Pain medicine : the official journal of the American Academy of Pain Medicine
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To determine if there are differences in opioid prescribing among generalist physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs) to Medicare Part D beneficiaries. ⋯ We find relatively high rates of opioid prescribing among NPs and PAs, especially at the upper margins. This suggests that well-designed interventions to improve the safety of NP and PA opioid prescribing, along with that of their physician colleagues, could be especially beneficial.
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The University of Washington instituted a policy requiring all credentialed clinicians who prescribe opioids to complete a one-time education activity about safe and responsible opioid prescribing. A scenario-based, interactive online learning module was developed for opioid management of acute pain in hospitalized adults. This study examined the impact of the education module on learners' knowledge, perceived competence, and use of guideline-adherent practices. ⋯ Our findings suggest that this online education module about safe opioid prescribing for acute pain management was effective at improving knowledge, increasing the likelihood of using guideline-adherent clinical practices, and increasing perceived competence.
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Observational Study
Neuropathic-Like Pain Symptoms in a Community-Dwelling Sample with or at Risk for Knee Osteoarthritis.
To characterize neuropathic-like pain among individuals with or at risk for knee osteoarthritis. ⋯ Participants with or at risk for knee osteoarthritis who reported high neuropathic-like pain experienced significantly greater clinical pain and increased heat and mechanical temporal summation at the index knee and other body sites tested, suggesting central sensitization.