Oral Presentations
Nonpharmacological Combatants to the Opioid Epidemic
Location
Room 208, Schewel Hall
Access Type
Open Access
Entry Number
11
Start Date
4-10-2019 1:15 PM
End Date
4-10-2019 1:30 PM
College
College of Health Sciences
Department
Nursing
Abstract
Background: The opioid epidemic has grown tremendously in the past two decades alone. The Joint Commission’s pain standards emphasize the need for pain management and encourage physicians to err on the side of prescribing, and in many cases prescribing in excess. In patients experiencing chronic pain, nurses may employ holistic measures, rather than using opioid medications, in order to treat pain.
Objectives: This study investigated nonpharmacological pain management techniques and their effectiveness in treating pain in patients with a variety of diagnoses.
Design: A literature review was performed, using Katharine Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory as a basis for determining therapeutic usage of the interventions.
Results: Alternative therapies are effective in managing their respective diagnoses, but patient perception and willingness to try the therapies is limited.
Conclusions: Many healthcare institutions are beginning to turn towards alternative and complementary therapies in order to reduce prescription rates of opioid medications. This is a task that needs to be shared by doctors and nurses in order to promote patient safety and the best outcomes of using these therapies.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Dr. Sara Hallowell Dr. Susan Braud Dr. Laura Kicklighter
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Nonpharmacological Combatants to the Opioid Epidemic
Room 208, Schewel Hall
Background: The opioid epidemic has grown tremendously in the past two decades alone. The Joint Commission’s pain standards emphasize the need for pain management and encourage physicians to err on the side of prescribing, and in many cases prescribing in excess. In patients experiencing chronic pain, nurses may employ holistic measures, rather than using opioid medications, in order to treat pain.
Objectives: This study investigated nonpharmacological pain management techniques and their effectiveness in treating pain in patients with a variety of diagnoses.
Design: A literature review was performed, using Katharine Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory as a basis for determining therapeutic usage of the interventions.
Results: Alternative therapies are effective in managing their respective diagnoses, but patient perception and willingness to try the therapies is limited.
Conclusions: Many healthcare institutions are beginning to turn towards alternative and complementary therapies in order to reduce prescription rates of opioid medications. This is a task that needs to be shared by doctors and nurses in order to promote patient safety and the best outcomes of using these therapies.