Assessing pain in persons with opioid use disorder: Approaches, techniques and special considerations.

Pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) are inextricably linked, as the former can be a risk factor for the development of the latter, and over a third of persons with OUD suffer concomitant chronic pain. Assessing pain among people with OUD is challenging, because ongoing opioid use brings changes in pain responses and most pain assessment tools have not been validated for this population. In this narrative review, we discuss the fundamentals of pain assessment for populations with OUD. First, we describe the biological, psychological and social aspects of the pain experience among people with OUD, as well as how opioid-related phenomena may contribute to the pain experience in this population. We then review methods to assess pain, including (1) traditional self-reported methods, such visual analogue scales and structured questionnaires; (2) behavioural observations and physiological indicators; (3) and laboratory-based approaches, such as quantitative sensory testing. These methods are considered from a perspective that encompasses both pain and OUD. Finally, we discuss strategies for improving pain assessment in persons with OUD and implications for future research, including educational strategies for multidisciplinary teams. We highlight the substantial gaps that persist in this literature, particularly regarding the applicability of current pain assessment methods to persons with OUD, as well as the generalizability of the existing results from adjacent populations on chronic opioid therapy but without OUD. As research linking pain and OUD evolves, considering the needs of diverse populations with complex psychosocial backgrounds, clinicians will be better equipped to reduce these gaps.

"I Just Need Proper Treatment": Being Hospitalized for Endocarditis among Individuals Who Inject Drugs Being Hospitalized for Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Rates of hospitalization for injection drug use-associated infective endocarditis (IDU-IE) are increasing. Much is known about the poor outcomes of patients with IDU-IE; less is known about the patient experience during hospitalization. OBJECTIVE: To explore the experience of being hospitalized for endocarditis among individuals who inject drugs, providing a foundation on which to develop strategies to improve care for these patients. DESIGN: Qualitative interviews with hospitalized patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery with a history of injection drug use between February 2021 and May 2022 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS: Cardiothoracic surgery patients with a documented history of injection drug use and the ability to speak English were recruited during their hospital stay. APPROACH: Thematic analysis of interviews guided by phenomenology and harm reduction theory was used to identify recurrent themes. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed and analyzed using NVIVO software. KEY RESULTS: Interviews from 13 participants resulted in four major themes around Hospital Experience: (1) Kindness as an Antidote to Dehumanizing Treatment; (2) Relationships with the Care Team; (3) Withdrawal and Pain Management; and (4) Anticipating and Experiencing the Transition out the Hospital. Participants recounted long histories of dehumanizing care during previous hospitalizations, noted the value of open, sincere, and non-judgmental communication with clinical teams, expressed overall satisfaction with the management of their symptoms during the current hospitalization, reported self-discharging during previous hospitalizations due to undertreated pain and withdrawal, and noted significant challenges around discharge planning and execution. CONCLUSIONS: Participants noted structural (e.g., discharge planning) and interpersonal (e.g., stigma from care team) barriers to quality hospital care. They also noted that expressions of kindness from hospital staff were meaningful and comforting. Patients with IDU-IE face multi-dimensional challenges in the hospital. Their perspectives can meaningfully inform programs and initiatives to improve their outcomes and support recovery.

The United States opioid crisis: Big pharma alone is not to blame."

OBJECTIVE: The opioid crisis in the United States continues essentially unabated, fueled by fentanyl contamination of the heroin supply and resulting in 79,770 reported opioid-involved overdose deaths in the calendar year 2022. To prevent another such crisis emerging, it is necessary to fully identify its root causes. METHODS: Despite the well-recognized role the pharmaceutical industry played in facilitating the crisis via the aggressive marketing of prescription opioids, several other less appreciated but perhaps more influential factors were also contributors, and the overall goal of this review is to ensure that these are not be lost to history in a concerted effort to blame opioid manufacturers and distributors. Presented is a historical review of research and regulatory documents beginning with the loosening of opioid prescription for chronic pain through current thought and practice today. Beginning with a necessary decoupling of the current opioid crisis from the increased use of opioids to treat chronic pain, this review will examine these contributing factors. RESULTS: Clinical concerns about under- or untreated pain, practice guidelines from standard-setting organizations and government entities, and a health system-wide move away from specialty interdisciplinary pain programs together set the stage for an over-reliance on opioids in chronic pain care. CONCLUSIONS: This review reminds the health care community that despite the deep pockets of the pharmaceutical industry and highly the organized efforts of the drug cartels, additional self-reflection is warranted to fully understand the true root causes of the current epidemic and ways to prevent similar epidemics in the future.

Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol modulates pain sensitivity among persons receiving opioid agonist therapy for opioid use disorder: A within-subject, randomized, placebo-controlled laboratory study.

The opioid and cannabinoid receptor systems are inextricably linked-overlapping at the anatomical, functional and behavioural levels. Preclinical studies have reported that cannabinoid and opioid agonists produce synergistic antinociceptive effects. Still, there are no experimental data on the effects of cannabinoid agonists among humans who receive opioid agonist therapies for opioid use disorder (OUD). We conducted an experimental study to investigate the acute effects of the delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) among persons receiving methadone therapy for OUD. Using a within-subject, crossover, human laboratory design, 25 persons on methadone therapy for OUD (24% women) were randomly assigned to receive single oral doses of THC (10 or 20 mg, administered as dronabinol) or placebo, during three separate 5-h test sessions. Measures of experimental and self-reported pain sensitivity, abuse potential, cognitive performance and physiological effects were collected. Mixed-effects models examined the main effects of THC dose and interactions between THC (10 and 20 mg) and methadone doses (low-dose methadone defined as <90 mg/day; high dose defined as >90 mg/day). Results demonstrated that, for self-reported rather than experimental pain sensitivity measures, 10 mg THC provided greater relief than 20 mg THC, with no substantial evidence of abuse potential, and inconsistent dose-dependent cognitive adverse effects. There was no indication of any interaction between THC and methadone doses. Collectively, these results provide valuable insights for future studies aiming to evaluate the risk-benefit profile of cannabinoids to relieve pain among individuals receiving opioid agonist therapy for OUD, a timely endeavour amidst the opioid crisis.

Early childhood lead exposure and adolescent heart rate variability: A longitudinal cohort study.

Lead is a known neurotoxicant with many detrimental health effects, including neurocognitive deficits and cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. However, few studies have tested the association between lead exposure and the physiological stress response, which in and of itself may act as a precursor to and/or underlying mechanism of detrimental health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of early childhood and early adolescent low-level lead exposure on early adolescent heart rate variability, a widely-used measure of physiological stress. Participants were 408 children from Jintan, China for whom blood lead levels were measured between 3 and 5 years (early childhood) and again at 12 years (early adolescence). Heart rate variability was assessed at 12 years while participants underwent an induced stress task utilizing the ratio of low to high frequency (LF/HF) ECG measures. Mean blood lead levels in the cohort were 6.63 mcg/dl and 3.10 mcg/dl at 3-5 years and 12 years, respectively. Blood lead levels at 3-5 years of age (ß 0.06, p = 0.027), but not at age 12 (ß -0.05, p = 0.465), were significantly associated with LF/HF measures while controlling for multiple sociodemographic variables, potentially reflecting a dysregulated stress response with a shift towards sympathetic dominance. These findings suggest that early childhood lead exposure may have a detrimental influence on early adolescent autonomic responses to acute stress, which holds implications for cardiovascular health and overall growth and development.

Pain Management and Risks Associated With Substance Use: Practice Recommendations.

Assessing and managing pain while evaluating risks associated with substance use and substance use disorders continues to be a challenge faced by health care clinicians. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the International Nurses Society on Addictions uphold the principle that all persons with co-occurring pain and substance use or substance use disorders have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and receive evidence-based, high quality assessment, and management for both conditions. The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and International Nurses Society on Addictions have updated their 2012 position statement on this topic supporting an integrated, holistic, multidimensional approach, which includes nonopioid and nonpharmacological modalities. Opioid use disorder is used as an exemplar for substance use disorders and clinical recommendations are included with expanded attention to risk assessment and mitigation with interventions targeted to minimize the risk for relapse or escalation of substance use. Opioids should not be excluded for anyone when indicated for pain management. A team-based approach is critical, promotes the active involvement of the person with pain and their support systems, and includes pain and addiction specialists whenever possible. Health care systems should establish policies and procedures that facilitate and support the principles and recommendations put forth in this article.

Pain Management and Substance Use Disorders.

The American Society for Pain Management Nursing and the International Nurses Society on Addictions hold the position that persons with co-occurring pain and substance use disorder have the right to be treated with dignity and respect, and receive evidence-based, high-quality assessment and management for both conditions using an integrated, holistic, multidimensional approach. Non-opioid and nonpharmacological approaches to pain management are recommended. Opioids should not be withheld from anyone if necessary to treat pain, and a team-based approach, including pain and addiction specialists, should be utilized when possible. Pain management should include interventions aimed at minimizing the risk for relapse or escalation of problematic substance use, and actively involve the person and their support persons in the plan of care. Institutions should establish policies and procedures that support this position statement.

Interventions for hospitalized medical and surgical patients with opioid use disorder: A systematic review.

Background: Concurrent with the opioid overdose crisis there has been an increase in hospitalizations among people with opioid use disorder (OUD), with one in ten hospitalized medical or surgical patients having comorbid opioid-related diagnoses. We sought to conduct a systematic review of hospital-based interventions, their staffing composition, and their impact on outcomes for patients with OUD hospitalized for medical or surgical conditions. Methods: Authors searched PubMed MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and CINAHL from January 2015 through October 2020. The authors screened 463 titles and abstracts for inclusion and reviewed 96 full-text studies. Seventeen articles met inclusion criteria. Extracted were study characteristics, outcomes, and intervention components. Methodological quality was evaluated using the Methodological Quality Rating Scale. Results: Ten of the 17 included studies were controlled retrospective cohort studies, five were uncontrolled retrospective studies, one was a prospective quasi-experimental evaluation, and one was a secondary analysis of a completed randomized clinical trial. Intervention components and outcomes varied across studies. Outcomes included in-hospital initiation and post-discharge connection to medication for OUD, healthcare utilization, and discharge against medical advice. Results were mixed regarding the impact of existing interventions on outcomes. Most studies focused on linkage to medication for OUD during hospitalization and connection to post-discharge OUD care. Conclusions: Given that many individuals with OUD require hospitalization, there is a need for OUD-related interventions for this patient population. Interventions with the best evidence of efficacy facilitated connection to post-discharge OUD care and employed an Addiction Medicine Consult model.

Characterizing opioid prescribing to adolescents at time of discharge from a pediatric hospital over a five-year period.

PURPOSE: To characterize opioid prescribing over a 5-year period to adolescents upon discharge from one urban pediatric medical center. DESIGN AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 4354 adolescents discharged with a pain medication after an admission of ≤5 days between January 2015 and December 2019 was performed. Two outcome groups, based on the analgesics prescribed at discharge, were compared: those discharged with a prescription for a non-opioid only and those discharged with an opioid prescription. The association between year of discharge and receipt of opioid, while adjusting for relevant demographic and clinical characteristics, was also explored. RESULTS: Approximately 64% of the sample was discharged with an opioid prescription. Of those, the median daily dosage was 45.0 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) [IQR: 32.4, 45.0]. Year of discharge was associated with decreased odds of receiving an opioid when adjusting for age, race, sex, insurance, pain scores, opioid exposure during hospitalization, length of stay, and undergoing surgery. The odds of being discharged with an opioid decreased each year by 29% (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 0.71, CI:0.68-0.73). Concurrently, the proportion of patients discharged with nonopioid pain medication increased from 25% of adolescent patients in 2015 to 50% in 2019. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, opioid prescribing to adolescents at time of discharge decreased over time in our sample. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: While prescribing has decreased opioid analgesics are dispensed to young patients. Risk of opioid use disorder and overdose is rare in this population, but adolescence is good opportunity for nursing to promote safe prescribing and analgesic use.

Pain Following Endoscopic Foreheadplasty Surgery in Women.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic foreheadplasty surgery (EFS) is a common procedure; however, little has been reported about the nature or treatment of postoperative headache pain and associated symptoms. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to describe the intensity, quality, location, and duration of headache pain in women following EFS. We also compared post-EFS symptoms with migraine, described medication use and efficacy, and measured emotional and functional outcomes. METHODS: This descriptive study used an observational repeated-measures design. Forty-two women (mean [standard deviation] age, 59.0 [7.9] years) undergoing EFS were prospectively recruited from 12 private cosmetic practices in 3 California counties. Telephone interviews with the Acute Short-Form 12v2 and the Headache Pain Questionnaire were conducted on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3, 7, and 30. RESULTS: On POD 1, 93% reported at least moderate pain and 64% severe pain. Severe pain was characterized as throbbing (71%), sharp (53%), dull (76%), exploding (41%), imploding (53%), continuous (53%), or intermittent (41%) on POD 1. Moderate pain was most frequent on POD 3 (21%) compared to POD 1 (19%), 7 (12%) and 30 (12%). Mild pain predominated on POD 3 (40%) and 7 (40%), with 20% remaining on POD 30. The majority (79%) of post-EFS symptoms included light sensitivity and nausea, and therefore met most International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria for migraine. Analgesic use provided inconsistent relief. Functional and emotional status did not return to baseline throughout the 30-day postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Immediately following EFS, most women experience moderate to severe headache pain, despite use of medications. Pain persists in many patients for up to 1 month. Headache is associated with migraine symptoms, including light sensitivity and nausea.

Pharmacological treatment of pain among persons with opioid addiction: A systematic review and meta-analysis with implications for drug development.

The clinical features and neurobiology of pain and opioid use disorder (OUD) are inextricably linked. Despite emerging evidence supporting the negative impact of ongoing pain in the treatment of OUD, the pharmacological management of pain in the presence of OUD has received limited attention. We sought to systematically review the studies investigating pharmacotherapies for pain among persons with OUD. Eligible studies had participants with OUD and outcomes including evoked or spontaneous pain. We searched Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, and Embase. Out of 1,097 studies that met the search criteria, 12 studies provided data relevant to the research question-five laboratory studies and seven clinical trials. Random effects pooled estimates suggested no significant difference between groups at baseline but a response favoring the active treatment group over placebo, with nonsignificant heterogeneity between studies. Findings from these studies provide preliminary evidence for analgesic and antihyperalgesic effects of gabapentin, GABA agonists, and NMDA antagonists among persons with OUD. To establish the tradeoffs between the analgesic effects and abuse liability of these compounds, further well-controlled clinical trials are required among persons with OUD. This review also underscores the need for methodological enhancement in drug development for pain in OUD. Future research should address the clinical and neurobiological overlap between pain- and addiction-related phenomena. Transdisciplinary approaches may identify biomarkers of these shared phenomena and their neural substrates. The development of novel therapeutics for pain in OUD may be accelerated by such integration of pain and addiction research.

Innovative Approaches to Educating Future Clinicians about Opioids, Pain, Addiction and Health Policy.

BACKGROUND: Opioid use disorder and overdose have reached unprecedented levels in many countries across the globe, including the United States, and pain is one of the most common reasons American adults seek healthcare. To address the interrelated public health crises of opioid use disorder and chronic pain, it is vital that clinicians practicing in diverse roles and settings possess the ability and knowledge to effectively manage pain, responsibly prescribe and monitor opioid analgesics, educate patients about harm reduction techniques, and treat opioid use disorder. However, future healthcare professionals are not receiving the training needed to competently provide this care. This gap in curriculum may lead to clinicians being unwilling and unprepared to address the current opioid and overdose crises, which requires a clinical understanding of pain and substance use disorders as well as knowledge about public health and policy interventions. To address this gap, we designed and are teaching an innovative transdisciplinary elective course titled "Opioids: From Receptors to Epidemic" for undergraduate nursing and premedical students. AIM: In this paper, we present the course curriculum in detail, with the hope that educators at other institutions will design similar courses for their health professions students.

Acute pain and self-directed discharge among hospitalized patients with opioid-related diagnoses: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with substance use disorders are more likely than those without to have a self-directed hospital discharge, putting them at risk for poor health outcomes including progressing illness, readmissions, and death. Inadequate pain management has been identified as a potential motivator of self-directed discharge in this patient population. The objective of this study was to describe the association between acute pain and self-directed discharges among persons with opioid-related conditions; the presence of chronic pain in self-directed discharges was likewise considered. METHODS: We employed a large database of all hospitalizations at acute care hospitals during 2017 in the city of Philadelphia to identify adults with opioid-related conditions and compare the characteristics of admissions ending with routine discharge versus those ending in self-directed discharge. We examined all adult discharges with an ICD-10 diagnoses related to opioid use or poisoning and inspected the diagnostic data to systematically identify acute pain for the listed primary diagnosis and explore patterning in chronic pain diagnoses with respect to discharge outcomes. RESULTS: Sixteen percent of the 7972 admissions involving opioid-related conditions culminated in self-directed discharge, which was more than five times higher than in the general population. Self-directed discharge rates were positively associated with polysubstance use, nicotine dependence, depression, and homelessness. Among the 955 patients with at least one self-directed discharge, 15.4% had up to 16 additional self-directed discharges during the 12-month observation period. Those admitted with an acutely painful diagnosis were almost twice as likely to complete a self-directed discharge, and for patients with multiple admissions, rates of acutely painful diagnoses increased with each admission coinciding with a cascading pattern of worsening infectious morbidity over time. Chronic pain diagnoses were inconsistent for those patients with multiple admissions, appearing, for the same patient, in one admission but not others; those with inconsistent documentation of chronic pain were substantially more likely to self-discharge. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the importance of pain care in disrupting a process of self-directed discharge, intensifying harm, and preventable financial cost and suffering. Each admission represents a potential opportunity to provide harm reduction and treatment interventions addressing both substance use and pain.

Revisiting the Fetal Assault Law in Tennessee: Implications and the Way Forward.

The rising prevalence of opioid use disorder (OUD) among those living in the United States has demanded a collaborative response from health care and policy spheres. Addressing OUD among pregnant women is especially difficult, given the controversies surrounding the medical and ethical balance between meeting maternal versus fetal/newborn needs. Most medical organizations discourage the criminalization of drug use in pregnancy due to the adverse public health outcomes of such an approach. Despite this recommendation, many states continue to use punitive law to address drug use in pregnancy. In 2014, the Fetal Assault Law in Tennessee (TN) became the first law in the United States to directly allow women to be prosecuted for drug use in pregnancy. Since its expiration in 2016, this law has been re-introduced several times to the TN legislature in support of permanent implementation. This article outlines the impact of the initial Fetal Assault Law on maternal/newborn health in TN and provides alternative immediate, short-term, and long-term health policy strategies through which health care providers and legislators can better advocate for the well-being of both mothers with OUD and their infants.

Nursing Education in the Midst of the Opioid Crisis.

OBJECTIVES: The current opioid addiction crisis highlights two chronic health conditions which have traditionally received relatively little emphasis in nursing curricula: addiction and chronic pain. In an effort to provide direction to nursing programs in the US on the curriculum needed to prepare students to care for patients and meaningfully intervene in the opioid crisis, this paper presents an overview of the curricular elements which require integration. DESIGN AND DATA SOURCES: Specifically, the state of current nursing education in pain and addiction are reviewed, followed by foundational knowledge for nursing practice to address the opioid crisis. REVIEW/ANALYSIS METHODS: Practice competencies for generalist registered nurses as well as advanced practice nurses will then be detailed, and, recognizing the role nurses play in policy development and implementation, policy interventions to address the opioid crisis will also be presented. RESULT AND CONCLUSIONS: Both addiction and chronic pain are sources of suffering for patients; the key role nursing can play in reducing the experience of these illnesses in these vulnerable populations is critical to addressing the opioid addiction crisis.

School nurse reported supply and administration of naloxone in schools.

OBJECTIVE: To describe school nurse reported naloxone supply and administration in Pennsylvania, as well as nurse and school-level characteristics associated with naloxone availability. METHODS: Cross-sectional, online survey with school nurses in Pennsylvania. Data were collected (3/14/18-6/5/18) on school nurse demographic and professional characteristics, school characteristics, naloxone supply and administration, and when not available, reasons for not having a naloxone supply. RESULTS: A total of 362 school nurses met inclusion criteria, representing schools in 56 of the 67 Pennsylvania counties. Over half of the school nurses reported a naloxone supply in their school building (53.6%, n = 194). Additionally, 5.2% of those who had a naloxone supply reported that it had been administered in their school or at a school sponsored activity. The most common reasons for not having naloxone available included lack of support and the belief that naloxone was not needed in their school. CONCLUSION: Although many school nurses reported having a naloxone supply in their school, and a small percentage reported administration, particular barriers to access and use remain.

Nursing interventions for sexual dysfunction: An integrative review for the psychiatric nurse.

Sexual dysfunctions are prevalent disorders in psychiatric patients that too often are not addressed by psychiatric-mental health nurses. An integrative review was conducted using PubMed, Joanna Briggs Institute, SCOPUS, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases to evaluate the evidence for independent, nursing interventions for sexual dysfunction across all nursing literature that could be implemented by psychiatric-mental health nurses. Out of 2448 articles, nine papers met inclusion criteria and were synthesized. Best available evidence was found for sexual teaching interventions for female sexual dysfunction. The implications for psychiatric-mental health nursing practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Antagonists in the medical management of opioid use disorders: Historical and existing treatment strategies.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic condition with potentially severe health and social consequences. Many who develop moderate to severe OUD will repeatedly seek treatment or interact with medical care via emergency department visits or hospitalizations. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop feasible and effective approaches to help persons with OUD achieve and maintain abstinence from opioids. Treatment that includes one of the three FDA-approved medications is an evidence-based strategy to manage OUD. The purpose of this review is to address practices for managing persons with moderate to severe OUD with a focus on opioid withdrawal and naltrexone-based relapse-prevention treatment. METHODS: Literature available on PubMed was used to review the evolution of treatment strategies from the 1960s onward to manage opioid withdrawal and initiate treatment with naltrexone. RESULTS: Emerging practices for extended-release naltrexone induction include the use of agonist tapers and adjuvant medications. Clinical challenges frequently encountered when initiating this therapy include managing withdrawal and ongoing opioid use during treatment. Clinical factors may inform decisions regarding patient selection and length of naltrexone treatment, such as recent opioid use and patient preferences. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Treatment strategies to manage opioid withdrawal have evolved, but many patients with OUD do not receive medication for the prevention of relapse. Clinical strategies for induction onto extended-release naltrexone are now available and can be safely and effectively implemented in specialty and select primary care settings. (© 2018 The Authors. The American Journal on Addictions Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP);27:177-187).

Use of risk mitigation practices by family nurse practitioners prescribing opioids for the management of chronic nonmalignant pain.

BACKGROUND: Ongoing opioid analgesic use in patients suffering from chronic nonmalignant pain (CNMP) has been associated with the development of opioid misuse, abuse, addiction, and overdose. To prevent these adverse outcomes, it is important that family nurse practitioners (FNPs) implement recommended risk mitigation practices (RMPs) when treating CNMP patients with opioids. METHODS: A national sample of 856 FNPs was invited to answer an online survey about their utilization of opioids and RMPs in treating CNMP. RESULTS: One hundred sixty-eight FNPs responded (20% response rate), of whom 51.2% affirmed that they prescribe opioids for CNMP. Of the 86 FNPs who prescribe opioids, 66.7% said that less than 25% of their patients were receiving ongoing opioid therapy. The most frequently prescribed opioids were hydrocodone (77.9%) and oxycodone (58.1%). With respect to RMPs, 50 of the 86 opioid-prescribing FNPs (58.8%) reported using treatment contracts with their CNMP patients. Far fewer (20.9%) used formal screening tools to gauge the risk of opioid abuse and misuse. Most respondents (54.94%) reported using prescription monitoring programs, whereas only 33.0% reported using urine toxicology to monitor opioid use. Of the prescribing FNPs, 15.1% reported using abuse-deterrent opioid formulations. Age was found to be a correlate for prescribing opioids for CNMP, with those under 40 years of age less likely to use urine toxicology than those over 41 (45.2% vs. 4.2%; χ2(6) = 11.90, P = .06). Additionally, respondents who did not use treatment contracts reported significantly fewer years in practice (10.5 years, SD = 6.1) than those who did (13.6 years, SD = 1.54, df = 2.82, P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Although RMPs are recommended for use in all CNMP patients receiving ongoing opioid therapy, FNPs do not consistently implement them. In the midst of the current opioid epidemic, FNPs must be vigilant about using appropriate opioid prescription practices.