Pain Management: How to Taper Patients Off of Chronic Opioid Therapy

Target Audience

This course is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians and nurses in primary care, family practice, internal medicine, neurology, oncology, psychiatry, addiction medicine, and interested Allied Health Professionals.

Program Overview
Pain Management: How to Taper Patients Off of Chronic Opioid Therapy

Accreditation Information
AMA PRA Category 1 Credits

Objectives

1. Recognize when risks of chronic opioid therapy outweigh benefits and effectively communicate this information to patients.
2. Employ language to prepare patients in advance for the opioid taper, and to provide emotional support in the midst of withdrawal.
3. Integrate the key features of a successful outpatient taper off of chronic opioid therapy: go slowly, take breaks, never go backwards.
4. Distinguish the signs and symptoms of opioid use disorder (addiction), and intervene with compassion when, in the process of a taper, an opioid use disorder comes to light.
5. Counsel patients on non-opioid alternatives to chronic pain.