THIS COURSE COVERS : COURSE ELEMENTS INCLUDE :
• The immensity of the opioid crisis
• Common indications for opioid use : Acute pain , chronic pain and pain in advanced illness
• Individuals at risk for opioid misuse and opioid use disorder ( OUD )
• What professionals are doing to help turn the crisis around
• What everyone needs to know about who ’ s at risk and the risks of opioids themselves
• How controlled substance agreements work
• Signs and symptoms of opioid overdose and actions to take including information on naloxone
A second course is designed for clinicians and includes CE credit . In addition to emphasizing the exponential increase in use and how it turned into an epidemic , this course shows how increased screening and diagnosis of OUD and improved access to and use of Medication Assisted Treatment ( MAT ) are critical in making a positive impact on the opioid epidemic . MAT uses medications in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to treat substance use disorders .
“ We really see this as a social consciousness program , something that ’ s not meant to only stay within the four walls of a doctor ’ s office or healthcare facility .”
• Common indications for use of opioids
• How acute pain , if poorly managed , can transform into a chronic need for opioids
• Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) recommendations for management of acute and chronic pain
• Long-term effects of opioid use
• Assessment and identification of individuals at risk
• Signs and symptoms of overdose and naloxone use
• How to manage at-risk individuals
• Person-centered discussions
• Evidence-based treatments
• Controlled substance agreements
• Opioid use disorder management and follow-up
The second course sets the table for learners to obtain statistics that put the issue in stark relief in terms of size and scale . It ’ s a primer on what clinicians and providers need to know about who ’ s at risk and what those risks look like . It also points out that there is no set persona , or typical patient , when it comes to opioid addiction .
“ The spectrum of individuals who are affected by OUD can be adolescents to older adults ,” Newsholme explains .
“ It really can be anybody , so providers can ’ t just be on the lookout for one particular age group or gender . The average patient can quickly become addicted , so that complicates the issue as well .”
Debbie Newsholme Senior Director of Content Operations for HealthStream