Patient interview

How to ask about drug use

Other platforms explain it with text and video. In VMS you practice it on the patient.

MD / DOPANursing (NCLEX)EMS (NREMT)
Practice it in VR with Blocky

Drug use questions belong in every history. Neutral wording and confidentiality keep patients safe and honest.

Step by step

  1. Explain confidentiality

    Say why you ask and that it stays in medical care. [1]

  2. Which substances

    Cannabis, opioids, stimulants, sedatives, prescription drugs not as prescribed. [2]

  3. How and how often

    Route (smoking, snorting, injecting), frequency, amount, last use. [2]

  4. Injection safety

    Shared needles, infections, abscesses, hepatitis and HIV testing. [2]

  5. Overdose

    Past overdoses and naloxone at home. [3]

  6. Impact and withdrawal

    Work, family, legal, withdrawal symptoms. [2]

  7. Readiness and plan

    Ask about goals and offer treatment and harm reduction. [4]

Common errors

Practice it in VMS

In VMS you do this on the patient, not on paper: every step goes on the checklist with a score, and in Teach mode Blocky tells you what comes next.

VMS cases that train this skill

12 VMS cases train this skill: open the case library

Sources

  1. AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs)
  2. NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint
  3. NASEMSO National Model EMS Clinical Guidelines
  4. AHRQ Health Literacy Universal Precautions Toolkit (Teach-Back)
  5. NBOME COMLEX-USA clinical presentations

Facts and steps follow NBOME COMLEX-USA clinical presentations; NCCPA PANCE Content Blueprint; AAMC Core Entrustable Professional Activities (Core EPAs). VMS is not affiliated with these organizations. Updated: 2026-10-11.