Providers supposedly under prescribing

[djmatte, ADN, MSN, RN, NP]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2019/04/24/opioid-pain-pills-crackdown-doctors-prescriptions-cdc-fda/3562373002/

Read through this the other day. What's everyone's thoughts on the opioid epidemic and current prescribing habits? Have we truly swung the pendulum the other direction to the point we aren't adequately treating pain? Or are we simply being more reasonable on who we find appropriate for these therapies? I'll be the first to admit I'm exceptionally cautious on who I get on opiates and have never started someone on long term therapy to date.

I do find it concerning where in recent years, we've gone from "you prescribe to much", to "we're going to monitor everyone's activities through maps", to arrests, and now to "you aren't prescribing enough".

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I care for chronically ill (dialysis dependent) pts. They are all VERY sick. I do Rx narcotics frequently. I always follow the "rules" in my state as to documentation regarding the controlled substance website, the amt, the med, etc..

Yes, in some cases I do think we have swung the other way, especially when talking about acute pain (which is what I usually am treating). I rarely give >30 of any controlled substance but as I see my pts weekly, I easily have the availability to discuss their pain control.

[PMHNP Man, MSN, APRN, NP]

I do believe we are now opioid shy.

So if I had back problems unrelieved by transdermal "patches and smears," NSAIDs, and other currently pro social regimens I'd be outraged.

Yes, there IS a place for opioids outside of palliative care and cancer-related pain. ?

And yeah there's reason to prescribe benzos and stimulants too.

In about what, 1999(?) "standards" required us to ameliorate pain. In 2019, we tell people "you can live a full life with intractable pain. Here's some random prescriptions for gabapentin and other stuff" because we'll be penalized for not meeting standards.