Opioid Use in Long-Term Care: Guidelines and Policy Recommendations

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Pain Management
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Older adults in long-term care (LTC) experience higher chronic pain incidence and opioid prescription rates compared to community-dwelling peers.
• Opioids are often necessary for pain management in LTC residents unable to use non-opioid or non-pharmacological treatments.
• Recent guidelines recommend conservative opioid prescribing, raising concerns about adequate pain management in LTC settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide clinical guidelines and standards for nurses in long-term care (LTC) settings.
• To guide the assessment, treatment, and monitoring of opioid use in LTC residents.
• To ensure effective pain management while minimizing adverse events associated with opioid therapy.

Main Methods:

• Review of current clinical guidelines and standards for opioid stewardship in LTC.
• Analysis of best practices for pain assessment in older adults.
• Examination of strategies for monitoring opioid therapy and managing adverse events.

Main Results:

• Established clinical guidelines for responsible opioid stewardship in LTC.
• Provided standards for nurses to assess and treat chronic pain effectively.
• Outlined methods for monitoring opioid use to prevent adverse events.

Conclusions:

• Nurses in LTC settings can effectively manage chronic pain in residents using opioids.
• Adherence to clinical guidelines ensures safe and effective opioid therapy, reducing adverse events.
• Responsible opioid stewardship is crucial for balancing pain relief and resident safety in LTC.