Answer

Josie Bellings Case Study

This paper discusses Josie’s case study by answering how alprazolam functions and why Josie became addicted to it.  The areas covered in the paper are how alprazolam works and what makes it addictive, special considerations for Josie as a registered Nurse, and rules and regulations in Florida for impaired nurses.

How Alprazolam Works and What Makes it Addictive

Alprazolam is utilized in treating anxiety and panic disorders, and it functions by reducing abnormal elation in the brain. Another brand name for alprazolam is Xanax, a benzodiazepinethat operates on the brain and nerves to generate a calming effect (Ait-Daoud et al., 2018). Alprazolam functions by boosting the impacts of a particular natural chemical in the body called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). When a person experiences extreme anxiety, the brain raises specific nerve signals that trigger sentiments of uneasiness. During this moment, the brain generates a varying quantity of chemical signals, rising brain action, sensations of fear and anxiety, and limiting the capability to calm the mind. Alprazolam functions by producing a calming impact by affecting the effects of GABA, a naturally- stirring chemical in the brain. Alprazolam works by attaching to these receptors and fueling its signals.  

There are two main routes for the development of alprazolam addiction. The first way is when a person chooses to use alprazolam for recreational objectives and ultimately develops an addiction. Some individuals use alprazolam as a party drug for its sedative impacts (Ait-Daoud et al., 2018). The second method is when persons get an alprazolam prescription like in Josie’s case for legitimate medical motives, managing their anxiety. However, a danger when it comes to alprazolam is mixing it with another substance. Alprazolam and alcohol are a precarious combination.  A person like Josies with alcohol addiction leads to overdosing because both substances are central nervous system depressants. Hence they slow down the body’s processes such as movement and breathing.

Special Considerations for Josie as a Registered Nurse

Josie has special considerations because, under the Florida Mandatory Reporting Law, all certified nurses must report any supposed impairment to the IPN or the health department. Suppose the impaired nurse reports herself or reported by others only to the IPN and consents to engage in the IPN and fruitfully finishes the program. In that case, the treatment is held in secret and not notified to the health department, so no disciplinary action is taken (Smith & Greene, 2015). So, Josie’s psychiatric nurse practitioner should report her to the IPN monitoring program. The benefit of IPN is that it takes prompt action in eliminating a possibly unsafe nurse from the practice instead of the conventional investigation and castigate procedure that can take months and might only happen after actual harm has occurred. For a nurse, the ability to get assistance whereas retaining her license and upholding the likelihood of returning to the workplace gives a substantial motivation, as does the capacity to preserve their names from being made public.

Rules and Regulations in Florida for Impaired Nurses

The Florida Nurse Practice Act outlines the standards for the extent of nursing practice in a broad spectrum of care.  Florida State was the first state to provide a program targeted mainly at meeting the complex needs of nurses suffering from substance abuse through a Florida Intervention Project for Nurses (IPN). It does not fall under the board of nursing (BON) domain, and a nurse might successfully finish the program minus the board being informed. Nurses who partake in the IPN will get a systematic system that comprises evaluations, treatment interventions, and continuing monitoring (Lockwood, 2018). Only when the nurse declines to engage or displays no progress is that an ensuing report is filed to the Department of Health. If a nurse is found culpable three separate times of drug abuse breaches, he or she will lose their license permanently.

In conclusion, this paper has effectively discussed Josie’s case study by covering three areas including the functioning and addictive nature of alprazolam, special considerations for a registered nurse, and regulations and rules governing impaired nurses in Florida.