Running head: PALLIATIVE CARE 1

Palliative Care

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Palliative Care

Opioids, a necessary pain management drug used in patients with chronic pain, are useful

and have side effects such as addiction. In PC, it is the duty of nurses to ensure that the patients

receive appropriate pain management drugs while also preventing them from side effects that

reduce the quality of life, such as addiction. Nurses can prevent addiction to particular opioids by

rotating the pain medication drugs often. Rotation aids in preventing the patient from getting

used to certain drugs that they develop a dependency on it. Secondly, nurses can educate the

patients regarding the risks of opioid diversion and providing them with information on

safekeeping and disposal of opioids no longer needed (Renee & Aaron, 2015). Lastly, nurses

should consult with pain management and addiction medicine specialists to manage patients with

drug addiction history (Renee & Aaron, 2015). This will enable proper monitoring of opioid-

related side effects and addiction.

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References

Renee, C. M., & Aaron, M. G. (2015). Nurses’ Role in Preventing Prescription Opioid Diversion.

American Journal of Nursing, 34-40.