Overview

This e-learning course will help learners to identify the signs that service users are using illegal drugs or misusing legal drugs such as alcohol. The course will enable learners to provide people in their care with more effective guidance and non-judgmental advice about ways of tackling their issues.

The course is broken down into 3 bite-sized units with the following titles:

• Types of drug and their effects
• Why people use drugs and how to identify the signs
• Awareness at work

Objectives

On completion of this course learners will be able to:

• Define the word ‘drug’
• List the main types of drug
• Explain the basics of how drugs affect brain chemistry
• Describe some of the commonly used drugs and their effects
• Understand the risks involved in taking different drugs
• Identify the effects of combining ‘social’ drugs with medication
• Describe ways of providing helpful non-judgmental support
• Explain why risk assessments are helpful and important
• Advise service users on how to minimise the risks of misusing drugs
• Understand the legal implications of drug use
• Access the appropriate support services users might need
• Clarify their own attitudes regarding people who use drugs or misuse alcohol
• Identify patterns of drug use and be able to differentiate between them
• Understand the reasons why people use drugs
• Describe the signs to look out for if they suspect a service user is either misusing or withdrawing from drugs.