Rescue dose orders as an alternative to range orders: an evidence-based practice project

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Pharmacy
• Pain Management

Background:

• Inpatient pain management faces challenges due to regulatory concerns surrounding opioid dose range orders.
• These concerns can lead to suboptimal, individualized patient care.
• Existing practices may hinder healthcare teams' ability to provide effective pain relief.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address regulatory oversight issues in pain management.
• To implement an evidence-based practice project in a large academic hospital.
• To establish a novel pain management approach as an alternative to traditional opioid dose range orders.

Main Methods:

• Developed and implemented a rescue dose medication protocol.
• Replaced opioid dose range orders with the new protocol.
• Focused on changing pain management processes within a hospital setting.

Main Results:

• Successfully implemented the rescue dose protocol.
• Observed a reduction in the administration of inappropriate intravenous opioids.
• Noted an increase in the use of single-entity first-line opioid analgesics.

Conclusions:

• Rescue dose protocols offer a viable alternative to opioid dose range orders.
• This approach can effectively manage inpatient pain.
• The implemented protocol improved the quality of opioid analgesic administration.