AANA stands in support of Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week: 3 notes

The American Association of Nurse Anesthetists stands in support of national Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week.

President Barack Obama released a presidential proclamation regarding the education initiative last Friday, in which he stated: "During Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, we pause to remember all those we have lost to opioid use disorder, we stand with the courageous individuals in recovery, and we recognize the importance of raising awareness of this epidemic."

Here's what you need to know about AANA's stance:

1. A major contribution to the opioid epidemic is overprescribing, according to AANA President Cheryl Nimmo, a certified registered nurse anesthetist. She notes that overprescribing can lead to drug overuse or resale of unused products.

2. Patients may benefit from opioids used in combination with other pain management techniques. This multimodal approach can offer more effective pain management, while also reducing risk of opioid dependence.

3. CNRAs in the association encourage a diverse pain management strategy, which may combine regional anesthesia, peripheral nerve blocks and non-pharmacologic approaches, along with other surgical, psychological or behavioral techniques.

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