Perianesthesia Patient Education for the Promotion of Opioid Stewardship

Opioid overdose deaths and opioid use disorders are a crisis in the United States and other western countries around the globe. Opioid prescriptions more than doubled after the turn of the century, particularly for postoperative patients. Unfortunately, many who have abused opioids were able to obtain those opioids from friends or family who had held on to prescribed, but unused opioids. One method to manage and decrease the opportunity for unused opioids to become black-market opioids is to educate patients and families regarding the safe use, safe storage, and proper disposal of unused prescription opioids.
Source: Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing - Category: Nursing Authors: Tags: Continuing Education Source Type: research