Opioids and long-term pain management: nursing considerations
To be aware of the current evidence base for use of opioids in long-term pain management
To recognise the importance of opioid stewardship
To enhance your knowledge of best practice in optimising opioid management
Evidence suggests that opioids are no longer appropriate for long-term use in chronic non-malignant pain, due to lack of efficacy and risks to patients such as increasing tolerance and dependency, multiple physical side effects, mental health issues or even death from accidental overdose. This article considers the evidence on the appropriate use of opioids, and ways to safely implement and manage their long-term use. The author details best practice for nurses on subjects such as the use of opioids in the treatment of various types of pain, the principles of opioid stewardship, optimising the effects of opioids, and the risk of tolerance, dependency and dose escalation.
