While studies show opioid-related adverse events can be eliminated in the hospital setting by continuously monitoring respiratory activity in pain patients, harm related to opioid treatment continues to be a major concern for patient safety.
For 2016 and 2017, opioid related adverse events made the ECRI Institute's Top 10 Health Technology Hazards.
Recently, the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety relayed advice from Pamela Parker, RN, a recovery room nurse and a certified ambulatory perianesthesia nurse who lost her son to opioid-induced respiratory depression, on how to avoid opioid-related adverse events in the hospital setting.
Here are five strategies to eliminate patient harm due to opioids.
1. Patients treated with opioids should be assessed for the risk of respiratory depression and over sedation.
2. Clinicians should be trained and capable of recognizing the signs of respiratory compromise related to opioid treatment.
3. Patients should undergo continuous electronic observation with capnography monitors to track the concentration of carbon dioxide in exhaled air.
4. Pulse oximeters should not be relied upon for electronic monitoring.
5. Prior to discharge, clinicians should monitor patients for extended periods of time in unstimulated environments.
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