The office of the Surgeon General has just released its first ever report on addiction in America. The report, Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, addresses this public health crisis in our country and offers a way forward which is rooted in the latest scientific evidence. In his preface to the report, the US Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, M.D., M.B.A. opens with the following:
"Before I assumed my position as U.S. Surgeon General, I stopped by the hospital where I had worked since my residency training to say goodbye to my colleagues. I wanted to thank them, especially the nurses, whose kindness and guidance had helped me on countless occasions. The nurses had one parting request for me. If you can only do one thing as Surgeon General, they said, please do something about the addiction crisis in America. I have not forgotten their words."
Voices like yours make a difference. It is encouraging to see this report and APNA encourages all nurses to review it. Remember, APNA also offers this series of free webinars which seek to provide all nurses with evidence-based knowledge to address the opioid use epidemic.