Reducing Opioid Exposure in a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Infants in neonatal intensive care units require painful and noxious stimuli as part of their care. Judicious use of analgesic medications, including opioids, is necessary. However, these medications have long- and short-term side effects, including potential neurotoxicity. This quality improvement project's primary aim was to decrease opioid exposure by 33% in the first 14 days of life for infants less than 1,250 g at birth within 12 months.

Methods

A multidisciplinary care team used Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control methodology to identify root causes of the quality gap including: (1) inconsistent reporting of objective pain scales; (2) variable provider prescribing patterns; and (3) variable provider bedside assessment of pain. These root caus

SUBMITTER: Stetson RC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7339154 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul-Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature