scholarly journals Assessing Patients’ Risk for Opioid Use Disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 343-352
Author(s):  
Barbara St. Marie

Opioid use disorder and opioid misuse continue to increase rapidly in prevalence in North America. Nurses play a critical role in managing pain in patients who are at risk for opioid use disorder. The interplay of pain and opioid use disorder provides nurses with an opportunity to address urgent needs while treating patients across the continuum of care. This article reviews strategies for assessing risk for opioid use disorder while treating patients with pain. Implementing these approaches into daily nursing practice may improve patient care and help reduce the incidence of opioid use disorder.

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 356-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadeu A. Fantaneanu ◽  
Claire S. Jacobs ◽  
Claudio De Gusmao ◽  
Ann M. Bergin ◽  
Tracey A. Milligan ◽  
...  

We present a novel epilepsy fellow–driven transfer clinic model and discuss the challenges experienced in finding sustainability; this is timely as many pioneering transition clinics are dissolving across North America. The goal of this clinic was to improve patient care and satisfaction, as measured by a post-visit telephone survey. Unfortunately, our transfer clinic model proved unsustainable due to several factors, broadly categorized as (1) cultural-societal differences between the pediatric and adult health care environments, (2) staffing issues, (3) lack of an established standardized process for transfer of care, and (4) financial and administrative barriers. We suggest potential solutions to these challenges, but the fate of transition and transfer of care clinics may ultimately depend on implementation of practice, policy, and/or financial guidelines.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. e045402
Author(s):  
Caroline King ◽  
Robert Arnold ◽  
Emily Dao ◽  
Jennifer Kapo ◽  
Jane Liebschutz ◽  
...  

IntroductionManagement of opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD) among individuals with serious illness is an important yet understudied issue. Palliative care clinicians caring for individuals with serious illness, many of whom may live for months or years, describe a complex tension between weighing the benefits of opioids, which are considered a cornerstone of pain management in serious illness, and serious opioid-related harms like opioid misuse and OUD. And yet, little literature exists to inform the management of opioid misuse and OUDs among individuals with serious illness. Our objective is to provide evidence-based management guidance to clinicians caring for individuals with serious illness who develop opioid misuse or OUD.Methods and analysisWe chose a modified Delphi approach, which is appropriate when empirical evidence is lacking and expert input must be used to shape clinical guidance. We sought to recruit 60 clinicians with expertise in palliative care, addiction or both to participate in this study. We created seven patient cases that capture important management challenges in individuals with serious illness prescribed opioid therapy. We used ExpertLens, an online platform for conducting modified Delphi panels. Participants completed three rounds of data collection. In round 1, they rated and commented on the appropriateness of management choices for cases. In round 2, participants reviewed and discussed their own and other participants’ round 1 numerical responses and comments. In round 3 (currently ongoing), participants again reviewed rounds 1 and 2, and are allowed to change their final numerical responses. We used ExpertLens to automatically identify whether there is consensus, or disagreement, among responses in panels. Only round 3 responses will be used to assess final consensus and disagreement.Ethics and disseminationThis project received ethical approval from the University of Pittsburgh’s Institutional Review Board (study 19110301) and the RAND Institutional Research Board (study 2020-0142). Guidance from this work will be disseminated through national stakeholder networks to gain buy-in and endorsement. This study will also form the basis of an implementation toolkit for clinicians caring for individuals with serious illness who are at risk of opioid misuse or OUD.


Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 144 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Weissman ◽  
Mariam Bramah Lawani ◽  
Thomas Rohan ◽  
Clifton W CALLAWAY

Introduction: Pneumonia is common after OHCA but is difficult to diagnose in the first 72 hours following ROSC, this results in early untargeted antibiotic administration based on non-specific imaging and laboratory findings. Antibiotic resistance is rising, is influenced by untargeted antibiotic administration, and can increase patient morbidity and mortality as well as healthcare costs. Precision methods of bacterial pathogen detection in OHCA patients are needed to improve patient care. This proof-of-concept pilot study aimed to assess feasibility of bacterial pathogen sequencing and comparability of sequencing results to clinical culture after OHCA. Methods: Blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) were obtained from residual clinical specimens collected within 12 hours of ROSC. Bacterial DNA was extracted using the Qiagen PowerLyzer PowerSoil DNA kit, sequenced using the MinION nanopore sequencer, and analyzed with Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ EPI2ME bioinformatics software. Sequencing results were compared to culture results using McNemar’s chi-square statistic. Study-defined pneumonia was based on presence of at least two characteristics within 72 hours of ROSC: fever (temperature ≥38°C); persistent leukocytosis >15,000 or leukopenia <3,500 for 48 hours; persistent chest radiography infiltrates for 48 hours per clinical radiology read; bacterial pathogen cultured. Results: We enrolled 38 consecutive OHCA subjects: mean age 61.8 years (18.0); 16 (42%) female; 25 (66%) White, 7 (18%) Black, 6 (16%) “Other” race; 7 subjects (18%) survived and 31 (82%) died; 16 (42%) subjects had pneumonia. Sequencing results were available in 12 hours while culture results were available in 48-72 hours after collection. There was a non-significant difference in the proportion of the same pathogens identified for each method per McNemar’s chi-square: p = 0.38, difference of 0.095 (-0.095, 0.286). Conclusions: Nanopore sequencing detects pathogenic bacteria comparable to clinical microbiologic culture and in less time. This technology can produce a paradigm shift in early bacterial pathogen detection in OHCA survivors, which can improve patient care. The technology is applicable to other patient populations and for viral and fungal pathogens.


2021 ◽  
pp. 875647932110668
Author(s):  
Amanda Hogan ◽  
Natalie Ullmer

Encephaloceles are considered neural tube defects, but their exact cause is unknown. The outcome is dismal, and essential management and counseling are needed for patients. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional sonography can be used to detect encephaloceles as early as 11 weeks, assist in treatment planning, and improve patient care. This case report presents an occipital encephalocele diagnosed by sonography and followed until delivery.


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