The Nashville-based Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia has restructured its program to reduce opioid usage in the operating room, according to Nashville Public Radio.
Here's what you need to know:
1. The school emphasizes nerve blocks, rather than opioids, for procedural pain management. Anesthesiologist David Edwards, MD, told Nashville Public Radio that although nerve blocks are effective, some have been hesitant to use them, in part because they require more monitoring — necessitating a larger medical team.
2. For postoperative pain management, the school promotes the use of non-opioid oral medications, like ibuprofen.
3. The Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia trains the majority of nurse anesthetists in the region.