Reflections
Let ’ s Talk About Opioid Use After Surgery By Katherine Onello
“ The pain the patient is describing does not match the surgery performed so let ’ s talk to him .” “ Reassessment of the pain is needed before any prescription is written .”
These were standard comments on the perioperative unit where I worked as a clinical assistant while in nursing school . The unit gave me hands on experience with taking vital signs , performing ECGs , transporting patients , and other foundational nursing skills . But one of the most vital skills I learned was how to talk with patients about pivotal points in their care , such as their opioid prescription and pain .
The opioid epidemic in America has raged for almost two decades without an end in sight . Healthcare professionals battle opioid overdoses daily , confronting 139 opioid deaths per day according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) in 2019 . This public health crisis puts a strain on providers even before the patient receives an opioid prescription .
Opioid addiction can be categorized as a hospital-acquired disease because of the over prescription from providers . When pain is considered the fifth vital sign , physicians feel the responsibility to treat pain , often turning to opioids . “ The consumerist pain rating system elevated pain as a leading quality measure , overshadowing actual medical quality ” ( Makary , 2021 ). But pain can be managed for minor surgeries , such as a laparoscopic operations , by patient education as well as non-opioid alternatives . If pain is not managed by these methods , getting to the root of the pain is imperative .
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