From the articles we have been reading this week, here are 3 tips for managing pain and using opioids safely.
#1 Tip for Managing Pain and Using Opioids Safely – Premier Safety Institute new toolkit helps providers manage pain, curb opioid use
Premier Safety Institute, which is “a healthcare alliance of more than 3,000 U.S. hospitals and 110,000 other providers working together to improve healthcare quality and affordability” recently issued a toolkit to help providers manage pain and curb opioid use.
According to HealthData Management, the new toolkit is a result of a survey of its members:
“A Premier survey of members found a heavy focus on conducting patient assessments with standardized tools upon admission to evaluate pain levels, and to conduct more staff and clinician education on safe opioid use and alternative pain relief methods.
“Many Premier members also are looking for technology tools that support decision support, patient alerts, best practices for prescribing and continuous electronic monitoring of patient-controlled analgesia to reduce or eliminate pain sensation, according to the organization.”
#1 Tip for #Managing Pain and Using #Opioids Safely - @SafetyInstitute new toolkit helps providers manage pain, curb #opioid use #patientsafety Click To Tweet#2 Tip for Managing Pain and Using Opioids Safely – Exercise caution when prescribing opioids to patients with musculoskeletal conditions
A study by Brian D. Sites, MD, MS (Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center) et. al., “Prescription Opioid Use and Satisfaction With Care Among Adults With Musculoskeletal Conditions” found:
Among patients with musculoskeletal conditions, those using prescription opioids are more likely to be highly satisfied with their care.
However, in discussing the Sites study, the National Pan Report cautions clinicians about increase their prescriptions of opioids to patients with musculoskeletal conditions, if increasing patient satisfaction is the objective:
“Although opioids may be expected to offer patients with musculoskeletal conditions improved pain control, patients taking opioids in this study had more pain and worse health and disability than those taking limited or no opioids, suggesting a more complex picture.”
#2 Tip for Managing #Pain and Using #Opioids Safely - Exercise caution when prescribing opioids to patients with musculoskeletal conditions #patientsafety Click To Tweet#3 Tip for Managing Pain and Using Opioids Safely- Using intravenous acetaminophen may reduce hospital length of stay in adolescents undergoing posterior spinal fusion
According to a study published in the Clinical Journal of Pain, using intravenous acetaminophen may reduce hospital length of stay in adolescents undergoing posterior spinal fusion:
“Postoperative management of adolescents undergoing posterior spinal fusion surgery with intravenous acetaminophen may have an opioid-sparing effect resulting from a reduced hospital length of stay.”
#3 Tip for Managing #Pain and Using #Opioids Safely- Using IV acetaminophen may reduce hospital length of stay #patientsafety Click To Tweet