The Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN) represents nurses who have advanced organizational, prioritization, assessment and communication skills and are leaders in coordinating care among the interprofessional health care team.
Medical-surgical nursing is practiced in several settings across the health care industry, including hospitals, outpatient settings, in homes, via telemedicine and other non-traditional settings. As the only national professional organization representing the voice of medical-surgical nursing, our strategic mission for patients and their access to high-quality, affordable health care includes continuing focus on addressing America’s opioid crisis.
Medical-surgical nurses work with patients in every state of life - including their most vulnerable moments. Addiction to opioids or other substances affects a person’s health and dramatically shapes their treatment. But because of stigma about opioid use disorder (OUD), concern about treatment, or lack of access because of significant treatment gaps in America, many people do not get the treatment they need to move to recovery.
Evidence-based policy improves lives and outcomes, reduces costs
Health policy, health care delivery and payment systems should support evidence-based treatment for persons with OUD. The 2020 Office of National Drug Control Policy National Treatment Strategy recommends closing the treatment gap through early intervention, improving treatment delivery systems, and improving substance use disorder treatment itself.