What is the Problem?
Prescription (Rx) medicine abuse is the use of a prescription medication to create an altered state, to get high, or for any reasons other than those intended by the prescriber.
Official documentation about drug abuse and preventative actions and policies:
American Medical Association taking action during COVID-19
State of Wyoming Board of Medicine Pain Policy
White Paper - Prescription Drug/Controlled Substance Abuse & Misuse
Information for Veterinarians about the opioid crisis from the FDA.
CDC Opioid Guide App which provides a Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) calculator.
FDA's Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for immediate-release, extended-release and long-acting opioid analgesics.
Continuing Medical Education (CME) and other resources for prescribers, dentists, pharmacist, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare providers on prescribing, the safe use of opioids and drug diversion.
NALOXONE
PHYSICIANS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS, NURSES & PHARMACISTS: Prescribe to Prevent provides a free Continuing Education module through a case study which teaches how to prevent overdoses among patients and their social networks. Videos show patient-pharmacist-prescriber encounters that model how to provide patient overdose education and naloxone rescue kits.
PHARMACISTS: CE through the Wyoming Pharmacy Association. This activity will provide 2 hours of CE and provides education on best practices for prescribing, billing and dispensing naloxone. Register for free and complete the CE by following the on-screen prompts.
SAFE PRESCRIBING
NURSE PRACTITIONERS: American Association of Nurse Practitioners – Continuing Medical Education courses are available to providers at:
PHYSICIANS & NURSE PRACTITIONERS: Safe Prescribing provides six educational modules on the risk evaluation and mitigation strategies that should be used for the safe prescribing of short and long-acting opioids.
PHYSICIANS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS & PHARMACISTS: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) provides an interactive training course that teaches health care providers how to talk to patients about safely using opioids to manage chronic pain. The course is, “Pathways to Safer Opioid Use”.
PHYSICIANS, NURSE PRACTITIONERS, DENTISTS & PHARMACISTS: Federally funded Continuing Education modules are available to providers on how to use opioids safely and compentenly for treating chronic pain.
RISK EVALUATION & MITIGATION STRATEGIES
NURSE PRACTITIONERS: American Association of Nurse Practitioners – Continuing Medical Education courses are available to providers at:
PHYSICIANS & NURSE PRACTITIONERS: Links to accredited CME/CE REMS-compliant activities supported by the REMS Program Companies available at:
PAIN MANAGEMENT
PHARMACISTS: American Pharmacists Association Pain Management Forum 2020 – Continuing Education courses are available to providers at:
NURSE PRACTITIONERS: American Association of Nurse Practitioners – Continuing Medical Education courses are available to providers at:
PHYSICIANS & NURSE PRACTITIONERS: American Academy of Pain Medicine – Continuing Medical Education courses are available to providers at:
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: PCSS-O provides evidence-based, authoritative, and educational opioid-use resources for healthcare providers.
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: The Weitzman Institute provides information and tools to assist healthcare providers in the primary care setting better treat their patients with chronic pain.
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: Learn more about the new CDC Opioid Guide App. The application includes a Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME) calculator
