PreOp Nurses Drive Safe Medication Practices

In an effort to address the ongoing opioid crisis, several of our nurses have spearheaded a growing initiative to educate patients and families about the importance of safe medication storage and disposal.

Research has shown that around 50% of opioid misuse cases begin with medications obtained from friends or relatives, highlighting the critical need for proactive education. One study placed the figure even higher, at 70% of all opioid misuse cases.

In response, periop nurses Nina Warren and Caitlin Gasser partnered to develop and distribute new rack cards at the hospital’s pharmacies, coordinate new messaging for after-visit summaries, collaborate with the Vermont Department of Health on poster campaigns, and even add a public service message to the hospital’s phone system. Dottie Flowers, RN, and Kelcie Gibbard, RN, are also part of this collaboration, providing PreOp and PACU knowledge and support. This multifaceted approach ensures the message reaches patients at multiple points of care, reinforcing the importance of responsible medication use and safety.

“It’s our hope that we can continue to grow this effort – embedding safe disposal messaging into after visit summaries and eventually expand this Network-wide as well,” says Warren, who presented their work at the 2024 Perianesthesia Nursing Journal Club. “The more we get the word out, the better the chance of us heading off opioid misuse and even deaths.”

This project supports the Quality standard by ensuring that patients and families have the knowledge they need to manage medications safely. It also exemplifies the Professional Development standard, as nurses took initiative to research, design, and implement an educational campaign that reaches across the continuum of care.