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Regulatory barriers to pain management
1Pain and Policy Studies Group, University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison 53705, USA.
Objectives:
To provide an overview of relevant federal and state policies, as well as recommendations for identifying and addressing barriers to the treatment of cancer and non-cancer pain.
Data Sources:
Review of federal and state statutes and medical board guidelines.
Conclusions:
There has been an increase in pain-related policies since the mid 1980s, with recent years showing a significant amount of policy development and adoption. However, a variety of laws and policies contain provisions that have the potential to discourage the use of opioid analgesics for the relief of pain.
Implications For Nursing Practice:
The evaluation and treatment of patients with cancer and non-cancer pain can be enhanced by a knowledge of the specific restrictions of controlled substances statutes and practice guidelines. In this way, there will be less chance for nurses to practice outside established legal parameters.