The fight for reinstatement: Advocating for early opportunities for excluded health care professionals battling opioid use disorder
I’ll begin by saying that I have a diagnosis of opioid use disorder (OUD) secondary to PTSD. I began diverting Norco from a pharmacy with which my hospice company had a contract. At the time, I had access to various narcotics as an RN case manager, which was quite concerning. This environment became a breeding Read more… The fight for reinstatement: Advocating for early opportunities for excluded health care professionals battling opioid use disorder originally appeared in KevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - June 28, 2023 Category: General Medicine Authors: Tags: Policy Nursing Source Type: blogs

A few slow-paced breaths are enough to significantly reduce physiological stress
Welcome to a new edition of SharpBrains’ e‑newsletter, sharing important brain & mental health news plus a couple fun brain teasers to test your mental self-rotation skills. #1. Study: Education and lifestyle helped over a million older Americans avoid serious cognitive problems in 2017 Let’s kickstart 2022 with some good news: “The prevalence of serious cognitive problems in the US population aged 65 and older declined from 12.2% to 10.0% between 2008 and 2017. Had the prevalence remained at the 2008 levels, there would have been an additional 1.13 million older Americans with serious cognitive problems in 201...
Source: SharpBrains - January 31, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health SharpBrains Monthly eNewsletter Technology & Innovation ADHD-medication Akili Interactive APA Big Health Breathing Cognitive Neuroscience cognitive problems consumer technology digital therapeutics Headspace He Source Type: blogs

On schools, mental health, digital surveillance, student privacy and parental input
Op-Ed: School surveillance on students’ laptops will not help solve the youth mental health crisis (Los Angeles Times): In the past year, school districts in California and elsewhere have contracted with digital surveillance companies to spy on students at school and home, citing the need for mental health support during the pandemic. Despite being a vigilant and involved parent, I found out only recently that my own kids, who attend high school in the Corona-Norco Unified School District, have been under constant digital surveillance for the past year. Gaggle.net has a contract with Corona-Norco to monitor email account...
Source: SharpBrains - January 5, 2022 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Technology & Innovation digital surveillance Gaggle mental health crisis Neuroethics Neurotechnology parental notification Source Type: blogs

Misguided Opioid Narrative Takes On More Water
Jeffrey A. SingerThe seemingly unsinkable prevailing narrative that the opioid overdose crisis was caused by health care practitioners ‘hooking” their pain patients on opioids just took on more water.Researchers in the surgery departments at Case Western Reserve University, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and American University of Antigua College of Medicine expected that opioids used to manage pain in trauma patients would lead to a  higher rate of injury‐​related deaths—including the subcategories of suicide, homicide, and “unintentional deaths” (a leading cause of which is drug overdoses). Using sta...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - April 6, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs

Opioid Policymakers Keep Tilting at Windmills, Striking Patients in the Process
Jeffrey A. SingerThe American Psychological Association Dictionary of Psychologydefines“denial” as “adefense mechanism in which unpleasant thoughts, feelings, wishes, or events are ignored or excluded from conscious awareness. It may take such forms as refusal to acknowledge the reality of a terminal illness, a financial problem, an addiction, or a partner ’s infidelity…”Many policymakers, including many in Congress, remain in a state of denial about the true cause of the overdose crisis:drug prohibition.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’s October 4, 2020provisional report on...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - October 15, 2020 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs

One-Stop Pain Control for Trimalleolar Fractures
​The incidence of all ankle fractures is about 187 cases per 100,000 people each year. Trimalleolar fractures occur in seven to 11 percent of those cases. (Orthop J Sports Med. 2019;7[11 Suppl 6]; https://bit.ly/3eQ4lRl.) Trimalleolar fractures involve the lateral and medial malleolus and the distal posterior aspect of the tibia (sometimes called the posterior malleolus).These fractures are serious and often unstable. They typically but not always need urgent or even emergent surgery. Often, they are reduced with a closed reduction prior to surgery. We suggest using a hematoma block to assist with pain control during...
Source: The Procedural Pause - July 1, 2020 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs

The opioid crisis is real. But so is pain.
“I’m not impressed with his pain.”“I only give Norco if I see a bone sticking out.”“She says her pain is a 10/10 but…” On any given shift in the emergency room, I hear some version of these said by residents or fellow attendings. And whenever I hear these phrases, I think to […]Find jobs at  Careers by KevinMD.com.  Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.  Learn more. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 18, 2020 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/jessica-badwards" rel="tag" > Jessica Badwards, MD < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Emergency Medicine Pain Management Source Type: blogs

Changes To EHR Presets Can Lower Number Of Opioid Pills Prescribed
Part of a growing body of evidence putting EHRs at the center of opioid use reduction efforts, a new study has concluded that small changes to EHR presets can lower the number of opioid pills physicians prescribe. This is particularly interesting when thinking back to the Practice Fusion opioid kickbacks we wrote about last week. […] (Source: EMR and HIPAA)
Source: EMR and HIPAA - February 4, 2020 Category: Information Technology Authors: Anne Zieger Tags: Analytics/Big Data C-Suite Leadership Clinical EMR-EHR Healthcare IT Hospital - Health System Chronic Opioid Therapy EHR Opioid Tracking EHR Presets Highland Hospital Norco Opioid Prescriptions Opioid Research Oxycodone Percoce Source Type: blogs

Signs of Opioid Withdrawal
Opioid withdrawal is one of the more uncomfortable parts of treatment, but it is one of the most important. There are many signs of opioid withdrawal, the length and severity of which can vary from person to person. However, each detox experience almost always includes strong cravings. Symptoms can be mild, such as sweating and yawning, while others can become more serious, like severe anxiety and depression. Opioid withdrawal can look like a scary experience; one that could deter people from getting the help they need. The good news is that it doesn’t need to be fought alone, and there are resources available to make i...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - December 6, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Recovery Detox Resources for Alcohol and Drugs/Opiates drug detox medical detox medicated-assisted detox opioid opioids prescription drug detox withdrawal withdrawal symptoms Source Type: blogs

What are the Withdrawal Symptoms from Vicodin?
Withdrawal can occur after the discontinuation of any drug. There are many stages of withdrawal symptoms as your body works to adjust. Depending on the length and severity of the addiction, these symptoms can range from mild to debilitating. Opioid withdrawal can be particularly difficult. If you are thinking about getting help for a Vicodin addiction, it is important to know what to expect and how to ease your withdrawal symptoms from Vicodin. What is Vicodin? According to Drugs.com, Vicodin contains a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is an opioid pain medication. An opioid is sometimes called a ...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - November 28, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Recovery Drug Rehab Information Drug Treatment Painkiller drug detox prescription drug abuse prescription drug abuse prevention and treatment act prescription drug addiction prescription drug detox prescription drugs prescrip Source Type: blogs

What Are Opioid Overdose Signs?
On average, 130 Americans die from an opioid overdose every day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers opioid overdose an epidemic in the United States, estimating it responsible for nearly 68 percent of 70,000 drug-related deaths in 2017. Understanding the effects of opioids can prevent opioid overdose, and knowing the opioid overdose signs can save lives. What Are Opioids? Opioids are a class of drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. Opioid drugs reduce pain by binding to opioid receptors in your brain, spinal cord and other areas of the body, creating morphine-like effects. The CDC ide...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - November 21, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Heroin Painkiller Substance Abuse drug overdose opiate opiate abuse opiate addiction opiates opioid opioids Source Type: blogs

What is the Definition of “Opioid”?
What is the Definition of “Opioid”? The definition of opioid is as follows: Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, and many others. Opioids work by interacting with the opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain. By interacting with these receptors, opioids medications are able to cut off communication between the pain point on the body to the brain. This chemical interaction gives it’s users pain relief that is too great for over-t...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - November 15, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction to Pharmaceuticals fentanyl heroin heroin addiction opiate opiate abuse opiate addiction opiates opioid opioids Source Type: blogs

I ’ve prescribed opioids to patients. And I’m not a villain.
You ’ve probably heard this one in one format or another: kid gets wisdom teeth yanked, dentist prescribes a handful of Vicodin, next thing you know, he’s on the street busking for change to pay the man for the big H. Meanwhile, the dentist is on cruises paid by Big Pharma and taking kickbacks from his […]Find jobs at  Careers by KevinMD.com.  Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.  Learn more. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - November 13, 2019 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/william-c-donlon" rel="tag" > William C. Donlon, DMD, MD < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Pain Management Source Type: blogs

Vicodin Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline and Treatment
What is Vicodin and What Does It Do? According to MedicineNet, Vicodin is a combination of Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is a narcotic pain-reliever and a cough suppressant, similar to codeine. Hydrocodone blocks the receptors on nerve cells in the brain that give rise to the sensation of pain. Acetaminophen is a non-narcotic pain reliever and fever reducer. Acetaminophen works by elevating the threshold to pain. Essentially, in order for pain to be felt, s greater stimulation of the nerves responsible for the sensation of pain is necessary. It reduces fever through its action on the temperature-regulating ce...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - October 30, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Addiction Recovery Detox Resources for Alcohol and Drugs/Opiates Drug Rehab Information Drug Treatment anxiety in withdrawal vicodin withdrawal symptoms Source Type: blogs

Withdrawal from Vicodin
Your Guide to Vicodin Addiction and Vicodin Withdrawal Hydrocodone (also known by the brand name Vicodin®) has been the second-most commonly encountered opioid pharmaceutical in drug evidence since 2009, as reported by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Withdrawal from Vicodin can vary in length and symptoms depending on the length and severity of the addiction. Vicodin is relatively easy to obtain and is perceived as safe when prescribed by a medical professional. If the drug is taken as prescribed for a limited time, Vicodin withdrawal symptoms will be either minimal or nonexistent. However, Vicodin is considere...
Source: Cliffside Malibu - October 28, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: Jaclyn Uloth Tags: Addiction Recovery Drug Treatment Painkiller Substance Abuse painkillers prescription drug abuse prescription drug addiction prescription drug detox prescription drug use prescription drugs prescription medication prescription pills Source Type: blogs