Pain and Opioids: Call for Policy Action

Opioids were once the cornerstone in treating severe disabling pain and are now known to underlie an epidemic of substance use disorders and overdose deaths. Nurse practitioners are in key positions to influence opioid and pain management policy. As clinicians in primary care and specialty settings, nurse practitioners frequently encounter patients in pain. A white paper developed through the Nurse Practitioner Healthcare Foundation titled Managing Chronic Pain with Opioids: A Call for Change 2017 offers a multifaceted approach to pain management and provides timely recommendations to move policies and practices forward. Key recommendations from the white paper are highlighted.