The United States is in the midst of the opioid epidemic which has claimed more lives in 2021 than in any previous year.  The epidemic is being fueled by potent synthetic opioids and at the same time a rising use of methamphetamine with more dangerous sequelae due to the changes in production.  Nurses in all settings will care for individuals who may be experiencing pain but also may be using substances that jeopardize their health. In this session an overview of approaches to pain management will be outlined.  The presenter will describe the use of trauma-informed care and harm reduction principles as a basis for providing compassionate care to this vulnerable population.

Learning Objectives:  At the conclusion of this presentation, learners will be able to:

1.     Describe substance use disorders and relation to pain

2.     Gain insight into relevance of trauma-informed care in the health care setting

3.     Discuss elements of harm reduction relevant to work with patients across the continuum

4.     Describe general approaches utilized to manage pain in the setting of comorbid substance use disorder

CRNI® RUs: This session has been approved for 2 CRNI® recertification units and meets the non INS Meeting criteria.

Contact Hours: This session has been approved for 1 contact hour

Expiration date for receipt of contact hours: August 16, 2025

To receive contact hours for this educational activity, you are required to attend the entire educational activity and complete the evaluation.

The Infusion Nurses Society is approved as a provider of continuing nursing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing, provider #CEP14209. The certificate must be retained by the attendee for a period of 4 years.