Date of Conferral
2022
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Patricia Schweickert
Abstract
Abstract Over prescribing opioids after hip and knee replacements in older adults is closely linked to the opioid epidemic. Despite being a public health concern associated with increased mortality rates, opioids are the most frequently used method for controlling postoperative pain. Therefore is important to know whether nonpharmacological pain control methods may effectively reduce the burden of opioid addiction, thus reducing the risk of opioid-related fatalities. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a systematic review of the literature provided evidence supporting nonpharmacological methods of pain control following hip and knee replacements in older adults compared to use of prescription opioids for pain control. Lewin's change theory is directly related to changing pain treatment in the postoperative period by preparing patients with feasible methods of facilitating pain relief. Scholarly literature from 2014-2019 was assessed using inclusion and exclusion criteria, revealing 49 articles for full review. Nine studies were included in this review. Analysis of this evidence was critically appraised using the John Hopkins model. The evidence demonstrated more favorable pain control using nonpharmacological methods and nonopioid pain medications at the lowest dosage. The project positively advocates for social change by reducing the risks of drug addiction and untimely deaths. It advocates for safer pain control options, decreasing costs associated with opioid addiction treatment, providing alternative means of managing pain, treating opioid-related health conditions, providing safer communities, and promoting healthier lifestyles.
Recommended Citation
Cox, Adraine, "Nonpharmacological Pain Control Following Hip and Knee Replacements in Older Adults" (2022). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 12306.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/12306
