Part 1 The Ethical Responsibility to Manage Pain and the Suffering it Causes

I was reading an ANA Position Statement providing ethical guidance and support to nurses as they fulfill their responsibility to provide optimal care to persons experiencing pain. We in the workers’ compensation industry have participated fully in the national debate on the (in)appropriate use of opioids for pain management. [...]

2020-06-18T13:04:09-05:00May 15th, 2019|

Medication Assisted Treatment vs. 12 Step – Is it only One or the Other?

Are you a proponent for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder?  Do you believe that a 12 Step Program should not incorporate MAT?  Is  addiction is a voluntary disorder in your opinion? There was a very interesting article posted today on MedScape for Nurses, titled "Opioid Crisis [...]

2020-06-18T13:18:19-05:00April 7th, 2017|

Missouri PDMP Bill – Are we almost there yet?

According to the National Safety Council, Missouri’s legislature is again mired in debate over implementation of a proposed prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). As a past Missouri native, this reluctance to implement a PDMP is distressing. PDMPs are databases designed to track prescribing and dispensing of controlled prescription drugs. [...]

2020-06-18T13:19:00-05:00February 14th, 2017|

Does Nonmedical Abuse of Opioids Lead to Heroin Abuse?

  I have been doing some research for an upcoming presentation and for a research paper for an organization I recently joined.  Everything I have been reading lately points to concerns that decreased opioid prescribing will lead to an increase in heroin abuse.  I have shared this information in numerous talks [...]

2020-06-18T13:16:24-05:00February 17th, 2016|

Chronic Pain and Opioids – Part 6

A Prescription for Disaster – A Need to Educate the Injured Worker We have all been prescribed a controlled prescription drug after a dental procedure, or when we sustain some type of injury. We get the prescription filled, use a few of the pills and then store the remainder of [...]

2020-06-18T13:17:48-05:00November 14th, 2015|

Chronic Pain and Opioids – Part 5

PDMP & Evidence Based Guidelines – Designing Opioid Protocols for Case Management What is a PDMP?  Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs collect, monitor, and analyze electronically transmitted prescribing and dispensing data submitted by pharmacies and dispensing practitioners. The data is used to support states’ efforts in education, research, enforcement and abuse [...]

2020-06-18T13:15:14-05:00November 14th, 2015|

Chronic Pain and Opioids – Part 4

Focusing on functional improvement vs. “Healing the pain” Traditionally when the injured worker reports pain, the first impulse is to “heal that pain”.  It is just human nature isn’t it?  When our kids fall, we kiss their “boo boos” don’t we?  When our friends are hurting, our first impulse [...]

2020-06-18T13:15:23-05:00November 14th, 2015|
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