risky. According to the biopsychosocial status of the older person, the priority diagnoses of generalized deterioration of the older adult were planned, that is, generalized deterioration of the elderly, anxiety and suicide risk that allowed the development of PLACES establishing counseling, prevention and support interventions such as substance abuse prevention, sleep improvement and emotional support. Conclusion: The case study demonstrates that Orem's general theory of self-care deficit provides a fundamental basis for the nursing care process, allowing us to offer more individualized and structured care to the elderly.