The Authors’ Own Words: Use of Risk Mitigation Practices by Family Nurse Practitioners Prescribing Opioids for the Management of Chronic Non-Malignant Pain

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Use of Risk Mitigation Practices by Family Nurse Practitioners Prescribing Opioids for the Management of Chronic Non-Malignant Pain

Sahil Chaudhary, BS(c) & Peggy Compton, RN, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 38, Iss. 1, 2017

“In 2014, opioid overdoses claimed 24,000 Americans leading the CDC to declare that the nation is in the midst of an “opioid epidemic”. Curbing this public health epidemic requires a multi-prong strategy. One significant prong of this response entails reforming opioid prescribing practices. Investigators and lawmakers have exhaustively examined the opioid prescribing practices of physicians, however, have paid little attention to the prescribing practices of nurse practitioners (NPs). Since NPs have prescriptive authority in most States, they not uncommonly prescribe opioids when treating chronic pain patients. This study is one of the first reports to identify and describe the opioid prescribing practices of NPs. Findings reveal that NPs must be included in conversations about reforming opioid prescribing practices.”