Abstract

Opioids are powerful analgesics, typically reserved for severe pain, such as intraoperative and postoperative pain. They are a valuable asset in pain control but have significant risk for addiction and abuse. Most patients are not educated on the risks, benefits, and alternatives to opioids and the majority of patients report never having a discussion regarding opioids with any healthcare provider prior to surgery. Often, patients are initially introduced to opioids for surgical and postoperative pain control. Unfortunately, this can lead to opioid abuse and addiction.

A 55-year-old female with right hip pain presented for a total hip arthroplasty. Risks and benefits of anesthesia for informed consent were addressed as usual, but no focused conversation related to postoperative pain control occurred. The patient received opioids intraoperatively as well as a prescription for opioids postoperatively. There was no discussion of the risks and benefits of opioids for pain control, including the risk for addiction and abuse.

Could preoperative education on the postoperative use of opioids decrease the risk of addiction postoperatively in surgical patients?

Hunter Tinnell

Author Details

Hunter Tinnell, BSN

Sigma Membership

Non-member

Lead Author Affiliation

Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Type

DNP Capstone Project

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Case Study/Series

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

Preoperative Education, Pain Medication, Opioid Addiction, Pain Management

Advisor

Herbinger, Lisa

Degree

Doctoral-Other

Degree Grantor

Samford University

Degree Year

2023

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Self-submission

Date of Issue

2023-02-08

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